Saturday 31 May 2014

COMMUNICATION TO SMACK OBs BY WILLIAM KITUUKA IN OCTOBER 2008


For October, it has not been possible to have a Magazine format; instead we are having a number of stories/articles below.  You may copy and cut out to a Microsoft word format where pages will be clearly shown. Thank you,
Editor: Willy Kituuka

Appreciation
v     I wish to express my appreciation to Dr. G. H. Kkolokolo for his financial support and giving me courage as well as contributing to the publications which are meant to promote the image of St. Mary’s College Kisubi, which though known for training scientists, its products are meant to be leaders, more so bound by religious norms.  I thank the Doctor.
v     I also thank all those who take time to read my works.  Who am I that there is some sense they find to continue reading my works?
v     I thank my ‘young brother’ Isaac Mpoza for the envelope he once gave me – this is the real spirit which SMACK OBs should promote.
v     As for Mr. Charles Mbire, I am short of words.  He uplifted me, and now I am really worth a man from SMACK.  Against all odds, where some OBs have thought I am political and kept a distance, to my brother who was a class ahead at school though he is miles away now, I simply say, “Thank you Charles.”
v     And, for all OBs who have made some pledge, I am most grateful for I know one day you will deliver.
v     To fellow OBs of SMACK, I am in the field of Good Governance, and I must be seen practical.  The Police may one day be on me, as is the norm for those who are seen as fighting the state.  Please, when I am in trouble sometime and you learn about it, come to my rescue, for I promise to continue my mission until we get Good Governance Practice.

Willy Kituuka – Editor
“DUC IN ALTUM”

EDITORIAL
For quite sometime now, may be about 2 months, we have been treated to what has since come to be known as the “Temangalo Land Saga.”  This in essence shows how a regime which over stays in power can degenerate, with “the feeling of shame gone!” This is unfortunate.  For a group who ventured into the Luwero bushes, walked over a number of innocently murdered, now known as the “Luwero skulls,” for a cause which they disguised as national liberation and is now clearly seen as personal financial liberation!

In one instance, I listened to “Hon. Amama Mbabazi” explain from KFM Radio that procurement for investment did not require the approval by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA)!  This was news more so against the background that NSSF bought the structure which previously housed the Ministry of Gender, and Audit reports clearly showed that the purchase price had been inflated!

An investigation report by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority into the NSSF’s land deal with businessman Amos Nzeyi and Security Minister Amama Mbabazi has indicted the fund’s top management and recommended “severe disciplinary” action against them.

PPDA Executive Director Edgar Agaba told Daily Monitor that in recommending severe disciplinary action, the Authority is seeking a “suspension” of the fund’s top managers, or a punishment “commensurate to the kind of mistakes they committed.” (The Monitor Friday 24, 2008)

The change of the composition of the NSSF Board to have 4 workers added makes sense in theory, but practically the four will not close the door for politicians who at all cost will keep encroaching on this ‘Golden manna’ given to them by virtue of the historical roles they played in the “Liberation of their pockets.”  It has been proposed that liberalization of the Social Security Fund is the way to go.  The practicability of this is the problem.  Assuming Parliament okayed the liberalization of Social Security, it is likely that given the reputation of NSSF, many workers would wish to opt out.  If this happened, it would be very difficult to divide the workers’ savings into the various social fund investors, more so, where NSSF decisions have been interfered with by politically motivated investments which are not value for money.

The way forward is that NSSF should remain the sole social security fund in the country given that when the fund mobilizations are sensibly utilized, a lot of achievements can be accomplished which would not  probably call for borrowing from big financial establishments.  What can be done is to make public all decisions of investment nature prior to implementation in the press so that the public can debate and okay them if found to make economic sense.



