Reading and I are inseparable

Focused. Ruth Ekirapa Byoona is the director of the office of the Leader of Opposition in Parliament. She is a mother, wife, marriage counsellor, farmer and a facilitator at Watoto Church. She is also pursuing a PhD. She shares how she spends her week with Phionah Nassanga.

Monday
I start my day at 4am with prayer and meditation. I spend sometime reading and after my breakfast, I walk from Mulago to Parliament everyday, as a way of working out. Once I am at office, I review several documents from the previous week. At 9 am, I go for a departmental meeting, which sometimes goes on untill midday. On this day, we evaluate the most outstanding employees of the week and set strategies for the new week.
Tuesday and Thursday
Parliament sits three times a week; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. These are some of the busiest days for my staff and I. We prepare reports, present statements and work on brief reports for Opposition leaders.
Brain Dyson, the former chief executive officer of Coca Cola Company once pointed out the five balls of success- work, family, health, friends and spirit. He said other than work, the rest are made of glass. If you drop one of them, they will be irrevocable and that is why I strive to balance each one of them.

Wednesday
Besides formal assignments, this is the day my husband and I host fellowship members at our home. The fellowship starts at 6pm. We gather and share about our spiritual lives. During fellowship, we encourage, pray and strengthen each other’s faith, share personal insights and testimonies. When people share, other group members are exposed to new ways of drawing closer to God.

Friday
I am a facilitator at a school of community leadership at Watato Church and I spend my Fridays teaching organisational change and structure. I am an alumni of this arrangement and this is one of the ways of giving back to society.

Saturday
This is the time I get to attend friends’ parties, weddings and introduction ceremonies. I also visit my friends. If there is no event to attend, I spend my Saturdays at the farm in Hoima.

Sunday
I am either in Hoima or Kampala. If I am in Kampala, I go for prayers at Watoto Church and get time to bond with family. Once a month, I host the marriage gathering for couples within Kisasi, in Kampala. In such fellowships, we discuss everyday challenges that couples face. I also spend my Sundays doing general cleaning and preparing for the week ahead.

Tit bits
I am a lifelong reader. Through reading, I interact with intelligent minds. I have read This child will be great by Ellen Johnson, Gifted hands by Ben Carson, Becoming by Michelle Obama, The Enemy Called Average by John Mason. Currently I am reading How to make friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie.