In honour of the founders of Banyakigyezi community

Dear Tingasiga:

  I was honoured to hand over the leadership of the International Community of Banyakigezi (ICOB) during our twentieth anniversary celebration in Boston, Massachusetts, USA last week. Our new president is Ms Bridget Begin Nkojo muhara wa Mugisha gwa Kikira, a Musyaba wa Baamugara Clan. Her late mother was Kereni Muhara wa Nyongozi Omwinika wa Bamuhutu ba Bukinda bwa Nyengire ya Kinyaata. A graduate of Makerere University, Kampala,s Nkojo, who relocated to Canada in 2003, is a programme coordinator in Post Graduate Medical Education at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. She was previously the vice president of ICOB for four years, a role that she performed with distinction.

 She now leads a formidable team, the majority of whom are women, itself a notable accomplishment by ICOB. Eleven of the thirteen-member leadership team are women. This was a natural result of our insistence on merit and equality of membership. The team is endowed with that most important quality of leadership – the desire to serve others, not to make personal gain from the opportunity they have been given by their peers.

The Boston Convention, our first since 2019, was very successful. I was struck by the number of new faces and the enthusiasm displayed by the delegates as we tackled the two central passions of ICOB – the promotion of ICT literacy and the improvement of maternal-child healthcare in Kigyezi. Dr Chris Baryomunsi mwene Mpungirehe, the Minister of Information and Communications Technology and National Guidance, and Ms Robie Kakonge, Uganda’s Ambassador to the United States of America, impressed me with their respectful presence, devoid of the airs that often overcome some folks in high office. Their valuable contributions to the deliberations were very well received and, I believe, will shape the thinking and some of the actions of our new leaders.

 As always, it was heartwarming to see many friends of Kigyezi who joined us at the fundraising dinner in support of the work of the Kigezi Education Fund. We raised $15,000 (about Shs55 million) to support the budget for establishing a new ICT centre at Kihanga Senior Secondary School in Rukiga District.

 I look back on ICOB’s first 20 years with thanksgiving to God, who has enabled us to remain loyal to the mission of the founders of the organisation. I cast my eyes back to a small gathering in a hotel room in Atlanta, Georgia, USA in September 1999 where the first decision to organise Banyakigyezi was made. That meeting, which was attended by Languida Rama, Gaston Ndyajunwoha, Cliff Musiimenta, Charles Kwesiga, and Muniini K. Mulera agreed to call a meeting to turn our dreams into action.

 I requested Robert Kyamureesire Rutaagi to convene and chair an exploratory meeting of Banyakigezi in Kampala. We met in the board room of the Uganda Export Promotion Board in Kampala on the evening of Wednesday, January 4, 2001. The meeting, which was chaired by Rutaagi, was attended by Amos Bakeine, Chris Bakiza, Jane Bayenda, Wilson Byarugaba, Charles Kabuga, Florence Ziine Kata, Godfrey Monday Katamujuna, Yoramu Tumuheirwe Kiiza, Ben Kiregyera, Sam Kwesiga, Florence Ntambi Tabaaro Mulera, Muniini Kwehangaana Mulera, Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile, Henry Rwaganika, William Rwambura, Sabiiti (from South Africa), Balu Tabaaro, Avitas Tibarimbasa, Alex Tindimubona, James Tugume Magabo, and Emmanuel Turyamuhika Kikoni.

 We agreed to form a non-partisan organisation of Banyakigyezi, with worldwide membership, to harness the community’s intellectual and material resources for the benefit of Kigyezi and Banyakigyezi. The focus would be on human resource development, environment reclamation through efforts such as tree planting, and documentation of our history.

 The initial plan to hold a founder’s meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA in 2001 was sabotaged by the presidential electoral contest between Yoweri Museveni and Dr Kizza Besigye which polarised the Banyakigezi family. The 9/11 attacks on the United States destroyed what remained of the desire to proceed with the meeting.

 Undeterred, a group of Banyakigyezi in Toronto, Canada formed the nucleus of what would soon become the first chapter of the International Community of Banyakigezi. The members of the group were Godfrey Begumisa, Maureen Komuhangyi Bikangaga, Peter Mwesigye Bikangaga, Lynette Kemigisha Bushuyu, Crystal Bwegyesa, Jackson Bwejesa, Nkunda Kabateraine, Palesa Thoahlane Kabateraine, Happy Gertrude Kampirwa, Jackie Masozera Kaweesa, Rose Birungyi Kazibwe, Florence Ntambi Tabaaro Mulera, Muniini Kwehangaana Mulera, Milly Nshuti Makuluka, Annette Night Ntegyereize, Ivan Nuwagaba, Venance Tirwakunda, Esther Tumusiime, and Silver Tweyongyere.

 This is the group that organised the inaugural international convention of Banyakigezi that was held at the Delta Chelsea Hotel in downtown Toronto from July 3 to 7, 2003. ICOB was born, with a mission to promote the cultural and socio-economic development of Banyakigezi in Uganda and other parts of the world. It would be a non-profit, non-partisan organisation, with an apex international leadership and strong regional chapters. A working group chaired by Frank Byamugisha (Washington, DC) was selected to bring the convention’s resolution to reality. Other members of the working group were Michael Akampurira (Kampala), Beatrice Hamujuni-Smith (London, UK), Nkunda Kabateraine (Toronto, Ontario), Andrew Katarikawe (Denver, Colorado), Elvis Muhaabwa (Greenville, South Carolina) and Muniini K. Mulera (Toronto, Ontario.)

Three chapters – Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America - were formed within months of that ambitious commission by men and women who believed in the ability of Banyakigyezi to work in concert towards a common goal. A formally registered ICOB became a reality during the weekend of July 2-4, 2004, when over 170 people from Britain, Canada, Denmark, Uganda, and the USA, gathered in Washington DC for the second annual convention of Banyakigezi. The Uganda Chapter was born five years later, in December 2009.

To what extent we have achieved the dreams and instructions of the founders is a matter that I am underqualified to evaluate. However, I happily report that we have created a strong international network of Banyakigyezi.

It has been a privilege for me to serve ICOB, alongside many distinguished men and women who have given their intellect, time, energy, and money to our organisation without expecting material compensation. I honour all, with special remembrance of those who have died. We shall keep the faith of those who gave us the charge to forge ahead with courage, confidence and humility.

Mulera is a medical doctor.         

[email protected]