Pages

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Dr. Kkolokolo a friend indeed


Doctor George Kkolokolo has been a friend with whom I have been able to make publications on St. Mary's College Kisubi (SMACK). I first met Dr. Kkolokolo at a meeting at Christ the King when he had come for SMACK Centenary Celebrations in 2006. I unfortunately did not get his email well and so shortly after he was back to France he sent to me a message and since then we have been in touch. It has not been able to write publications on SMACK, but the doctor has not only given me the courage but even financial support which has enabled me together with him to publish some of the works to do with St. Mary's College Kisubi.
I thank him.

Dynamic Willy,
As usual I'm short of words to express my sincere gratitude
on what you've done on diffusing so widely the writing on J.C. !
By the way, where and how do you get all these numerous e-mail addresses ?
You're really an expert in personal contact !!!
Thank you for inserting in the writing those relevant aspects including
J.C.'s date of birth, namely July. this will enable many of us to prepare amply
his birthday gifts.
Warmest regards !
Dr G.H.Kkolokolo


Subject: Re: Fw: SMACK OBs 2010 CALENDAR
Thank you very much for this very wonderful calendar.
You deserve a beer for it!!!
Sorry to learn that your e-mails could be subject to such dirty scheming!
You know the world has many jealous people filled with sinister intentions!
God bless!
Dr G. H. Kkolokolo

Dear All,
What a challenge to us all, all of us who have done something already and all of us who are contemplating to do something now and all of us who are thinking of doing something to grace the Great Mzee's 90 wonderful years? Prof J. C. Kiwanuka taught for half a century at SMACK where he had in class students, their sons and eventually their grandsons! You see!
Let's collect our effort, with the backing of the SMACKOBA Executive, and do something for our great Mzee! A reliable source has already informed me how he was happy to read the special Morning Star issue published by our courageous editor, Willy Kituuka! And when he looks round he is proud of Eng Henry Ssentoogo's work on the fence! All this aimed at gracing his 90 wonderful years!
Time is still with us to do something visible and respectable for our "parent"! And of course we shall succeed! Let's pull together as usual!
Can one of Africa 's most respected colleges fail to do anything when it has already done wonders throughout its existence?
We've already shown our sincere love and respect towards this great man! And let's continue to do so! Kampala, Nairobi, Dar-es-Salaam, Kigali, Bujumbura, Kinshasa, Khartoum, Addis Ababa, Mahé, London, Paris, Brussels, NY, Washington, Ottawa, New Delhi, Amsterdam, please wake up all our OBs for a special in favour of our beloved God-given Prof J. C. Kiwanuka!
Thank you, All!
Dr G. H. Kkolokolo



