HE CARETH FOR YOU: ABOUT THE GALLANT SMACK OB AND ELDER THE LATE BASIL PAUL KIWANUKA

Basil Paul Kiwanuka has been an Old Boy of St. Mary's College Kisubi, a former teacher at SMACK, a former President of the Old Boys' Association and a former Chairman of SMACK

70 years ago, Basil Paul Kiwanuka joined St. Mary's College Kisubi. He has played the game; kept the School flame burning till his death.

Refer to the 4th Stanza of St. Mary's College Kisubi School Anthem: Of St. Mary’s boys are we True to her we wish to be All is ours; her grief and glee Up and on! Our life here will wane away Without fear we gauge the way Always we will sing the lay Up and on!

Shortly after the 9.00pm news at CBS FM 88.8 FM on Saturday, 9 February 2013, I heard an announcement; it was that Basil Paul Kiwanuka formerly of UNEB and residing at Nalukolongo had died! I came to interact with Basil Paul Kiwanuka in 2006 as I worked on the SMACK Centenary Magazine as Editor. Brother Anthony Kyemwa (former Headmaster of SMACK) told me that a contribution to the Magazine by Basil was necessary given his roles for the School. I called at Kulika office - Nsambya where he had last worked and I was directed to his home at Nalukolongo. I had good time with him, and below I have his Biography as given to me by himself. I wish to thank God for the dedication for his former school, the Catholic Community and Uganda at large. Psalm 15:1-5 O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? 2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; 3 who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; 4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; 5 who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved. John 12:23-28 23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. 27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!”

Basil Paul Kiwanuka a SMACK Old Boy, a former Teacher, former President of the Old Boys’ Association and former Chairman SMACK Board of Governors. Basil Paul Kiwanuka has been an Old Boy of St. Mary’s College Kisubi. He was at the College from 1943 to 1945 for his Cambridge School Certificate (CSC), which was a three-year course then. He later got back to the College as a Graduate teacher in September 1958 when preparations were in high gear for the Higher School Certificate (HSC). During that time, he was Head of the Geography Department. He taught till end of 1960. On the staff at SMACK there were then three Ugandan lay graduate teachers that is Mr. J.C. Kiwanuka, Mr Mulindwa and himself. The rest were either Religious Brothers or lay expatriate teachers. They managed to prove to the expatriate teachers that they were equally capable and competitive. In 1960, Basil Kiwanuka was transferred to the Ministry of Education Headquarters as Assistant Examination Secretary. He was in June 1964 appointed the first African/Ugandan Chief Inspector of Schools in Uganda, after serving in various capacities as Senior Education Officer for Secondary Schools and Senior Education Officer/head of the Ministry of Education Planning Unit. In 1968, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania while under the East African Community (EAC) decided to set up an Examination’s Body for the region that is the East African Examination Council (EAEC). Basil was appointed its first Secretary. Though the East African Community broke up in 1977, the Examination’s Body remained up to the end of 1980 when each of the member countries decided to set up own Examination’s Body, and in 1981, Uganda National Examination’s Board (UNEB) was set up, and Mr Basil Kiwanuka was appointed its Secretary. He served up to 1982 when he retired. He then joined the Uganda Catholic Secretariat at Nsambya where he served as Secretary for Education up to 1999. During this period he also served on several Boards/Councils of Schools and Colleges, including Kyambogo ITEK/University as Chairman, National Teachers College as Chairman, St. Mary’s College Kisubi, St. Henry’s College Kitovu. Asked about the academic excellence at SMACK, Kiwanuka said, “The College has been having outstanding performance at National Examinations because it gets the cream of the nation, that is, very brilliant students on admission. Secondly, both the hard work of the teachers and students are major factors for the maintenance of high academic standards. The combination of all these create the College Culture of hard work at academics.” Basil was Vice Chairman of SMACK Board of Governors from 1983 and took on the Chair in 1992 after the death of Prof. Kyalwazi. About the challenges when on the School Board of Governors, and eventually Chairman of the Board, Kiwanuka said, “They encountered political, financial as well as disciplinary challenges.” While retired Basil remained an active member of St. Mary’s Old Boy’s Association. Nearer, My God, to Thee Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me, still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to thee; nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down, darkness be over me, my rest a stone; yet in my dreams I'd be nearer, my God, to thee; nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! Direction to the residence from Nalukolongo