Namusisi was Uganda's first female sports journalist

Victoria Namusisi beat the odds of a fisherman's daughter and rose to the top. With all the gratitude attributed to her father, it was not an easy journey for her as she encountered challenges, both in her personal and career life. She told her story to Gladys Kalibbala Fishermen are known to live reckless and wretched lives.

The perception people have of them is drinking excessive alcohol, promiscuity and reluctance to take their children to school. It is from that lifestyle the Baganda coined a saying, “Sente azirya kivubi”, meaning, you spend money like a fisherman who has hope of catching more fish anytime. Victoria Nalongo Namusisi, was born on January 19, 1956 to the late Paul Mukasa and Miriam Nalunga.

The former Resident District Commissioner (RDC) for Mpigi and an advisor in the office of the President, is proud of her father. He was a fisherman with a difference. She says unlike others, her father built houses both in his ancestral area in Nsaazi Island and on the mainland at Nalugala village, Wakiso district.

He was born at Nsaazi Island on Lake Victoria but later bought land in Nalugala village, Katabi sub-county where he built the first storeyed house, earning him the name Mukasa Kalina. It has been standing for 80 years. He passed away in 1996 and the road that goes through this area is still known as Mukasa Kalina Road. “Although he was commonly known as a prominent fisherman, he also engaged in farming on big plantations of bananas.

Whenever he came to land at Entebbe from the Islands, his boat carried fish and bananas, which he sold in Entebbe and Kibuye markets. We were all in good schools and he used the money for our school fees,” Namusisi recalls. She studied at Kisubi Girls School, Old Kampala SS and later the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) for journalism.

She left a record at Old Kampala as the best in athletics and from 1970 to 1975, she was the only African girl in the hockey team full of Indians. Others feared to join hockey claiming it was tough, whereby you had to use strength to run while carrying a stick to hit the ball. Many opted for netball and other lighter games,” she says

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Namusisi, (second left), with the first lady Janet visiting a women's project in Mpigi district

THE JOURNALISM CAREER
During her S6 vacation, Namusisi worked for Voice of Uganda in the sports section as a freelance reporter. “I was the first female sports journalist. Other young women I met there like Betty Matovu and Rebecca Katumba were parliament reporters,” she explains. As an aspiring reporter, Namusisi received a push when her editor, Sammy Kateregga supported her bid to join the Institute of Public Administration in 1975.

She says the principal of the institute, Luke Kazinja, was not convinced that she could handle the sports beat, but she soon proved him wrong with her determination. By the time she completed the course in 1977, she was in a relationship with the then General Secretary of the National Council of Sports,Martin Okoth whom she later introduced to her parents in a traditional marriage ceremony.

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Guiding President Museveni on a tour through Gomba

TOUGHER TIMES AHEAD
“When I was heavily pregnant, former president Idi Amin’s men arrested my husband. I used my profession to reach Nasur Abdallah for assistance. He was a supporter of Simba FC and he talked to Farouk Minawa who picked him from Nakasero.
It was a terrible experience when they handed him to me at Lugogo, with his shirt full of blood! We later learnt he was meant to be killed the following day at Namanve.

With such information, we ran for dear life to exile in Kenya,” she says. Fearing to be seen at the main railway station in Kampala, the late Bob Kasule took them to a remote train station in Mukono, where they boarded for the coast. “On reaching Mombasa, Okoth bought an old pick-up truck which he used to transport vegetables. He wore a big hat all the time while I dressed like a Muslim woman to avoid Amin’s men in case they followed us.

Poverty hit us hard during that time!” she says. When Lule was over-thrown in 1980, we came back home and I went back to work at Voice of Uganda. Okoth and I separated in 1984.

AS A SPORTS REPORTER
“Footballers teased me whenever I entered their dressing rooms, but I had no alternative and was not moved. There was no way I could get their names if I feared to go inside because from there, they headed straight to the pitch, yet I had to know the lineup.” Her most memorable story happened when she went for the Olympics in 1988 in South Korea. Namusisi was both an official as well as a reporter for Star and Ngabo newspapers

It so happened that Ugandans’ hopes of a medal were fixed on Fred Muteweta, a boxer. Three days to the big day, he was found to be overweight which meant he was likely to be thrown out. “His coach, Grace Seruwagi, created alternatives as he put him on intensive exercises.

By the eve of the fight, Grace Semakula, my editor, back in Uganda wanted the story urgently. It was getting late and the weighing process was still on going inside the building. To get the answer I had to go inside and what a shock I got! All the players being measured were naked and I almost ran back as I happened to be the only woman.

As all eyes turned to me with an inquistive look, I proceeded. Many saw my official tag and nobody questioned my presence. Within minutes, I had a headline for my paper as our man had managed to lose 5kgs in only three days and was scheduled to fight,” she says.

BETTER THINGS TO COME
Namusisi was later assigned to report at Parliament and State House. “I vividly remember a time when President Museveni had just returned from a visit abroad. He held a press conference at the airport, in which he said the Indians were to get back their property which they had left when Amin expelled them. I posed a question which I knew was in many
Baganda’s minds, about when the Baganda should expect their Kingdom restored. We then had the answer that soon, the Baganda were to get their Kabaka and ‘Ebyaffe’, (kingdom property) back,” she recalls One day, Namusisi got a call from State House saying she had been picked to visit Rwakitura, the president’s country home.

The national youth day was approaching and as she excitedly briefed her editor, Drake Sekeba, they went through what questions to ask the president. “I only learnt on reaching Rwakitura that I had not gone to cover a story, but as a visitor to the President, who took me around his farms and cows.” Although she had talked to the President in Rwakitura, Namusisi had no idea of what was coming.

One morning, she entered the newsroom from the field, everyone shouted out ‘congratulations!’ “I had no idea about being appointed the RDC for Mpigi. The announcement was made on radio yet I knew nothing! Work in Mpigi was harsh as I maneuvered through among others, problems of water shortages in Gomba where I watched animals dying because of drought.

A businessman, Ssebbowa of Zana came to my aid by providing trucks to transport water to Gomba,” she narrates, adding: “But I could only supply just one jerrycan per home!” By the time she left in 1997, Namusisi had constructed a milk centre for them at Maddu and a bank at Kanoni because, where farmers used to take their money was a 50-mile distance away,” she recalls.

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Namusisi with one of the children she takes care of

LOOKING AFTER NEEDY CHILDREN

Namusisi retired from politics years ago, and now looks after needy children at Bright Kids Uganda in Nalugala village near Entebbe town. She sold her car to put up a shelter for the over 100 children.

The first group was from the war zones where Kony was fighting, but now many come from various police stations where they have been reported abandoned. She participated in peace meetings in northern Uganda, working together with Betty Bigombe. Her concern is the increasing number of needy children. She is forced to send some away for lack of space and resources