In Lutaaya, death blunts the tip of Buganda’s spear

A custodian of culture and a frontline Catholic faithful. His faith manifested in deeds, in line with biblical teachings (James 2:26), and he towered in philanthropy.

Such was the charming posthumous adulation for Jolly Lutaaya, who died after a long illness on December 8. He was 74.

Largely a self-made entrepreneur, Lutaaya catapulted from a peasant family in his native Mpigi District to a property magnate in Kampala and beyond.

He deployed his largesse to the benefit of Mengo, church and education of his children and many others in his service to humanity.

From building a church alone in his village to circumventing state watch, alongside peers, to secretly import equipment and establish Buganda Kingdom mouthpiece, the Central Broadcasting Service (CBS) radio, Lutaaya crafted a higher league and purpose for himself.

Despite orbiting among Uganda’s wealthiest, one mollifying value never deserted him: humility.

And Ronald Lutaaya, one of his sons, said on Sunday that their father imparted the same virtue in all children.

In eulogies, all mourners remembered Lutaaya senior as defined by humility, which in turn opened doors for him, and earned him both trust and respect in life.

And it showed even in death through high profile mourners.

The Queen of Buganda, Nnabagereka Sylvia Nagginda, on Sunday joined other kingdom notables and many of the region’s business luminaries for a requiem mass led by Msgr John Wynand Katende at the deceased’s home.
Buganda prime minister Peter Mayiga had been to the bereaved family earlier in the day.

The towering legacy of Lutaaya in life, who loved looking dapper, was embodied in his two palatial mansions in the white-walled neighbourhood of Muyenga Hill, next to Hotel Diplomate, which provides panoramic view over Kampala’s skyline.

The Nnabagereka never spoke, but stayed put for about four hours, with the royal household’s exaltation conveyed by the first deputy katikkiro and Finance minister Waggwa Nsibirwa.

It’s uncommon for the Queen to attend a requiem mass at one’s home, let alone stay for hours.
But Lutaaya was no ordinary subject of the kingdom.

The Kabaka was not well off in 1999 when he wed Sylvia, but Lutaaya leveraged substantial cash to bankroll a lavish nuptial.

Then he put money to build a house for a woman in Ssembabule District who hosted a fleeing Kabaka Edward Mutesa following the 1966 crisis.

During the fourth Kabaka coronation anniversary, Lutaaya, alongside others, invested to renovate Nkoni palace in Masaka.

For these deeds and more, tribute echoed at a requiem mass for him yesterday at Lubaga Cathedral, which Kampala Archbishop-designate Paul Ssemogerere celebrated. The primate described the deceased as a powerful man in his clan, church and Buganda Kingdom.

“We celebrate him for fighting for wherever he belonged- the church, kingdom. We pray for this man who loved God, who often invited us to his home and referring to me as an in-law,” he said.

The church thundered in a clap.

In attendance were former Mengo prime ministers, ministers, former vice president Gilbert Bukenya, the Leader of Opposition Mathias Mpuuga and State Minister for ICT, Ms Joyce Ssebugwawo, who worked closely with Lutaaya in 1990s.

“We laid a foundation on which kingdom now is running, I praise God who connected me together with Jolly and other colleagues.  He was easy to all of us. He and Kaddu financed the rehabilitation of Banda, Nkoni, Twekobe palaces,” she said.

The casket containing the remains of Lutaaya was draped with the kingdom’s flag, a further appreciation of his absolute loyalty.

Mengo Minister for Culture and Tourism Kyewalabye Male, who represented the kingdom, remembered his humility, dedication and generosity.

Lutaaya was a fomer Buganda Kingdom Local government and Cooperatives minister.

Lutaaya was born on November 10, 1947 in Jjalamba, Mawokota in Mpigi, to peasant parents Michael Kivumbi Ssemitego and Filomera Nakakawa, and he has left 17 children and three widows.

Speaking on their behalf, Dr Ssonko Lutaaya saluted “our father who has been very wealthy with everything he needed in life. We pride in him for providing us an education that in our family has produced engineers, a pilot, lawyers, accountants, chief executives, ICT [professionals].”

He added: “And in providing education, he didn’t limit himself to our family, but to those who found him at events and asked for help.”

The children pledged to replicate to their mothers the affection and providence their father afforded.
Lutaaya took early primary school education at Jjalamba, Mitala Maria, and proceeded to study in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, where he later qualified in business management.

