Fare thee well Mzee Byanyima, man of undisputed integrity

Kampala.

Mzee Byanyima has been an exemplary, principled leader worth emulating especially the young generation that is cutting their teeth under a very challenging environment, to put it mildly.

He joined elective politics before Independence and stood against a much more educated and better known person, the late William Rwetsiba of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC). He won.
In Parliament, Mzee Byanyima was exemplary. He was principled, reliable to his colleagues and his position on major issues affecting the nation and its future well known not only by those in his party in opposition, but by the party in government.

He was not wavering or in search of where the bread and butter were. A case in point was in 1964 when there was massive defection from the then opposition in Democratic Party to the ruling UPC party.

He and a few other colleagues remained in their party challenging the positions of government and complementing it where national interests were not at stake.

It would be of great interest to researchers to read the Hansards of the 60s and appreciate the level of debate especially when government was seeking approval to borrow. They would be seeking to know whether the future generations would not be burdened with the debts and not just saying “we shall not be there”. They insisted on accountability.

Mzee Byanyima remained loyal to his party, ‘ note my words, his party and its principles and not just to its leader. I was recently told by some of his children that when some of the party leaders wanted to visit him as he was ailing, he quipped, “what do they want to see me about? Instead, let them go and sort the mess in the party.”

He was not in politics to make money. He abhorred corruption or to put it more aptly, the stealing of public funds.

He knew the time to be active and when to take the back stage and when to step aside and continue to help. In 1980 he declined the public demand to stand for a parliamentary seat, preferring to allow younger blood to blossom and flourish. When the ranches were “restructured” by the current National Resistance Movement (NRM) government in which I was, Byanyima refused legally to have his ranch divided into parcels or be compensated.

He took government to court challenging its illegal actions and won the case.
On a personal level, I used to visit him at his home in Ruti, Mbarara Municipality. On many occasions, he would jokingly ask me; are you armed? I would politely tell him, No. He, on many occasions after our long conversation, would tell me. “Some of you in your leadership suffer from three diseases; telling lies, ukabilaa (tribalism) and corruption.” Byanyima always used ukabilaa instead of the word tribalism. If I spent long without visiting him, he would send some of his children to ask me why “am lost.”

Did he harass me a lot? On seeing me, he would repeat a smile. “Did I harass you too much? Are you armed?”
We would resume our lovely conversation and his useful advice and criticism.

A few years back when I met him, he jokingly said, “l hear you have left the Movement for FDC (Forum for Democratic Change party). l replied, yes.

He added: “No, go back join your friends and first clear the mess you created. Then you can leave.” We both laughed or did smile, and had our tea and the conversation continued as usual.
Byanyima and many people of his calibre are worth studying. People that are principled, of humility but firm. Leaders with values and integrity who have earned the respect without demanding or clamouring for it.
Mzee Byanyima, rest in peace.

Mr Amanya Mushega is former minister of Education in NRM government and former Secretary General for the East African Community