TABLE OF CONTENTS                                                                      Page
  1. Don’t Cry                                                                                  3
  2. Possible Clues to the Budo Fire                                                   3
  3. President Museveni does not need poverty visits                          3
  4. The use and Discard Policy of the NRM                                      5
  5. Good Luck to all our Candidates                                                  5
  6. Go forward, Dr. Lwanga                                                             5
  7. Govt. Sponsorship promotes Exam Cheating                                  6
  8. The day when SMACK Re-discovered Hon. Kajura & Dr. Lubega    7
  9. The Min. of Education & International Languages                         8
  10. LC’s and Legality                                                                       8
  11. Reflexology Practitioners & Conventional Medicine                      8
  12. Go to the Search Engine …                                                          8
  13. Oh God! “How many more need to die on our roads?”           8
  14. Brother Kyemwa more than a father!                                           9
  15. Mr. J. C. Kiwanuka made 89 years                                              11
  16. SMACK’s other Key Constituencies                                             12
  17. Prof. Otiti’, Uganda’s Only Nobel prize Winner                           13
  18. Let us not build a Katayimbwa Economy                             14
  19. When the petrodollar cannot save Nigerians                                14
  20. UAC call for proposals amazed me                                              14
  21. Dear Doctors, “Is AIDS; Cancer?”                                             15     
  22. Oh! My blocked email (wkituuka@yahoo.com)                               15
  23. De-congesting Kampala                                                               15
  24. Cleaning the Highway leaves Kajjansi in darkness                         16
  25. Moringa  - Marketing is the problem                                           16
  26. Kiwanuka’s First House prefect Bereaved                                    17
  27. Football in Germany                                                                   17
  28. Bibiana Steinhaus – first female referee                                     18
  29. Major New Airport under construction                             19
  30. Did you know that?                                                                    19
  31. Growing trade Highlights Food Safety                                        20
  32. Biotechnology and Food Security                                                20
  33. What is Biotechnology?                                                              21
  34. How can biotechnology help the hungry                              21
  35. Genetically Engineered Products: Many unknowns                         22


1.       DON’T CRY!
It amazes me to find a parent/teacher telling a child not to cry when being canned.  I thought the idea of canning was to inflict pain, and because it is normal that such pain inflicted is balanced with crying/tears as the expression of pain, it disturbs to see the one who wants to see the other party in pain demanding that the beaten victim does not cry!  Does it make sense?

2.       Possible Clues to Budo Fire
If Uganda Government is concerned about the 20 children who died in the Budo fire and the pain inflicted parents/relatives, the way to go is to get the parents who withdrew children prior to the fire, as chances are that they may have had prior knowledge about the fire, hence wanted to save the lives of their children.  Secondly, parents who arrived while the dorm was still on fire and immediately testify that two bodies of mature men were recovered from the dorm.  These bodies MUST have been there but someone must be killing the evidence.  Just get the police who were on duty and the parents who testify to have seen them put the bodies on the truck.  If these two cannot yield to the clues to how the fire came about, then it may make a lot of sense to abandon the case.

3.       President Museveni does not need poverty visits
I am always amazed whenever I hear that President Museveni is on a visit to some district and is really touched by the poverty prevailing in the countryside.  He ought to be concerned about the poverty because much of its intensity is directly due to the harsh economic policies of the day, more so given
the global financial crisis. 

Finance Minister Dr Ezra Suruma told Parliament on Thursday, 23 2008 that while Uganda is not directly exposed to the risk, the crisis could lead to a reduction in money remitted by Ugandans in the Diaspora, aid flows from donor countries, and foreign direct investment into the country.

The minister’s statement came a few hours after Central Bank Governor Emmanuel Tumusiime - Mutebile told a press conference, called in the wake of the shilling’s slide against the US dollar, that the global economic woes would slow Uganda’s growth.

“We expect the recession in Europe and the US to reduce demand on our exports. This will lead to less earnings from exports, earnings from tourism are also going to be affected,” Mr Mutebile said. “Tentatively, I can say that instead of the 8 per cent growth rate, it will be in the range of 5 or 6 per cent.”
The global financial crisis, triggered by risky loans given to US borrowers and sold on across the world, has been raging for several months mainly in the developed world. Mr Mutebile told a press conference on September 24 that while there was need to be concerned, the effects on the Ugandan economy would be minimal.
The two economic chiefs, however, were forced to raise the red flag Thursday after the shilling fell steeply against the US dollar in this week’s trading. The shilling traded at Shs2,200 to the dollar by close of Wednesday before cooling down marginally yesterday to Shs2,000 after the Central Bank injected $300,000 (Shs600 million) into the market.
“There are already signs of depreciation of the shilling in the foreign exchange market,” Dr Suruma told MPs. “We are watching it very closely and will take the action necessary to encourage exports and stem inflation.”

