Gone too soon: Grandmother was the family rock

On 2 August 2021, we lost our mother, Nalongo Mama Damalie Namusoke – a very special and rare person to us. She lived a full life to the ripe old age of 94 years. We used to tease her and remind her that she and Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain were the same age, reminding her that she was in good company and was bound to outlive her!

Although we wanted to celebrate her life, we do so with tearful eyes because the loss of a mother at whatever age stings hard. 

Jajja Mengo, as she was fondly referred to by her grandchildren, had eight  children viz. Solome Kaggwa, Moses Nsubuga and Paul Kibukamusoke who regretfully passed away while she was still alive; however, we are grateful that she is survived by William Kibukamusoke, Henry Kamanya and his twin sister Alex Mpologoma, Sewagaba Kibukamusoke and Peter Kibukamusoke. She is also survived by 29 grandchildren, 32 great grandchildren and seven great, great grandchildren.

Lived a full life
We are thankful to the Almighty God that Nalongo Jajja Damali lived to see three generations of grandchildren; a feat that few can claim! Jajja Damali was a mother to many and here we are talking about kith and kin including many who were raised in her home in Mengo. 

Jajja Damali and her younger sister were raised in the household of their eldest brother Apollo Kironde who was a worldly man, a teacher and musician and a craftsman, he was among the first Ugandans to have matriculated from the University of Fort Hare in South Africa during the 1930’s.

Under his watchful eye, Jajja was exposed to several facets of life that she otherwise would never have encountered. Among other things, she learnt how to ride a motorbike as well as a motorcar (she was among the first Ugandan ladies to drive a Mercedes Benz!) and her brother made sure that she became a competent and talented seamstress.

Speaking of  which, when the brother became Uganda’s first Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations back in 1962, he arranged for her to visit us for a while around 1964. He enroled her in a vocational school for adult education where she not only learnt English as a second language, but also took courses in cookery and sewing and embroidery. 

In New York
Her stay in New York was well utilised and I still have fond memories of wonderful meals that she prepared. At any rate, what is not in doubt is that the skills that she gained in Manhattan, during her stay, were lifelong and stood her in good stead for the rest of her life.

 She was a hard worker and a talented seamstress who in her heyday made dresses for weddings as well as dressing brides, not forgetting that she was an expert in doing bridal make-up, all of which she would do in her home in Mengo. She was also a farmer and had a lusuku in Bakuli which she tended to when she was not at her sewing machine. We would be remiss in not mentioning her trials and tribulations of rearing chickens!  

She was a neat and organised person, an early riser and a gentle soul who also loved to joke and make fun and always loved a good laugh. She encouraged the playing of board games and would often cheer on her grandchildren during their battles to be the richest monopoly players.

Involved
A great supporter of sports in Uganda, she encouraged her children to participate in national sports. When the opportunity arose for her to participate as a cheerleader or a walker in the Kabaka’s yearly charity run, she took up the challenge with both hands and was a familiar sight in the race until a couple of years ago when the event was suspended because of Covid-19! 

Notwithstanding that her education was limited to high school, she had the utmost respect for sterling grades for her children at school from nursery and elementary through high school and university.  

All good academic results were applauded and rewarded with a reminder that they could do better! Fortunately, given the encouragement that she fostered in her children, four of them completed university, three with degrees in Engineering and one in Education. It is important to note that the endeavours of her children’s achievements were accomplished despite the fact that she was a “single mother” and their education was funded by the local government scholarships only granted to needy hard-working scholars.

Family rock
She was a pivotal person in the family and will be dearly missed. We will always cherish the laughter, the joy, the gifts she shared with us and the love for all of us. 

No tribute of this great lady would be complete without mentioning two great and outstanding qualities that we shall always remember and be proud of namely; when there was a point of contention or controversy, she would quietly listen to the great and powerful as well as the poor and helpless along with her children and then in the end suggest a solution. Secondly, her love and care for her family would come first and above herself. She was indeed a great mother, grandmother and great grandmother and aunt. 

We thank God the Almighty for the opportunity of being part of her life and we shall  eternally cherish and remember you fondly Jajja Damali, rest in peace.