Nextel Systems: The Beginnings of

Our Heritage: The Beginnings of Nextel Systems Inc

The Idea is to build a truly software centered company in Uganda. Taking into context the local needs, to build a software company that develops software products that meet those locally unique requirements -from the bottom up. This by nurturing local talent and attracting brilliant minds into our programming environment -in all domains like desktop applications, web programming, database systems and so on. The languages are open, so it would be appropriate to take the plunge. But these are the conceptual reasons why for starting Nextel Systems. There is a more personalised outlook on this. I will be discussing further in coming posts

The Beginnings of Nextel Systems Inc

Over the past few years, I have cultivated an idea -the idea of starting an IT firm. It had been floating on my mind like butterflies throughout my years at university. I used to write foot notes in the margins of my books when I took lecture notes, of what the company might be. When I read a book, I jotted down some things that came to mind, in relation to what it might be. Studying IT at university helped a lot in the advancement of this idea. Around my second year, a friend of mine who was doing computer science, called Tony, sold me his used copy of The Road Ahead. In have never looked back after reading that book because it gave me a glimpse of the potential of software and gave me an example in Microsoft. I have mused and chatted and talked and e-mailed to friends about it. Now, I have made a small move on it. You can read more on this by follow this link, www.nextelsystems.com

Nextel Systems - the initial, first website of the company - screenshot

Technology Transfer

Technology Documentation

Our Politicians have not put enough emphasis on models to have transfer of technology into the country, which includes skills, knowledge, technologies, methods of manufacturing, samples and prototypes for manufacturing, facilities and so on from developed  partners to ensure that scientific and technological developments are accessible by Ugandans.

Development will come if Ugandans are exposed to these methods, and can further develop and exploit the technology into new products, processes, applications, materials or services to develop the economy. China started on this processway back in the 1960s, using all means at their disposal,  and today they make everything -from military to spacecraft to the keyboard I'm using. The West did not 'donate' this technology to China, its was a great leap in the Vision of  the leaders of China then that today they're a global power. What makes our leaders think that they can Liberate their people by waiting on donations? It puzzles me..

Okutarama >Late tales of epic stories

Okutarama -The Silent Power of Cultures

When I was growing up as a little boy, there was this interesting tradition that used to run in my society -telling epic folk stories, called "Ebigano" and "Ebyevugo". I was around people who knew and told these folk stories, recited ebyevugo (epic poetry). I spent a significant part of my boyhood listening to these stories.

Family members, workers and sometimes neighbours used to gather in her house after dinner to sing folk songs and share riddles – in Runyankore they call it okutarama, or ugutarama in Kinyarwanda. I consider myself lucky that my formative years were spent this way and not in front of a television screen. Later in life, these experiences were to be very influential as far as my artistic sensibilities are concerned.

How to Curb Corruption, Technologically

If you live in Uganda you must be awash with the term 'ghosts', as constantly reported in the media. This is a term coined in the press to mean the stealth corrupt system by which government officials swindle public money to private enterprise, by presenting non-existent cooked figures and inflating payroll numbers, from schools to hospitals to civil servants to the military.


Read it as published in The New Vision


The comparison of this practice to a disembodied soul of the dead is as disturbing as it highlights the gravity of the problem. These 'ghost' scams have become a national disgrace and a menace to the institutions where they happen -yet they are completely avoidable.

The problem of ghost soldiers, ghost teachers, ghost students, paymasters disappearing with sacks full of employee salaries, and all those corruption scandals that use 'ghost' as a getaway can be solved using technology. I may not be the first to mention this, but I want to give insights into how it would work. 


Organizations that have many people in them, like the army, schools, hospitals and so on can 'computerize' their information processes to monitor the information handling processes.

Digitalizing the processes involved in handling information can deal a blow to the corrupt officials in the system because it enables software functions to be embedded under every process, as checks and balances, and secure every step of the way, thus taking it out of the hands of the officials. 

So, how do u Computerize? First, you must have computers in the organisation, some of them connected to the internet. The plan is to have all working data captured electronically and stored in a corporate database. 