Given the above new development, knowing that things have not been better either for the poor prior to this development, it should be is easier on a macro – level for the president to help the poor people by remaining in his office and dealing with among other things the following:
Creation of new districts/administrative units – not only should there be a ban on this, but actually some created districts should cease to be.  This culture of politicking is funny, and also annoying.  You get to Kajjansi trading centre where one Town Board would be created, but because people want to reap from politics, here are two town boards to be created in same district one bordering the other and the dividing line is a water passage which crosses Entebbe Highway from the side of Uganda Clays!  These would under normal circumstances be in one Town, but trust political schemers, we are to have two towns in what would be one town! Secondly, again under Local Governance, time is now to trim the number of counselors on various councils because supporting them is already to heavy a duty in financial terms to the poor.
Oversized Parliament – we don’t need the oversized Parliament, and the games going on now as regards the Temangalo land saga show you how the institution is gradually losing repute!  Less than half the size of Parliament we have can deliver better and even be better facilitated.  It is in the mandate of the President to see this a reality if he is really concerned about the poverty.
He should do away with Presidential advisers – much of the work these do if at all they do anyway is supposed to be done by the technical personnel in the Ministries.
Check corruption – if the President does not get the corrupt investigated to the end, he may have to stomach more of what for example Bishop Luzinda said at the burial of Dr. Sebunya.  Corruption has reached stinking levels and people can now react in ways which may even embarrass the Head of State.  Prosecution should be done to the conclusive end and not just make news that some prosecution is on and shortly after abandoned. 
The President need to identify cadres capable of manning critical aspects of the economy which are productive in nature instead of sycophants we always hear about who are useless yet milk the economy.
There is need for cutting all tax rates across the board – this will positively boost disposable income hence the purchasing power for goods and services and chances are that more taxes will be realized, as well as productivity, as high costs of virtually everything are constraining increased economic activity.
Much has to be done to boost agro-based industrialization.  It is not clear why this is failing, as this is one basis for export income.

4.       The use and discard policy of the NRM
The recent refusal of the Kabaka of Buganda to visit one of his counties under the cover of ‘insecurity’ is not news.  The NRM has the practice of using and throwing to the dust bin once it has successfully exploited a Good Samaritan.

More than two decades now, NRM leaders seem to have forgotten that the ‘man’ they barred from visiting his country was very useful at some moment when the liberation war was still on, as they needed his presence to convince the people to give the liberators support. 

5.       Good luck to all our candidates
SMACKOBA Paris-France, on the approach of the National UCE and UACE exams, wishes to show herewith its solidarity with all members of the College community:  the Headmaster, his Deputies, the Chaplain, the teaching staff, the administrative staff, members of the regular school personnel, and all students, in particular our beloved candidates of S IV and S VI.
This is indeed to assure you all of our fully committed spiritual and moral support at this very important our. And we know very well that, our great motto DUC IN ALTUM, already playing its part, our very prestigious college will naturally come out triumphant just as it has always traditionally done.
Beloved candidates, we count on you to steer to enviable success and glory Uganda’s most celebrated senior secondary school and one of Africa’s top best colleges. Please, rest assured that the Almighty Good God and Lord of all virtues and victories will assure your success!
Warmest regards to you all!

