At 107 he walks miles to preach

When I knocked at Mzee Elifazi Kyagongo’s gate, his daughter, Zerida Kobusingye, in her late 60s, opened and informed me that he had gone to the nearest trading centre where he owns buildings to preach the word of God. Characteristic of Kyagongo, he promptly inquired about my faith when we met a few hours later. He was eager to know if I was a born-again Christian and wanted to preach the gospel of salvation to me.
“I go about telling people to repent and turn back to God because these days are evil. Women wear men’s trousers and look funny in people’s and God’s sight. Immoral acts have characterised our society. I can’t sit and watch people die. I must move and tell them to shun sin,” says Mzee Kyagongo
Approximated to be 107 years old, Kyagongo wakes up early every day, says his prayers and exercises in his spacious compound. This routine is followed by a cold shower specifically. He then dresses up in his suit and neck tie and strolls from his home, at the top of a hill, to the main Mbarara-Ishaka Road, a distance of about 1 and half kilometres.

A warm demeanour
He often stops to chat with neighbours, exchanging pleasantries and jokes and occasionally pieces of advice to those who are keen to share. “I believe getting to know people and becoming friends is a great asset in addition to education,” he says, although he dropped out of school in class four.
If the weather is fine, he will then decide to go to either Bushenyi or Ishaka towns to speak of God’s goodness to his life. Both Bushenyi and Ishaka towns are exactly one mile from his home in Nyabikyerere, St. Kagwa, Bushenyi-Ishaka municipality.

Kyagongo does not accept lifts to either direction from numerous offers. He uses these opportunities as exercises to keep himself physically fit. “Moving around these towns helps me keep fit and healthy. I can’t accept merciful people who want to give me lifts,” he says.
In the course of the day, he meets friends, eats lunch, shares views, gets updated on politics, religious matters and then returns to his home and because he may be a bit tired, this time he is more likely to accept a lift from friends.
At home, he will share a cup of tea with his daughter have his dinner with a glass of red altar wine and retire to bed after his night devotions. This routine has kept him strong. His other secret to long life, Kobusingye reveals, is a natural diet of millet, potatoes, posho and beans. “He also enjoys fruits and vegetables. Mzee’s favorite food (dish) is fish,” she says.

A line of long life
Born to Mzee Ishaka Biriiro at Nyakatoma village, Kyamuhunga subcounty, Igara County, Bushenyi District, in February 1907, Kyagongo can trace his roots back to four generations. With an impressive memory, Kyagongo recalls that in 1929, he was baptized and was confirmed in the Anglican Church of Uganda in 1932. Due to his profound interest in the Church of Uganda affairs, he was selected as Church Elder and was soon thereafter made a Canon.

The Biriiro family, including young Kyagongo, moved from Kyamuhunga to the present location in St. Kagwa in1933. “The mode of travelling in those days was on foot. Only the King (Omugabe),who would be carried on shoulder high or in special carriers supported by four able-bodied men,” he says.
Canon Kyagongo comes from a family with a record of longevity. “Dad would have died but was saved by his faithfulness to his deceased wife and God,” Kobusingye says. In 1940, Mzee Kyagongo married the late Faith Kyibamutura and they had four children including Grace King Mparana(RIP), Fred Beyendeza, Zerida Kobusingye and Emmanuel Mwesigwa (RIP).

Making a living
A former mason, after dropping out of school, he sought self-employment at the age of 19. He first tried his hand at growing cotton in Buganda albeit unsuccessfully.
Kyagongo then went to work with European miners who were prospecting for gold in Kyamuhunga area, part of the then Ankole District, but now Bushenyi District. Later, he acquired skills in construction and became a mason and started working as one of the constructors building the Katunguru Bridge in 1956. With the new acquired skills, from Katunguru bridge, Mzee Kyagongo moved to Mbarara and worked in what was then Mbarara Town Council as a mason.
“I was then a skilled builder and I constructed some buildings at Mbarara High School where I worked with the Church Missionary Society (CMS) at Mbarara High School in Ruharo,( Church of Uganda),” says Mzee Kyagongo.

A community leader
After many years of service, Mzee Kyagongo retired from work to his home at Nyabikyerere, Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality in 1977. He remained a community leader by providing wise counsel to the community members. His counsel was based on his experience and advantage of age.
He often encourages people to engage in household income generating activities, including growing bananas in order to earn income and have food security. He also takes time to visit the government prison at Nyamushekyera to give hope to inmates.
A friendly man, Mzee Kyagongo’s is a voice popular on local radio stations in his home district where he often discuses developmental and social issues. He speaks many languages, apart from his native Kinyankole such as Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Luganda and other local dialects. His son, Ambassador, Fred Bendeza describes Mzee Kyagongo as a straight-forward old man, who likes transparency.

“When Mzee is wronged, he prefers to get an explanation rather than being taken for granted. When he is the one in error, he is quick to apologise and ask for forgiveness. He has a likeable character and this all comes under a blanket of modest hospitality,” says Bendeza. He adds: “During our early life, almost all of us went to school under the caring and firm supervision of Mzee. His quest for excellence played an important role in our education.”
Mzee Canon Kyagongo’s home is like a library where all those who visit him are entertained and continuously benefit from so much experience that he is willing to share and impart to others as “lessons of his life.” An incredible sense of responsibility and sense of good judgment has made him be recognised as a leader both from his community and his church.

Canon Kyagongo comes from a family with a record of longevity. His father, Ishaka Biriiro lived and died at the age of 110, while his mother called Tabisa (RIP)died when she was about 107years. The sister of Tabisa, who was Kyagongo’s aunt called Kihiihu, was known to have lived for so long that nobody knew her age when she passed on.His only living sister Kitogiire is older than the Canon. Kitogiire says she was the one who baby-sat and even carried the young Kyagongo on her back at the very tender age. Kitogiire is estimated to be over 114 years and still going strong.

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