When you have all working data in this platform, you can leverage many controls -on who accesses or change which information, when, how and for what specific purpose. This can enforce accountability on all processes since there is no denying that you did not insert another name or figure when you are the only person with security clearance to a particular database. Top level management can have their specific information 'views' according to their roles in the organisation, granted data access privileges according to this role.
 
The objective is to stop any one from doing anything -without being monitored. Even when data is illegally changed, the evidence will be there, logged somewhere in the database audit, as to who, how and what time the data was changed, even keeping a listing of the new and old data separately. The electronic system can even be designed to trigger off e-mail alerts to the concerned authority or sending instant messages on mobile phones. 

Once the organization has this kind of information infrastructure, it can set the template for other organizations with which it transacts business -to share information electronically across a broad spectrum of systems. In this age no one should be made to 'wait' for information, when u can just press a button and it is received at the other end of the world. It is a matter of laying down the technology infrastructure for software applications to be deployed for such purposes.

Computerizing the information processes gives organizations the power to work faster, perform better and remain in business. It also quickens implementing necessary changes that would normally take centuries (no pun intended) in manual environments. 
I simply cannot explain the power of computerizing your working environment in one go but believe me -it is not the same as you've been doing. A careful investment therefore, in the technology infrastructures and systems can erase the history of 'ghosts' from the face of our nation and bring about some breakthroughs in fight against corruption -to delay is, now the crime.

ICT Policy for Education Systems

How Information Communication Technologies can transform Uganda's Education System

One of the areas in which the pervading Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) are having enormous impact on societies across the globe is the sphere of education. Information digitalising technologies (such as Computers and the Internet) present new platforms and tools -read opportunities, for educational transformation. ICT as a means of teaching and learning has flung itself at the heart of education systems in the 21st century. I'm not talking about Students just learning about ICT, I'm talking about students learning through ICT -as a channel. In this regard, Uganda cannot afford to be left out, given her regional significance in education. It would have far reaching consequences.

Access to learning resources has been completely revolutionalised by these technologies. Lets take a glimpse at how schools operate. Schools traditionally rely on teacher experience, availability of learning space and other conditions, printed books and materials in their libraries for their educational needs. All these are however, either available in limited quantities or limited times to students, and most times the number of students often overwhelms these resources. This is true for both private and public institutions. This is the basis upon which policies to transform education by guaranteeing access and availability, leans towards ICTs. 

A wealth of learning materials -on every subject and in a variety of media formats, can be accessed from anywhere at anytime and by an unlimited number of students, in an ICT enabled school. This can be of particular importance to the government programs of Universal Primary Education (USE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE). The cost of the traditional system, distributed across all free schools, and for resources to be replenished every now and then, is too much a cost in my opinion.

On the other hand, providing education resources via ICT tools reduces the cost to one thing –a network. A lot of high-quality materials (voice, video, image, text and other data) can be networked for remote teaching purposes to bring a diversity of knowledge into the classrooms. Government can employ these technologies to deliver the free education programs at a lower cost while giving quality education to the young generation.

Access by students is also enabled in the same channel, to resourceful experts, researchers, professionals, leaders and peers all over the world. With a technology infrastructure to connect students to these electronic resources, the government would have made a step in the right direction.

The work environment, for instance has become increasingly digitalised. In modern, doctors are using computers with sensors to determine problems faster and for handling data; in manufacturing, computers do the modeling for pre-manufacture stages; in business, you must provide your business via digital options to serve the customers better. These sectors rely on the education system to provide the required skills.  If an education system does not prepare students in as far as the work developments of the day are concerned, then a question is raised as to the relevance of that education.

The effective integration of ICT into the educational system means better quality, quicker delivery (less time), cheaper provision, sustainability, and meeting development goals.

The physical and organisational infrastructure of ICT has hitherto presented the biggest challenge to the developing world. But with a flourishing telecommunications network in Uganda , and the landing of high speed undersea internet cables on our shores, the opportunity is here, finally.

