Kigezi mourns legendary author Karwemera

KABALE - A prominent author, language and cultural consultant, Festo Karwemera has passed on. 

Karwemera, 96, died on Sunday morning from his home in Kibikuura cell, lower Bugongi, Kabale municipality.  

The late Karwemera prior to his death was so vocal in promoting the culture and language of the Bakiga. 

According to Flavia Kanagizi, one of the deceased's children, the family is yet to release the sendoff programme for their late Father. 

Various people have described the late Karwemera as one of their icons whose contribution will live forever. 

Rev. Solomon Mugyenzi, the former Academic Registrar for Bishop Barham University College, Kabale said Karwemera has been a champion of good values and practices that once upheld Kigezi will shine forever. 

"Karwemera wrote a lot of books that were educating society on good moral practices. He took his biggest time in educating the public on how best they can adopt good conduct and develop themselves. Karwemera's light will shine forever in this region," said Mugyenzi. 

The Kabale municipality deputy mayor, Kedress Mutabazi credited the late Karwemera for living an exemplary life that reflected Pan Africanism. 

"He loved Kigezi, Uganda and Africa. His actions expressed it clearly that he wanted each one of us to appreciate their origin and live towards promoting their heritage," she said. 

Who is Karwemera? 

Born in 1925 in Karubanda village, Buhaara sub-county, Kabale District, Karwemera survived being recruited to fight in World War II because of his father's timely decision to take him to school. At the time of recruitment, he had gone to school and they took only those who were not in school. 

Having completed junior school in 1944, he was not able to continue with secondary education due to lack of fees, hence joining Nyakasura Vernacular Teacher Training College where he qualified as a vernacular teacher. 

Almost after a decade of vernacular teaching, Karwemera decided to upgrade from a vernacular teacher to a Grade II teacher at Bishop Tucker Teacher's college, Mukono. 

From Mukono, Karwemera taught at Kantare Primary School from 1955 until 1959. He was appointed an assistant school supervisor in the Native Anglican Church Schools, a post he held until 1965 when he joined Action Aid. 

Karwemera worked at Save the Children Fund Uganda in the late 1960s and later the National Trading Cooperation in Kabale in the 1970s. 

In the 1980s, he served as the head of Kabale district service commission and was a member of various committees such as contracts committee, the district land committee and was the chairman of Kabale town council by the time it was transformed into a municipality. 

He was married to Aidah Mary Ziryabura and the couple had eight children. 

Among Karwemera's significant contributions is his participation in the translation of the English Bible from English to Runyankole-Rukiga and the Runyankole-Rukiga dictionary. 

In 2013, he was awarded a medal during the 51st Independence celebrations in Rukungiri district. 

His belief in local language saw him compile a book in which Christian names are given their local version. 

Karwemera also started a kikiga museum in Kabale town to show how the traditional Kikiga homestead looked like.  He named it "Akehogo kabana Ba Karwemera" meaning the hiding place for Karwemera's children. 

For his work, Festo Karwemera was recognised not only in book writing but also in cultural conservation. Makerere University, Uganda Christian University Mukono, Kabale University, the government of Uganda through the Local Government ministry and the Cross-cultural Foundation of Uganda all acknowledged his work by giving him certificates of acknowledgement and appreciation for a job well done.