A Tribute

This is a tribute to a relative and friend that died following a brief illness and whose passing left those of us that were close to her feeling cold and perplexed about God’s so-called ways. She was deeply patriotic without seeking to justify her political views, active in the background and constantly working towards the development of the country. It was a political streak she must have inherited from her father.

When we gathered in church for a celebratory service of her life, the congregation was reminded that we were not at a political rally or in attendance as politicians, senior military officers or high ranking government officials. Instead, it was a get together of family and close friends.

My wife’s family was constituted of a father, mother and four daughters and when I wedded the eldest among them, I became a son through marriage. Thereafter, her parents treated me as such and over nearly 50 years, my sisters-in-law became my sisters and extremely close friends.

This tribute is to one of them.

Eulogies are often full of contrived praises because we do not want to talk ill about the dead. This tribute, however, is not so much about listing the great qualities of my sister and close friend, but to shine a spotlight on the moral degradation and pervasive corruptness of our country.

Here was a young girl, well educated in exclusive schools and universities across Europe and North America. She came from a tight knit liberal Christian family with very strong and focused political views. She believed in her ability to make a contribution to changes that would lead to better governance and because of her involvement against bad leadership and human rights abuses, she was forced to flee the country.

In exile, she joined forces with those fighting for change and supported the guerrilla fighters until the war was finally won. Thereafter, she returned to her beloved country not to start a business or indulge in trivial pleasures as many former exiles did, but to help rebuild the nation, virtually from scratch.

Her commitment and contribution during the bush war must have impressed the leaders who looked at her as a valuable asset in the rebuilding effort. While the fighters were rewarded with military ranks, ministerial positions, ambassadorial postings and headship of lucrative institutions, she was taken in to work in the ‘backroom Office’ as a press secretary.

In this capacity, she set up a system through which the President, faced with the daunting task of reconstructing the country, was able to communicate to the public and the world at large. Her interaction with the media houses of the day whose political affiliations covered all shades was especially lauded in their tribute to her the day after her death. She was referred to as ‘principled’, ‘honest’, a ‘Peace maker’ and ‘self-confident’.

She served with dignity and honour for 15 years and when I think of what she did for the country, I come up with an analogy of a cook in a kitchen using firewood. For a decade and a half, she worked in the ‘political kitchen’ of Uganda and must have been the envy of those that sought the President’s ear or benevolence. Had she been of corruptible, she easily could have accepted bribes to arrange for backchannel meetings with the President. No one can ever claim that she did.

The firewood analogy is that she came out of the kitchen, clean as a whistle, without a speck of ash on her person. Thereafter, she joined the ‘kitchen’ of East and Central African politics where it was more of the same. This is the tribute I have for my sister and my friend.

In a country where appointments of responsibility are seen as opportunities to ‘eat’ and getting rich is the driving force for existence irrespective of how the riches are obtained, she demonstrated that it is possible to be a committed, incorruptible politician with strong religious convictions.

My sister emulated her father in the ways of self-confidence, religious conviction, steadfastness and strong nationalistic views. Yet these characteristics alone cannot explain her impeccable public service. After all, there are many in the public and private sectors with these attributes but still up to their necks with corruption and rotten service. The special trait she had is the legacy she has left the country.

As for her family, she has left us with a feeling of elation and pride. Seeds dry up and appear rotten before they germinate. My sister is dead, but I pray that her legacy will propagate a new society that can be trusted with the public responsibility of delivering services honestly. We see bright stars in the sky but cannot reach out and touch them. We can no longer touch my sister, but her legacy will continue to shine bright over the country.

Hope Kishande Kivengere, rest in eternal peace.