Seanice is a bully-Nancy
Born in Tanzania, and lived in Dodoma, the sisters later worked in Uganda. Currently, Nancy lives and works in the UK, while Seanice is in South Africa
What you need to know:
PEAS IN A POD. Nancy Kacungira is a BBC World News presenter, and host of the channel’s new programme In Business Africa, as well as an entrepreneur. Seanice Kacungira is the CEO, and Co-founder of Blu Flamingo, a digital marketing company, and the brain behind ‘Black working mother’ blog. They talked to NICOLAS AKASULA, about their childhood.
Seanice
How would you describe Nancy?
She is principled. Nancy won’t be got just doing something for just. And she’s focused too.
What is your earliest memory of her?
It was just fun. I recount running around after her, and sketching her out hidden under the bed.
What nickname did you have for her?
“Fancy Nancy”.
What is she scared of the most?
Chicken feathers. And, she would never go anywhere bare-foot.
What is the craziest thing she did as a child?
She threw me into our fish pond when we had a fight and I had a cast on my leg- so it was not a fair fight!
What is the craziest thing you did together?
Never a dull moment – from the moment I met her, she was my best friend, the yin to my yang, I did all the wild stuff and she was collateral damage! I recall when it was bedtime and our mom would switch off the light – we’d get torches and hide under the covers and continue reading the books we’d borrowed from the school library.
Did you ever team up to fight someone?
Oh boy – we once went on an adventure to fight the builders who were building our house, (we pretended we were Rambo and pelted them with stones- boy was our dad mad!)
How often do you meet nowadays?
We are both very busy, so we try to schedule long video calls every week, to catch up. Sometimes we’re on the phone for hours talking about everything and nothing.
What is her favourite outfit?
Pants, any day.
Were you always friends?
Of course. She is and will always be my best friend next to my husband.
She says you are the bully. Is that true?
Really? Well …. She tells no lies. I think in a way I was always forcing these hare- brained schemes on her and she just went along with them to avoid my force of nature personality. She was a lot more thoughtful than I was and eventually found a way to get out unscathed.
How does it feel having a sister that works with the BBC?
It is wonderful. And what’s funny; people used to refer to Nancy then, as Seanice’s sister. But now, they address me as Nancy’s sister, not as Seanice. Ahem!
Nancy
How would you describe Seanice?
She is positive, very energetic and self-driven. She gets things done. My sister is the most courageous person I know. And she is hard-working. I am constantly in awe of her ability to set a goal and go for it, with an unwavering faith that it will work out. When she says she will do something, best believe she will.
What is your earliest memory of her?
Seanice was always curious and adventurous when we were children, forever concocting crazy schemes. But she liked to read as well, and was very good at sports, drama, and she was a high performer in school. She was a natural leader and became a prefect in all the schools she went to.
What is the craziest thing you did together?
One time we really wanted a BMX bike, so we decided to climb the tree in our compound to pick mangoes that we could sell, to get enough money to buy one. It was a slow business and we were badly stung by bees in the process.
How often do you meet nowadays?
Although we are two years apart I often feel my sister is like a twin. I certainly miss her, but staying involved in each other’s lives is a bit easier now, thanks to the tech that is available.
What is her favourite outfit?
She’s dynamic.
Were you always friends?
Our relationship has grown stronger and stronger over the years. We’ve always been close, but when we were young, we used to fight a lot. After moving away from home, living together and starting a business together, we’ve learnt how to disagree in a more mature manner.
What nickname did you have for her?
I still call her “Shan”.
What is she scared of the most?
That’s a tough one; aside from the mortal fears that are common to us all she’s always seemed relatively fearless to me.
What is the craziest thing she did as a child?
She never did anything really wild, but she did once push me into a fish pond when we were having a fight.
[Editor: Sisters! We’ll never know the truth]
Did you ever team up to fight someone?
No, we were both very skinny kids so that would probably have been a losing fight.
Who is the bully of you two?
Seanice is the bully.
In brief
Born in Tanzania, and lived in Dodoma, the sisters later worked in Uganda. Currently, Nancy lives and works in the UK, while Seanice is in South Africa.
Seanice is married, and is now ‘Seanice Lojede’.
Before the BBC, Nancy worked at Power FM, NTV Uganda, KTN Kenya, and Seanice was at Clouds FM Tanzania, Capital FM Kenya, and Sanyu FM Uganda
Their younger brother passed away but they have stepbrothers and sisters.
