The Kitandas are friends from childhood

Michael Kitanda

How would you describe Happy?
Happy is joyful and charismatic. He is optimistic and always encourages people around him. He is also tolerant, flexible, and has a cool temper.

What is your earliest memory of him?
Happy used to be a great dancer. He was that child everyone in Mulago talked about because of his dance moves. We never got broke as children because he always looked for a place with a party, went to dance and his moves made revellers give him money.
Also, he was a great football striker. His left foot always made him top scorer at organised football tournaments.

What nickname did you have for him?
He nicknamed himself Happy Licky. On the football pitch he was nicknamed “Riquelme” (Juan Román Riquelme) like the retired Argentine footballer.

What is he most scared of?
Embarrassment, especially on stage. Therefore, he puts in a lot in his rehearsals before a performance.

What is the craziest thing he did as a child?
Growing up we had a bar. One Sunday night, Happy tried out alcohol, he got drunk and I was worried. I kept monitoring him in our bedroom to ensure no one gets to know about it. Guess what! He missed school the following day.

What is the craziest thing you did together?
There is a time we dared each other to drink as much water as we could. We boiled two, five-litre cans and we were supposed to finish them. We finished them but we had a sleepless, restless night. Our bladders could not handle the pressure. We cried because we were very scared.

Were you always friends?
Yes, we have always been best friends, it is not easy to separate us. This explains why we always took part in the same activities and why we play the same instrument (the sax). Since childhood, when I get a problem, the first person I contacted was Happy and we still do the same.

How often did you fight?
We fought almost on a daily basis but that has somehow dissolved. I do not remember the last time we fought.

Did you ever team up to fight someone?
Yes, we were stubborn. We always caused trouble in the neighbourhood and ran away.

How often do you meet?
Daily. I go to his performances to support him and he returns the favour. A lot unites us, we have lots to talk about and we also hang out together.

Happy Kitanda

How would you describe Michael?
Michael is humble and he likes joking. He is responsible and caring. He acts like a bigger person yet he is the last born.

What nickname did you have for him?
Kipyezii because he liked going to the toilet so much.

What is he most scared of?
Many things scare my brother. These include losing friends, provocation, confrontation, accusing him falsely or spreading false information about him.

What is the craziest thing he did as a child?
During our childhood we were stubborn, so whenever our mother wanted to beat us for being stubborn, Michael would cry so much before we were beaten. This scared mum and she always forgave us.
So, one day the same thing happened and mum forgave us. After forgiving us, she found him laughing in a room. Immediately mum punished him and that marked the end of his trick whenever he cried before beating him they gave him more strokes.
We were footballers and played on the same team. Our team was leading by one goal. The coach substituted a striker to bring in Michael because he was a defender to strengthen the back during extra minutes. Surprisingly, the first touch of Michael was a foul in a box which led to a penalty.

What is the craziest thing that you did together?
Many things. One day, Michael had to perform somewhere but he was far from the venue, so he called me to cover for him. He told me to wear sunglasses so that people would not find out that it wasn’t me.
As I was playing my saxophone, people were clapping for me saying “Michael we love the way you play.” There were ladies giving me cards to call them. Many things happened that night. As I played, Michael finally came in and people got confused. It was like they were seeing two Michaels.

Were you always friends?
Yes, my brother and I are friends and no one can separate us. We have grown up seeing each other in that everyone now lives alone but we sometimes do sleepovers to bring back the good memories

How often did you fight?
Surprisingly, we rarely fought because we were always busy focusing on music and football. The one time I fought him I beat him and broke his teeth I got so scared and I cried. That marked the end of our fights.

Did you ever team up to fight someone?
Yes, many times and it still happens. Nowadays, we fight using challenging words, not physically.

How often do you meet?
About twice a week. Michael is bright, he was supposed to be a doctor but the love for music took him away.