ICT strategists can strive to harmonize the efforts of the different stake holders towards shared infrastructure, shared content platforms and long term technology servicing. Schools can then undertake to make proportionate computer-to-pupil ratios and teacher training. The cost of ICT implementation vis-à-vis the societal price of not providing access is like the case of stopping the clock to save time. These are the realities, and aspirations of the young generation. Our country cannot claim development in their absence. Integrating ICT right into the heart of free education will provide the Ugandan children a chance to face the future boldly.

Telecom Quality of Service

The State of Uganda's Telecom Quality of Service (QoS) As more and more Ugandans become avid users of mobile phones and the telecommunications industry becomes more competitive, one is led to think that all is good for the end user consumers. However, end users are not getting the value for their money from the providers, especially when it comes to the quality of services delivered. Quality of Service can be understood as a series of network traffic engineering mechanisms, where resource reservation and control systems are implemented by the operators, the outcome being the quality of services rendered to the users. But many people have often complained about their providers, indicating that specific pointers of quality for voice and data services are trampled upon by providers. What we get more often from the providers are ambitious campaigns to acquire more subscribers, which would be a good thing if these were necessarily equally balanced with improvements in the capacity or bandwidth in their network infrastructure. This leads to overloading the network and clogging service delivery, with symptoms like SMS and other phone transactions hanging in cyberspace for long hours or even delivery failure.  This can be frustrating to people and businesses who depend on these communication channels for operations. Capacity is the resource for telecoms - all communications products and services are tailored around it. But it seems to be taking the back stage when it comes to considerations. What use is a wide customer base acquired at the cost of service quality? In the recently concluded technology event byGoogle at Speke Resort Munyonyo, software engineers highlighted that more than 45% of access to information in Africa happens on the mobile phone. This means that the mobile phone is in fact an important platform both for access to information by common people and delivery of technology solutions in form of applications by technology entrepreneurs. We cannot reap these benefits when we’re still reckoning with broken calls, delays, jitters and bit-rate errors when we make calls or send messages. The Communications Commission needs to provide tough leadership in order to protect mobile phone users as well as prepare the ground for the next phase of mobile platform technologies. The telecoms may not regulate themselves from profit making drives, but since most of these network providers have standards-based infrastructures, it is possible for the commission to determine throughputs on the provider communication links, and save us from these performance ills. This benefits everyone.

Carrying a Calf home on your shoulders -Omuriisa

As young boys,we used to tend to herds of cattle - as a tradition. We call this "Okuriisa" in Runyankore culture. I remembered one interesting part that came with this tradition. If a cow gave birth while the shepherd were in the wilderness, and the rest of the cows were on the move, you had to carry the new born calf on your shoulders to make sure it gets home. If it stayed in the wilderness and wild animals like lions or leopards ate it, you would not be able to forgive yourself. So you had to do everything to get the new born calf home safely. You lifted it and placed it upon your shoulders and moved with the rest of the cows -the mother coming up close and mowing behind you, following its young one. I just remembered this legendary activity of Omuriisa -the one who tended to the cows.

Omuriisa n'ente ze

Rogers Kalanzi a.k.a Kagurusi

Vet Centre

Of recent, a new activity has poped-up between my work and play times; namely Rogers Kalanzi. I've been having frequent meets with this guy in town and what not for the past few months nows. There is something about his character that you just cant have enough of. A few months back he installed a small network (LAN) at his office at the Vet Centre -his father's animal drug shop and veterinary medicines centre. The network helps him to run an ERP software on computers to monitor stocks and sales at the centre.

This is something I found quite brilliant, for a non IT person. I was eager to help with whatever technicalities needed. On one of the days we went shopping for Computer hardware up on Bombo road and got three high spec dell machines with flat screens, which are now operational. I have also received several calls when the software wasn't connecting to the server on any of the machines. I never saw myself doing IT support but it is worth the fun...

So between the troubleshooting and doing whatevers, we lunch out. This has actually given me another escape sequence at lunch breaks

But more importantly I've got to know Rogers Kalanzi personally, unlike before. Boy he is not bad. Focussed, ambitious, great, clear work ethic, honest, fun, etc. Ever since I walked inside the Vet-Centre, it has been hard to not go back. I'm receiving important animal health tips and tools from there as well, so I know where to consult for anything for our farm. I think I have found another friend in my cousin Rogers, teehee

Kya kya Ruzaara Kantu >Ekyevugo

We were taught "Okwevuga" when we were small boys, by the more grown ones who had learnt many of the  "Ebyevugo" or even composed some of them. I knew a guy back then who composed some and one particular one -Ekyevugo kinabeire nyevuga omubwana;

Ekyevugo: "Kyakya Ruzaara Kantu"

Kyakya ruzaara kantu nkataahira omwirembo ry'agati; Eeeeee....Rugwisa kagwe nk'eita omuntu bakubire Rwabutiiti Rutahembya

Omubuhangwa bwabanyankore, namunonga Abahima, haka habamu ebintu nka;

1. Ebyevugo 
2. Ebigano -Fairy Tales
3. Ebirahiro
4. Okugamba Ente
5. Okwikiriza Ente

Its hard to find a group of Banyankore especially the young generation that remembers these things. I think the one up there would fit more into the category of  "Ekirahiro" than Ekyevugo, because it is quite short -two lines, compared to a full blown "Kyevugo" which could last hours of recitation and chanting

Mp'enkoni Engarama Zeizire >Ekyevugo

Mp'enkoni Mp'enkoni Mp'enkoni,

Mp'enkoni engarama zeizire,

Zeizire nitchunda ebinwa,

Ebinwa ebyabutendegyere,

Butendegyere enkuba emuteere,

Emuterere aheiguru mpariya,

Aheiguru mpariya hariho obwiitiri,

Obwiitiri obuzaarwa n'Enkura,

Enkura eshoroma etegire,

Etegire akaara k'Embogo,

Akaara k'Embogo karuga Nsharira 

Nshariira omunda y'Engoma

Loosely translated:
Give me my stick, since invaders from Ngarama have arrived, shaking their big mouths like Butendegyere. Only thunder may strike Rutendegyere, striking from above where there is abundance, that helps the Rhinoceros to thrive. The Rhinoceros "Enkura" feeds but reamins ready for the Buffalo "Embogo" attack. The Buffalo, whose meat is salty. Like the salt that comes from Nsharira, Nsharira deep inside the kingdom. 

Naatema Akati Kaarara - A Runyankore Poem

I had almost forgotten the lines of these legendary poems we used to do (recite) as kids but thanks to president Museveni who recently recorded it in a rap, singing out these same lines (which became a big hit for supporters in the region), I can now put the lines together.

The Poem "Natema Akati Kaarara", goes like this

Natema Akati kaarara

Kaarara nikaha Igara

Igara owa Ntambiko

Ntambiko y'ampa Akasyo

Akasyo nakaha Abagyesi

Abagyesi bampa Oruro

Oruro naruha Warukoko

Warukoko yampa Ihuri

Ihuri narihereza Abaana

Abaana bamp'emgyeyo

Engyeyo n'agiha Omukama

Omukama yampa Kasa

Kasa nagishwerera Omukazi

Omukazi yazaara Omwana

Namweeta Mugarura\Yagarura eby'Oweishe ne'Ishenkuru

Quick Translation: I cut a stick "Enkoni", stick for herding cattle - and it strayed into Igara where Ntambiko reigns. Ntambiko gave me a knife which I gave to millet harvesters, who gave me millet. I gave the millet to a hen, which gave me an egg, that I gave to children who gave me a monkey that I gave to the king, who gave me a cow. I gave the cow to marry a wife. The wife gave me a child, whom I named Mugarura - he raided back what belonged to his father and grand fathers.

At the farm, October 2010

Last Saturday I went to our small farm at Kyenda, which is right after Kiboga town, on the road to Hoima. I went with aunt Agatha, because she was headed for her kyankwanzi farm, some kilometres ahead. So she dropped me off when I reached the area and she continued.

