Bunyaruguru Dispatch; Chief Justice in public dock as Speaker Oulanyah bows out

By Aggrey Nshekanabo

It is interesting how we choose to be remembered. Uganda has had fair share of Chief Justices (CJ) who by and large are politicians. We know for a fact that CJ Benedicto Kiwanuka was a politician who happened to serve in the highest office of the 3rd arm of government, the judiciary. Interestingly, fights that happen in the first 2 arms of government; the legislature and the executive are expected to be settled in the 3rd arm. My grandma in Bunyaruguru would say; “Bwenge buke” – people of little wisdom.
The other outstanding CJ include and luckily still alive; Mr. Wako Wambuzi and Mr. Benjamin Odoki. The immediate past CJ, Hon. Bart Katureebe, a son of this soil from which I write this dispatch, did one great thing for which I will forever be grateful; he ensured Bunyaruguru is a magisterial area, not to dispense justice per se but because we are a criminalized community by the several governments of Uganda. So, my verdict on him may not be perceived to be a fair one. Those within the judiciary though, my sources intimate, will remember him as one who ensured retiring magistrates and judges retire well; not as paupers.

For Benjamin Odoki, will be remembered for having unsuccessfully pushed for the amendment of the retirement age of justices beyond 70 years, to which he was to be No.1 beneficiary. We understand of course why this was so because from his vantage point, he had seen how sections of the laws of Uganda were just….and the constitution was amended at every opportunity to serve the wishes of the executive. He unfortunately thought, he too could be a beneficiary of whimsical amendments, For Mr. Wambuzi, he will publicly be remembered as that CJ who served two governments in the same position. That makes him quite a smooth operator. It is a feat. Unfortunately, he may die without publishing his memoir on how he managed to intricately balance the applecart.

And now Hon. Owiny Dollo Chigamoi. We will not be remembering him for the justice he dispensed but by the tribal diatribe that escaped the corners of his lips. It is my hope that he will not look for any loophole in this article to sue this publication. We will remember him for having taken the spotlight off a dead speaker. For his words, Justice Owiny Dollo has been publicly judged as guilty! Unfortunately, that public criminalization lives on beyond the grave. However, I forgive him because man is inherently tribalistic. But when you serve in such offices, you must not only be seen but heard to be above tribal sentiments, especially at the loss of a brother like the colossus OJ (Jacob Oulanyah), the departed smart speaker, who even if he was deeply Acooli, his words and public deeds made him transcend above tribe.
Interestingly, I do not know both men; the dead OJ and the living ODC beyond their public offices. What is true is that I have worked in their political constituencies of Omoro and Agago respectively and I appreciate the level of poverty there very deeply. Poverty there is not different from the poverty of my village of Bunyaruguru! Cheei!

As Rt. Hon. Speaker Jacob Oulanyah bows out (I think he loved bow-ties and therefore, the pun is really intentional), his last act is a grim indictment to the health of the country and the government he served. It is a known joke for the big men who have sought for treatment in Kenya, South Africa, London, Germany and the US/Canada only to land in the hands of Ugandan medical doctors who have sought economic refugee but also to practice their trade with the best of medicines and medical equipment that the world can offer.

I will however add that, every family wishes their sick relative to get the best medical care in the world wherever it is said to be. My people say; “Otakarogaga notakazaaraga”, meaning a mother is willing to sacrifice anything so that their ailing child may live. OJ was Uganda’s child and mother Uganda had to do everything possible including moving naked at 3:00am and hobnob with the spirits to have her child in OJ live. And so, as a Ugandan family, we think our brother’s spirit is well knowing our mother Uganda even slept with the witch in order for him to live. May his spirit rest eternally.

However, as I pen down this dispatch, let us not forget that beyond the public figure in OJ, there are individual family members, friends and especially children who have lost a father! I am certain, Mr. Oulanyah’s father would have wished to go first before his son. No parent wants to bury their child. Their wish is to be buried by their children. Let us remember that simple fact that, behind the garb of the speaker, there was a brother, a friend and a father and a son in Jacob Oulanyah.

Aggrey is a retired journalist and is a team leader at www.kyamburasafaris.com, the proprietors of Naalya Motel; email: aggrey@kyamburasafaris.com