Paul Kizito Luutu: Diligent engineer, devoted family man

A few hours while on the hospital bed before he passed on, he raised his left hand while looking at the ceiling and said, ‘Yes, my name is Paul Luutu, I am a Roman Catholic’.

Engineer Paul Kizito Luutu breathed his last on March 18, at 9pm. “I was blessed to have known him, loved by him and spent my life with him. I have no regrets. I miss his laughter, jokes and counsel,” eulogises his wife, Benedicta Nandawula- Luutu.

Paul and Benedicta met in March 1980. He was the district manager Jinja for Uganda Electricity Board (UEB) and she was an ophthalmic nursing officer at Jinja Hospital.

They got married on September 26, 1981 at Christ the King Church, Kampala and had the reception at Pope Paul Memorial Hotel. In 1982, he got an opportunity for further studies at Nottingham University. They left for the UK and lived in Scotland.

While there, God blest them with three children Philip, Martin and Catherine bearing his surname- Luutu. His wife, siblings and children will remember him as a loving husband and father, soft spoken, quiet and brilliant.

“We have lived a beautiful life raising our children to be society worthy. He tried to ensure they didn’t want for much,” Ms Luutu recollects. True to that, Catherine shares a memory.

“Whenever I would call him and start “Gyebaleko daddy” he would respond “kasita ziba nga nsaamu nsaamu, nyiinza okuwaayo ku kasente. (as long as it is not lump sum, I am willing to give you some)” It used to make both of us laugh how he knew I was going to ask even before I did,” she recounts.

His second born, Martin spoke with him two days before he passed away. He was in hospital at Platinum Hospital, Nakasero. The conversation was very short but he told him not to worry as he felt he was going to be fine.

“He asked how I was doing and asked about my two daughters. He referred to as ‘Bakyala bange’ (my wives),” he recalls. That was the last time he spoke to his father.

The next he heard, was he was gone. “One of my aunts called and told me. I think I was in a bit of denial on hearing the news so I waited for confirmation. My brother Philip then shared the news on the family social media group chat. I had to accept the terrible news then,” Martin recalls.

Martin and Philip live out of the country. Catherine was with him before he was taken for his final surgery. His blood pressure had dropped and he had an oxygen mask on.
“He kept asking ‘Cathy are we okay?’ And I replied, “We are okay dad. You will be fine. When I asked how he was feeling he replied in Chinese “Mama Huhu” I think he heard told me it meant so-so.”

A man of integrity, kind and caring, with a great sense of humour is how Joyce Luutu will remember his brother.
“To me he was big brother, an excellent problem solver. If ever there was a crisis, and we’ve had many, Paul would step up and do whatever it took to resolve it.: I always felt ‘safe’ knowing he was around,” she recalls.
Growing up, Joyce chuckles at how strict his brother was. He always wanted to check that homework was done and that his siblings understood what they were doing.

He thoroughly enjoyed intellectual conversations and discussions. “He and the sister who follows directly after him used to spend hours talking about mathematical formulas,” Joyce further recounts.

Like her nephew, she grappled with the news of his death. “He had been in hospital for a short while but I was confident that he was going to make it out of there alive. A surgical operation had gone well; I was waiting for him to get stronger then talk to him.”

Next thing she got, was a message saying he had taken a turn for the worse, then another one to announce that he was gone. She still can’t believe she will never hear his voice or see him again.

What is worse is, like Martin and Philip, she was not able to attend his burial because they are out of the country and the covid-19 lockdown could not allow air travel.

“Absolutely awful! Although I’ve seen photos, it’s still difficult to accept that he’s gone because I haven’t been able to say a proper goodbye,” she adds. She is choosing to keep their memories.

“A favourite story I remember was one our mother used to tell of Paul’s early school days. Apparently he did a test and scored 0 out of 10. But the teacher told him that he was the best, so he run home excited and told his mum the big news.

“Teacher said I was the best - got nought out of 10 (nafunye noti ku kumi). Well, he went on to become a renowned senior engineer!! Goes to show, it’s not what people say about you, it’s what you believe about you,” Joyce narrates.

“He used to sing ‘Old MacDonald Had a Farm’ and ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’ to my sister, brother and I when we were little. It wasn’t until I got older when I realised singing wasn’t his forte. He would make us all laugh with his singing especially mum,” Martin recalls.

He was a very attentive father. Even when he took work home, his office was always open for his children. Many times, Martin recalls walking into his office with his sister to surf the internet while he worked.

He taught all three how to play pool. When he was teaching Catherine how to play pool, at 12, an Indian man came over and she was given the cue to play him.

To everyone’s surprise, she won the game. He requested the man for a do over but the guy was bitter. His father laughed so hard they had to leave early. He enjoyed taking his children places.

“My favourite place he used to take us to was a roast chicken joint in Kamwokya which was run by a one Ms Bisaso. The chicken there was so delicious to the point that I just wanted to eat roast chicken every day for the rest of my life,” Philip recalls.

Each of his children learn lessons from their father. “To be as truthful, accommodative and compassionate to everyone. Never give up on any dream because he never did,” Catherine recounts.

She also learnt to always to put God first in all she does. She also recollects, “Never to undermine anyone because of circumstances you find them in. You never know what the future holds. Always respect authority but with a grain of salt. Always speak your mind because you never know what you might lose by not.”

He taught Martin a great deal by how he lived his life and how he persevered in challenging times. What stands out the most to him, especially now that he is a father, is his example of being always present and supportive of his children.

He is a very determined hands-on father because of his father. Philip learnt the importance of being very honest and that the best relationships are built on trust.

He was married for 40 years. If Joyce had a chance for last words to her brother, she would tell him, “You left us way too early. But we will be strong and keep doing what I know would make you proud. Rest well, big bro.”

Quick bio
1953:Born 1974:Pursued Bachelor of electrical engineering at Makerere University, Kampala.
1977-1982: Electrical engineer at Uganda Electricity Board (UEB) in Jinja. After his master’s at Nottingham University, he worked in England.
1990: Senior engineer at UEB. Then district manager in Mbarara.
1996: Further studies and became senior project coordinator and Umeme. among other positions.