I hadn't been at the farm in about two years, so I needed to do some auditing of activity there, especially since my brother Muheirwe, who has been staying there and taking care of the farm and cattle, has moved his cows back to Kyenkwanzi.
I headed straight to where the cows were grazing at, and found them nearby, with the children of the current manager tending to them. It was refreshing to find new Fresian cross-breeds growing up.

There are about 100 cattle here, which have primarily been the Ankore long-horned type. But for the last 3 years, our plan has been to cross-breed them into diary cattle for commercial milk production, given that the farm is right on a main road, providing ease of access to transportation.  So all the calves and heifers are cross-breeds born between long-horned mothers and a Fresian bull. The bull, I had been informed by dad when I called him the previous day, that it has grown old and is constantly sickly, so he needed to take it back to his farm in Kyenkwanzi where there is greater care under his watch, and send a younger one here -so it had been loaded onto a truck and taken back that same morning.

I did an evaluation while there, of the inputs and outputs, established costs of running the farm on monthly basis and so on, to see if I can begin to provide drugs and equipments needed there, and making sure the workers are doing everything properly. I found some gross mismanagement going on there, and had quite a discussion with the current man managing the farm, called Ninsiima, who happens to be a relative from my mom's side. He asked to come here in April and my dad allowed him.
We took the cows to water at around 2 pm and later to the spray, because they had skipped the scheduled every Saturday morning activity for Sunday, for unknown reasons. Aunt Agather called me later on at around 4 pm that she was on her way back and I should meet her at the road as agreed, and we head back. But I couldn't make it without making her wait for too long. I returned to Kampala by taxi later that evening.

So I have been visiting the Vet Centre quite frequently these days, to inquire more on drugs and their costs. I will be going back at the end of the month.

Making Cup Phones

We didn't know much science about how sound travels when we were in primary four or so, but I could swear that we carried out some high tech projects that could pass for a scientific award; One of those projects was when we made our own own phones!  I don't know how we landed upon the technology but what I remember is that it worked so well, that I and some playmates always escaped from all other activity to do cup phones in the back yards.We made  tin can and string (or cup and string) telephones and spoke to each other through them a good distance apart; Even whispers could be heard through those cup phones .

Cup Phones

It workded like this; We looked for two empty tins or cans, especially plastic ones like thrown cups, jelly containers, disposable coke cups etc... and a long piece of string -the longer the thread the more fun...

We would punch a tiny hole at the bottom of each can, just enough for the string to fit through. If the plastic cup was too thick for whatever sharp tool we were using, we looked for a pointed metallic  pin and put it in a fire for a minute, then just put it through the bottom of the cup, and the holes would be created, only large enough to put the string through.

Then we pushed the string through the bottom of each can, using the end of a thin clip, or threaded it through with a small wire. Then tied a knot with the string inside the cup -the knot resting firmly in the bottom of the can. We could tie the string knot around a little piece of a stick, like toothpick but not exactly a toothpick, to get the string to stay hooked in the cup.

We then placed the second end of the string through the bottom of the other can or cup, as we did the first - tied a knot as before, and put the string tight in both cans. 

The finished phone looked something like this, but this one is short and not straight

One of us would now hold one can and move to the full distance of the string, then placed the open end of his can over his ear and the the other would speak into the open end of the other can. The string had to be as tight as it could be straight, without breaking it. When it was made correctly, you could hear your friend speak, from wherever he was, over a long piece of string. Then, you could also talk while your friend listens.

You could argue that, with that technology in our hands, we had the ability to install cup phones 

in homes, criss-crossing rooms, and charge freakin cup bills; 

The Japanese had nothing on our Cup Telephones.

Our Heritage: The Kanyorozi subclan

Our Heritage: The Kanyorozi subclan

Last Sunday I received a call from Abel Mwine, my cousin, and he said he was at home in Kawempe with aunt Milly to visit Kaaka (grandma). I had been there and seen Kaaka myself the previous Sunday and she looked a bit old. So we agreed to meet again when everyone is not so busy and chat, its been long... Kaaka definately needs more help and care than she is getting, as Joyce told me that previous Sunday I was home. So we have to get things a bit more organised and planned...

The Kanyorozi subclan

The extensive family of Mr James Kanyorozi, my paternal grand father

I'm a nut when it comes to history -it gets be a bit excited to learn what happened before me. No wonder I scored a close B in history in high school. But thats beside the point, history presents us with the most profound lessons about life in time.
So I have finally modeled the first high level diagram of  how many children my grandfather, James Kanyorozi actually left behind. This question had eluded me for so long. My parents, uncles and unties have always given me different versions on this matter. So, after extensive research, this is the best big-picture view of the number of children James had in his lifetime.
The diagram is quite huge, you need to click on it to load in a new page to see it up-close and zoom. The first level shows the women with whom he had the children, and the children he had with them are listed just below each. I tried to figure out why this man went to this extent, yet he had an official wife, my grand mother (Janet Kakatoma); all those women and children? -cutting across tribes, which was abhorrent among Bahima at that time . It is incredible.
Then I learnt the story of his father, (i.e. my grand grand father), Rasto Karayegire Rubanonzya. But this story is for another time.

James Kanyorozi and Janet Kakatooma (pet name Kaaka) are my center of interest here. Kaaka's parents were called Yosiya Rwenyumiza(her dad) and Miriam Kikeikuru (her mom).
Kanyorozi's parents were called Rasto Karayegire Rubanonzya(his dad) and Gurumu, pet named Munywaniwangye(his mom).
Further more, aunt Sister told me the name of Rasto Karayegire's father; we're now talking grand grand grand father in respect to my generation. She said his name was Baranga. His origins were in Mpororo, a county in traditional Ankore homelands. He used to invoke the phrase, as most Bahima do, "Kihanga kya batoroga". Kihanga was a place in Mpororo, apparently where many of his livestock had died from an infectious disease. He had moved away from Mpororo greatly reduced in cattle numbers. I will definitely probe this further.
For now, I have only traced our history back up to Baranga. I will also find out who Karayegire's mother's name was and probe further on these lineages. But first, let me go to bed.

I'm Compiling History

I'm having time gathering history from my aunties lately. Aunt Joyce (Sister) and Juliet Busingye are a great wealth of historical facts as regards family history, so I'm spending nights listening to them chat it away. Am not disturbing Kaaka with questions, though she'd know much more from a time before. But she wouldn't remeber much now...

I have gathered names and related background info on their family and written it in my small blue notebook, will get time and type it here. I had always wanted to know the names of my third grandfather and no one could remember the name, untill aunt Joyce came along... later

Certainty Is Uncertain.

Some times challenges can seem overwhelming. One issue can build itself up as looming obstacle in your path, and make you think you aren’t gonna do this.

Challenges are scarecrows, for all they can do is create uncertainty in our wake and make us doubt our abilities. If you’re the quitting type, they can make you throw in the towel and abandon something you’ve started and believed in. Boy am I a living example of this situation -so many projects I liked have remained on paper because of this. But no more! If such a cycle continues, upon the end of a life time you’ve accomplished nothing.
Life therefore, is for hangers on –people who persist and pursue initiatives to the very end, no matter what the end is. The fact is, nothing comes easily –this applies both to the human race and the animal race. Just think about it!

Some times you have very little to work with, and perhaps nothing to our advantage. This fact is, however, the same reality behind great accomplishments; they come at the very end of the spring of hope.

Now fellows, we are not short of examples from men and women in our extended family who made hard work the theme of their lives. They persisted and this gave faith a fighting chance. If we don’t get inspiration from them, they might haunt us.

Asiimwe's wedding and my surprise meet

Not so long ago, we had another wedding in the family; this time somewhere in Kiruhuura, western Uganda. My aunties Agatha and Juliet, my dad, some cousins like Abel Mwine and myself, packed and headed west for Lt. Asiimwe Nathan Ruzaza's wedding. Asiimwe is my aunt Vangirini Mukarubani's son, with her husband Ruzaaza.