OPINION: Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga’s Stand On Kasubi Is Very Courageous
omments by Dr G.H.Kkolokolo (Paris / France) on the Buganda Post story “Kasubi Fire Requires Independent Investigation, Archbishop Kizito Lwanga“.
I very warmly thank His Grace Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga for his very courageous stand on Buganda as evidenced in his very wonderful Easter message, his position on Kasubi Royal Tombs, and recently his very wonderful sermon at Lubaga Cathedral on Easter Sunday. Indeed the extra-brave Lwanga, well in the very eminent footsteps of his three very prestigious predecessors: Kiwanuka and Nsubuga, Wamala, has continued to portray his exemplary attitude as a prominent citizen and as a very responsible Metropolitan Archbishop of an Archdiocese in a place where culture and politics and religion are not only centre stage but also equally an interplay traditionally entrenched in the life and the history of the Archdiocese.
For the destruction of Kasubi Lwanga, just like Wamala did a few years back where there was a seeming profanation at the Tombs, is right to come out with his proposal for an independent thorough investigation into the arson. The featuring of a mental case called Joseph Musoke as being the culprit is shallow and hollow! Nobody in Uganda and in the rest of the world, where results and findings of a respected bona fide inquiry are eagerly waited, will accept such a loose nonsense! This Kasubi thing is universal and it must be taken very seriously! One may lie at home but he won’t lie abroad where the international media and top figure institutions are also slowly mounting their research into the silly fires.
Mengo’s proposal for a commission of inquiry has been very warmly welcome and will naturally be supported both locally and internationally! And how gratifying to see that they are thinking of a universally respected person like His Eminence Cardinal E. Wamala to head the Kasubi inquest! Where Wamala is, there is always truth, justice, serious-mindedness, common sense and extra lofty wisdom and maturity. A commission headed by such a person will do a very commendable work that will impress the whole world and its findings will not be scape-goated conclusions.
Let Uganda profit from this unfortunate Kasubi event to have a new realism on several other near related issues the Archbishop has regularly dwelt on in his sermons and other teachings. For example he has always given due respect to debate on federalism, human rights, respect to Baganda, etc. Indeed, there need be a federal constitution for the country as a matter of ensuring natural identity of citizens, development at regional level, more respect of individual citizens, etc. The Archbishop is already top grade on this question since even the respected leaders of many political parties have already cemented it in their elaborated election manifestos. And, fortunately to the Archbishop’s broad vision, three of these party leaders are non Baganda who enjoy a very special international prestige on the world political stage! A federated Uganda will be a very strong country and will be an asset to the future East African Community. Europe, for example, will one day be one independent sovereign nation but that won’t prevent a place like France to be part of the entity, joining in as France with its confederations like the Principality of Monaco, the Principality of Andorra, the Territory of Belforth, etc..each one continuing to enjoy its identity and other privileges as enshrined in the French republican constitution.
Any future regional union will embrace Uganda as a federated country that will bring in vigor, dynamism and political maturity! The departing British left Uganda with a note sounding loudly in their mind, that of a politically well settled Buganda enjoying full federal status with the Kabaka as full head of state of Buganda whose dignity wouldn’t be politically superseded by anybody. In this they wanted to conclude acts of invitation to missionaries and other developers sent thru Queen Victoria. And that’s probably why in 1962 there was a Buganda Independence Day on Oct 8, before the national one the following day. This was to politically solidify the position of Buganda and of the Kabaka in independent Uganda. And it had to be like this! And the Archbishop was right to call for a dialogue between Mengo and the Central Government to fully and duly re-examine this Buganda question which is very crucial to Uganda’s political life.
Federalism as studied and agreed on with fellow Ugandans will not be synonymous with tribalism. It will be a policy of nationalism respectful of all individuals’ rights and duties as equal citizens of Uganda. Those who blindly criticize Lwanga on this point, are a bit sleepy! What will they say on his strong stand against human rights abuses and the lack of respect to human life as embodied in our national constitution? The other time 30 people in just a mere 3 days lost their life in Kampala alone! Can’t our security forces take a leaf from their French colleagues who in 2005 were called in to quell incendiary riots mounted by groups of Arab youths all over the country and finished their exercise with a very commendable balance-sheet: just one casualty, an Arab boy shot in the leg by a stray bullet! And the authorities had even to set up a commission of inquiry to find the soldier who fired that bullet! When you are a soldier with a gun, think of one’s life first!
And now Ugandan prisons are still packed with those September youths! And soon, you never know, as election fever draws in, many DPs, UPCs, FDCs,etc will be keyed in Luzira (for the good of the country!) Anyway, in any case there is now resolve to see a free and fair election in Uganda.
Thank you Dr Lwanga. And thank you for having accepted to preside over prayers at the Royal Tombs! Any very thoughtful religious leader should have done this in order to show sympathy to the Kabaka, to the Baganda, to Ugandans, and to the international community who in that Mausoleum saw the exact spot where official royal missives were commissioned to ask for missionaries, educators, modern developers, etc. It wasn’t the first time prayers were conducted at Kasubi Tombs. I remember one day a Mass was celebrated in the vast compound during the funeral of a notable Catholic prince. It was encouraging to notice the presence of religious leaders from the Catholic church, the Anglican Church, the Orthodox Church, and the Muslim Community! These four religious groups have always been connected to Buganda and its history, and also to the Kabaka since time immemorial! Their presence at Kasubi was therefore very much appreciated by all! Thank you, our religious leaders for not failing us at this dead hour!
Thank you Dr Lwanga for all your courage during this midnight period in our nation’s history.
Long live Your Most Royal Majesty the Kabaka!
Wangaala Ssebo Kitaffe Ssabasajja Kabaka Ekitangaala Ekimulisa Enjuba! Ssentasoboka wa Bannantasoboka!
Nnyaffe Nnabagereka, gerekera bulungi Obuganda nga Katonda akubeesa mu buli kizibu kyonna ky’ogabana ne Magulunnyondo oyo!
Dr G.H.Kkolokolo (Paris / France)

No comments:

Post a Comment