Upon return, he was employed at a senior level position in the then Ministry of Information under a parastatal named International TV Sales.

A man itching for wealth could not settle with a monthly salary. He quit and immersed himself in not just one, but multiple businesses, both within Uganda and in the region.

According to Kaddu Kiberu, a Mengo official, Lutaaya began exploiting entrepreneurial skills in the 1970s. With a one commonly known as Uncle Sam Ssali, they formed a cement trading company baptised Cape Van International based at Good Shed in Kampala. They also formed another transport company, ‘Take me Home’.

Together with Kibuuka, Lutaaya formed a third company which imported musical equipment. He later formed a road construction company, Marval Contractors and Road Maintenance.

It appeared God and his ancestors smiled on him whenever he touched any and everything. It generated cash and his wealth multiplied fast and he gave as much out.

Jolly Lutaaya single-handedly furnished the office of the then katikkiro Joseph Mulwanyamuli Ssemwogerere and, together with Herbert Kibuuka, they injected $200,000 (Shs712m) to purchase equipment for the establishment of CBS radio.

Mulwanyamuli’s Cabinet mooted the idea of setting up CBS after the government, which accused the katikkiro of undermining it, allegedly stopped serialisation of his interview with Radio Uganda.

They had little money. Lutaaya and Kibuuka, fearing government sabotage, founded a front company to import radio equipment ostensibly for sale, only to turn the boosters and other equipment to start CBS, which has turned into the kingdom’s cash cow and mouthpiece for mobilisation of subjects.

For getting things done, emeritus katikkiro Joseph Mulwanyamuli Ssemwogerere in an earlier interview described Lutaaya as a great friend and “a bulldozer”.

“Whichever seemed challenging to others, he took it up and delivered positively…The man crossed all borders; from a strong advocate for religion and culture all the way to family love. Lutaaya was a complete man,” he added.

According to Mr Robert Ssebunya, a Mengo minister and presidential advisor, “he (Lutaaya) has left a mark in the first rehabilitation campaign of Twekobe (Kabaka’s official palace) at Mengo”.

Meeting the President
“When we visited President Museveni, Lutaaya asked him to do something as a sign [that] we had called on him, something that would leave a mark. The President sent money and that is how the programme Mwanyi terimba (campaign to revamp coffee production) was launched at Busujju County headquarters,” he recollected.

Bagagaga Kwagalana chairman, Mr Godfrey Kirumira, described Lutaaya as a maverick in religion and culture.
Former Lukiiko speaker and health minister Nelson Kawalya said Lutaaya’s biggest legacy is respecting all without prejudice.

He did do much for self and others, with Mengo topping beneficiaries on his generosity.  According to Mulwanyamuli Ssemwogerere, Lutaaya deployed all his vehicles for renovation works and other errands when the government returned Mengo palace to Buganda Kingdom.

In his clan, the Ngonge (otter), he served for nearly two decades as the chief administrator.
Retired Rev Fr Dennis Luntamye of Nazigo Parish of Lugazi Diocese, said that because Lutaaya was a lively and humorous man, they one day challenged each other about personal achievements.

“I told him I had enabled construction of six churches. He told me he ‘would immediately start to build a church in Jjalamba (his ancestral place)’. That’s how he put up a huge church there,” Fr Luntamye said.

Today, a final requiem mass will be celebrated at this same church that Lutaaya built for a final blessing on his journey of no return.

Background...About Lutaaya 
At the time of his death, aged 74, Jolly Lutaaya was the vice chair of the Rehabilitation Committee of Kasubi Tombs (Masiro), a world heritage site. He was a man of many hats. 

Besides being religious and entrepreneurial, Lutaaya in the 1980s was a rally driver with Friday Balimuttagyo as his co-driver.

“His first rally was the Spear Motors rally 1985,” remembers Hasan Badru Zziwa, a veteran sports journalist.
Mr Zziwa says Lutaaya was part of the Twin Rally Team which had Sam Ssali and Matt Kiggundu.

Fr Joseph Bbuye, who described himself as a family friend, said Lutaaya was a knowledgeable man in multiple fields and earned the title Owekitiibwa, or honourable, for his outstanding and diligent service.

City businessman and contemporary, Mr Paul Ssembatya, said Lutaaya promoted unity and offered himself whenever we needed guidance.

"He was very respectful to all and the day he died he told me he was resting, but I told him he was going nowhere,” Ssembatya said.