It’s a long story so I’ll jump to the action. I was in the entourage that went to pick the bride at her home the next evening. It was not very far from the groom’s home -about 45 minutes’ drive in the bushes.

I should mention here that, in the scramble for space in the limited cars, my groom cousin shoved me in one of the so packed Toyotas. I was flung among babes in a very packed Rav4 – babes in the most body hugging dresses I ever sat between. This was supposed to be a good thing -only I didn’t know a single one of their names, and we were so squeezed that to attempt turning your head even slightly 2 degrees you’d be meeting some one’s boobies! This was not someth I was prepared to do, so this become the 40 motionless minutes of my journey. When I later told some friends about my misadventure, they said I should have turned freely on both sides and dropped a few compliments..... Never mind those perverts.

So we reached. Long story short, after the speeches and all, the next activity was the Ankore norm of setting in opposition, two skilled people against each other at Okwevuga. Both sides had prepared some one to pit against the other side. The contest begun in earnest; the man from the bride’s side started off -drooping fast paced lyrics, motioning arms to this effect, saying things you’ve never heard and things you’d never remember.

Then our man took his turn, did stunts with a familiar language, stressed points with his Nkoni, and many other effects. This went on for about an hour.

I didn’t know who won, because I dint know the scoring criteria. But the man from the bride’s side had the most applauded turns. Guests enjoyed this very much. I enjoyed it too, thought I dint understand a word those men said.

The bride’s people had arranged an amazing buffet for us, and refreshments – which was where we headed afterwards. I filled my plate and joined my dad at a table somewhere. Then he gave me some startling the news;

Did you see the Mwevugi from the bride’s side? He asked. I said “yes, and I guess he kicked the ass of our guy”. Then he told me, “Ogwo niwe Shwento owohurira”. “Am sorry, what…? how….when….”

“That is Rutabyama, your mom’s brother”

I had heard that my mom has a brother called Rutabyama in stories. I had also heard from Kaaka that my mother comes from a clan called “Bene Ishe Murari”, which apparently was a furious clan at Kweshongora, Okwevuga, Okugamba n’Okukubya ente during the finer days of the Ankore kingdom. So it downed on me that this could be true, and that this could be how am meeting my uncle.

Finally, after going thru some confusing sensations, I went over to where he was standing with some people, letting them finish with their conversation. When he was alone, I came up to him and stared in his face for a full moment…looking for any trace of resemblance. I bet he thought this was some zealot stalker who was over-impressed with his Kwevuga.

The resemblance wasn’t there -until he opened his mouth to speak. I saw the unmistakable formula; a white array with no single fault, in a very black gum.

Our first ever conversation went something like;

Me: N’omanya omuntu wubarikweeta Maaga? (my mom’ other name is Margaret)

Him: Maaga oha, Nyakato?

Me: Eeeee, Nyakato.

Him: Nimumpurize, ogwo ka’aba munyanyazi!

Me: Munyanyako ogwo reero nanye ni maawe!

Him: [raising eyebrows], ori mutabani wa Mugyenyi shi? Niiwe Franka shi?

I was like yeah, nice to meet you too!

After going thru some confusing sensations, he asked how I recognized him since we’d never met. I told him that some one had shown him to me, not mentioning who. We later exchanged numbers and promised to continue to talk, said goodbyes and I left when our entourage was preparing to leave. We have since talked a couple of times.

Am trying to unravel and document some great stories for a book project for my grand kids' happy reading when I am over 100 years. Promise to live that long…

Immortal Beloved!

Ludwig van Beethoven - "Immortal Beloved"

Letter 1
Good morning, on July 7

My thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved,
I can live only holy with you or not at all,
Be calm my love, my all. Only by calm consideration of
our existence can we achieve our purpose to live together.
Oh, continue to love me; never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.
Ever thine
Ever mine
Ever ours
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Love Letters of Great Men Vol.1 are letters by men who were separated from their loves by wars and hundreds and hundreds of miles.