The Excruciating Conundrum of the Ebonies

Dec 12, 2019

The heydays of the Ebonies are long gone, even if they boast ownership of a theatre, the once-Neeta cinema turned into Theatre La Bonita.

 
How many people know that the Ebonies were originally more of a gospel group? Before all the melodrama, short-shorts and tales of debauchery, the original group was all about praising the Lord. At least that is what it seems Jimmy Katumba had in mind when formed the group in 1977. 
 
In fact, they were not even the Ebonies at the beginning, but started out as the Light Bearers, reflecting Katumba's church beginnings.
 
Son of a Church of Uganda Reverend, Katumba begin his singing in church and was later one of the mainstays of the Eschatos Brides, a very popular gospel acapella group in the 1970s and 80s. But evidently Katumba wanted to take his rich baritone to more places than just churches, so Jimmy Katumba and the Ebonies came into being.

 Sam Bagenda, Harriet Nalubwama, and Dick Katende on the way to Cape Town to film episodes of That's Life Mwatu. File Photo 

Throughout those crazy days of the fall of Idi Amin and the second coming of Obote, before it became too dangerous to go out for shows, Jimmy Katumba and the Ebonies ruled Uganda's music. A kind of Andrew Rugasira of his times, Katumba had gathered around him some really talented and professional musicians, many from his alma mater Makerere College School, known for its strong music program.
 
But somewhere along the line, John Katende, a prominent Kampala lawyer, took over the reins of the group. There were all kinds of stories making the rounds about what really happened, but by 1990 Katumba was no longer part of the group, and it had changed to being simply The Ebonies. 

 Harriet Nalubwama as Nakawunde was the stand out star of That's Life, Mwatu 

The group had also morphed from professionals making some really good music to clowning around on stage with bubble-gum-like drama with titles very difficult to pronounce. The big question about The Ebonies then was not what they would do next, but who came up with those crazy names? Could it be that politician Mbidde grew up watching the Ebonies' plays, and that infected his language?
 

 Jimmy Katumba performing at the launch of his album Atalina Kigere at Nile Gardens 1997. File Photo

But eventually, they would get their act together, get some very talented actors and scriptwriters on board, and gave us some memorable theatre. We got to see the likes of the very talented Kwezi Kaganda, who was unforgettable in his role as Inspector ‘002' Oyet Otim.

 The originals: Jimmy Katumba and the Ebonies 1990 

But the Ebonies golden years started in 1993 with the TV series That's Life, Mwatu. The series depicted Uganda's lives as no one had ever done before, and it acquired almost a cult status. The main characters were some of Uganda's first real ‘celebrities', and not a few were actually attacked in real life as a result of the stuff they portrayed on TV.

 The Ebonies in London (l-r): Paul Katende, Harriet Nalubwama, Rose Kamya, and Sam Bagenda  

But the standout star by far was Harriet Nalubwama as Nakawunde, a village girl from Kiboga that was brought to Kampala to be a submissive wife to a doctor (Paul Katende) tired of his domineering girlfriend. But the village belle proved she could punch way above her weight, and quickly became the mistress of the manor. 

 Kwezi Kaganda was memorable as Inspector '002' Oyet Otim in Ebonies' productions 

That's Life, Mwatu was a window on life in Uganda in the 90s and early noughties, with all the exhilaration of the freedom and relative luxuries of the post 80s country. It portrayed the wheeling and dealing that ruled life those days. The group would even film episodes in ‘outside countries' to portray the life of the ‘nkuba kyeyos'.

 The late Paul Waibale Sr as Isabirye in Bibaawo 

Another memorable presence in the Ebonies is Sam Bagenda, who first appeared as Dr. Bosa in That's Life, Mwatu. He's probably the longest-serving member of the group, and he still appears regularly in the group's productions.
 
The heydays of the Ebonies are long gone, even if they boast ownership of a theatre, the once-Neeta cinema turned into Theatre La Bonita. That's Life, Mwatu's long run ended in 2007, although some re-runs would appear on UBC in 2010, and also run for some time on DStv, where it was rated 18.

 Bob Mpiima as lawyer Byaruhanga in That's Life, Mwatu 

So as Sam Bagenda celebrates his over 30 years as an actor, let's all pour a toast to this group that has brought plenty of happiness to Ugandans.  
 
 

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