Majwega left a mark in publishing, rotary

Samuel Majwega Musoke. PHOTO/ROTARY CLUB OF BUNGA

What you need to know:

  • Samuel Majwega succumbed to intestinal complications in US.

Rotarians are mourning one of their members and owner of MK Publishers, Samuel Majwega Musoke, who died on Saturday at Louisiana Hospital, USA.

The incoming Governor for District 913, Mr Mike Sebalu, who had also travelled to the US to attend a Rotary convention, told Monitor yesterday that Majwega succumbed to intestinal complications.

“He had intestinal complications that were operated on but he never recovered. Actually the operation had been successful and was able to text some of his friends but he passed on later,” Mr Ssebalu revealed.

However, we were unable to speak to his family by press time.

His death comes barely two months after another Rotarian, Ronald Tashobya, passed on in April.
Tashobya succumbed to injuries after the driver of the car in which he and fellow Rotarians was travelling veered off into a section of the Rift Valley in Naivasha, Kenya.

Until his death on Saturday, Majwega was the Change Maker President (CMP) of Rotary Club of Bunga.

There was an outpouring of eulogies from friends and fellow Rotarians on social media.

“We are profoundly saddened by the sudden demise of our dear resident…. We condole with family, friends and the Rotary International fraternity. May God rest his soul in perfect peace,” a statement from the Rotary Club of Bunga reads in part.

Mr Sebalu noted that Majwega’s death is very devastating because he was a very resourceful person.

“Rotary club of Bunga is a young club and he’s one of the pioneers and charter and was very instrumental in having it created and has been resourceful to it during his time as a leader. So for the club to lose a leader of that calibre at such a time is very devastating. As a Rotary movement we shall miss a resourceful and active member of Rotary and that’s why he was in Houston to attend a Convention,” he said.

Mr Sebalu also revealed that the deceased had accepted to work and support him with reading material for learners under his flagship project of basic education and literacy enhancement as a district Governor.

Lasting legacy

He added: “He is one of the pioneers of the publishing industries in Uganda with MK Publishers, which is a household name in terms of publishing textbooks and reading materials. The Ministry of Education and the education sector has also lost a strong pillar.”

Musician Sadat Mukiibi, alias Kalifah AgaNaga, described Majwega as a father who paid his school fees. 

“It is a sad moment that my dad is gone. I have lost the man who paid my school fees for the six years of my high school. As a family we lost a father and as a country, we have lost an innovator and proprietor,” Mr Mukibi wrote on his Facebook page.

A renowned businessman, Majwega founded MK Publishers whose text books are a household name and are currently used across the region.

“I used a lot of textbooks published by MK while I was in primary school. The design of those books and the coherent content therein made those books unique. They helped me a lot and I still respect MK Publishers to date. Uganda has indeed lost one of its biggest contributors to the education sector,” Mr Nathan Natumanya, a statistician, told Monitor.

Ms Edith Kawuma, who formerly worked for the late Majwega at his Avance International University, said his education legacy will always inspire many.

There was a sombre mood at the MK Publishers offices on Entebbe road when we visited yesterday.  The security guard declined to speak to us. 

Efforts to speak to authorities there also hit a snag.

Mr Sebalu said the Rotary fraternity will work with the family and MK Publishers to give the deceased a decent send-off. However, he said burial arrangements will be communicated later.

Tributes

Mike Ssebalu, Rotarian: «He is one of the pioneers of the publishing industries in Uganda with MK Publishers, which is a household name in terms of publishing textbooks and reading materials. The Ministry of Education and the education sector has lost a strong pillar.”

Musician Sadat Mukibi, alias Kalifah AgaNaga: “It is a sad moment that my dad is gone. I have lost the man who paid my school fees for the six years of my high school. As a family we lost a father and as a country, we have lost an innovator and proprietor.”