Dr G. H. Kkolokolo
(SMACKOBA – Paris/France)
10.10.2008
                                                         
                           6.        Go forward, Dr Lwanga!
Dr G.H. Kkolokolo ( Paris – France)
Much as I personally respect  others’ views  on topical issues, I strongly however  disagree  with  anyone of those manipulatable  cheap  minds, the scorn of any serious-minded person, who  have shown disapproval of  Archbishop Lwanga’s attitude and style of approach to political issues during his sermons at Lubaga Cathedral.
Indeed, the Archbishop as both a moral and spiritual guide is doing the right thing and he is on the very same wavelength with his three illustrious predecessors : Kiwanuka, Nsubuga and Wamala who too stood boldly firm  whenever questions involving  rights and duties   arose and, just like Dr Lwanga now, would  pose as fearless spiritual  leaders  to avert the faithful  from treading on any dangerous path.
One must also understand that  Dr Lwanga, as Metropolitan Bishop in a  region where both  tradition and politics are strongly  the  interplay of  events,  wouldn’t be  wrong  in putting a finger on those questions that are solidly at heart in  the minds of his faithful however much this  may  derange  and  disturb others  if approached and treated in a manner  contrary to  their  way of thinking.
Likewise Dr Lwanga, in line with his brave predecessors, has already been equally praised for calling a spade a spade. See how he has always cautioned against insulting the President and in addition, before a million-strong congregation at  Namugongo,  he  warmly expressed his gratitude to the authorities  for creating  an environment  conducive to freedom of worship,  a liberty which enables the church to rightly guide and counsel on any serious matters where morality and spirituality  have to play  centre stage.
And in this context the question of ever seeing Uganda succumb to a Rwanda-like situation, as some naïve persons  wrongly observe, is just an eye-wash, for, in spite of the turmoil the nation has often gone through  due to political greed, any vengeful  scenario, like  a  planned  systematic mass-scale genocide, has never  appealed  to people’s sentiments and will never do so, thanks to the role played by religion as a guiding politico-moral factor, a thing the Archbishop’s well-received sermons wisely aim at and strongly adhere to.
                                                    
7.       Govt. Sponsorship promotes Exam Cheating!
If Government removes the Government sponsorship at higher levels of learning, you can be sure that cheating to pass exams will greatly have been fought!

The driving force to cheat exams is that even with what traditionally were good grades to take one to the University for a good course and at the same time be Government sponsored is all now history to the extent that one needs to have an average of say B’s not to be sure of Government sponsorship, a situation which is not easy given the 4 principle subjects students offer.

Government sponsorship is political, in that Government has political capital in sponsoring some students, however, it makes no sense if the system is wholly abused and Government is not able to bail the country out.  We know many of the rich are the beneficiary and many poor students who are bright have to look around for funding, yet if all paid for tuition the discrimination would be more, yet tuition could even be lowered compared to current levels.  There is fear that if corruptly based decisions are maintained by Government, the future of the country is a real doom.  Strong decisions have to be made to get the country back on the road, short of that, Uganda is simply finished. 

Money saved would go to infrastructure development and better learning facilities as well as employment creation which graduates target.



8.       THE DAY WHEN SMACK RE-DISCOVERED HON. KAJURA AND DR LUBEGA
Dr G.H.Kkolokolo (Paris/France)
Yes, as usual in similar circumstances, the two occasions were a historical milestone that reached us to the personality of these two very prominent Kisubi gurus, namely Hon.  Henry Kajura, a long serving Minister and former top civil servant with the East African Community, and late Dr Lubega, East Africa’s first Ph D Architect.
We were still young boys at SMACK. We had already heard of Mr H. Kajura but not to the fully, until one day when we were listening to the 8 pm English radio news bulletin in front of the main building, as the custom used to be at our time, and we heard of one Mr Henry Kajura having been appointed Secretary-General of the then powerful East African Community in Arusha. The bulletin gave us a complete background of the distinguished individual and concluded by saying: “Mr Henry Kajura was educated at St Mary’s College, Kisubi.”
At this juncture there was a very solid clap of hands mingled with deafening applauses of: “Hear! Hear! Hear!” At supper the entire conversation on every table was on Kajura! The following day we rushed to the notice-board to read the English daily, Uganda Argus, and the Luganda paper, Munno, and discovered a lot on our celebrated alumnus whose picture was figuring prominently on the two dailies. Then Kajura became a legend on his campus!
Equally promoted to legendary celebrity was Dr Lubega whom we got to know for the very first time thanks to this famous 8 pm news bulletin which qualified him as East Africa’s first Doctor of Architecture! Then the broadcaster rose the amazed  students to absolute frenzy when, after having  given at length Dr Lubega’s academic background, he concluded by saying that Dr Lubega did his secondary  school studies at St Mary’s College Kisubi. There was another uproar of those “Hear!  Hear!  Hear! ” and, at table, supper was dominated not by the delicious menu but by conversation about our celebrated alumnus who, the following day figured also very prominently on the two dailies. And, just like for Hon Henry Kajura, the Brothers helped us to get to know more and more about him and what he was at SMACK. Then one day, some two months later as we were preparing to go to class for preps after sports, we saw Rev Bro Peter Katanga taking around  in the famous quadrangle a notable top-personality individual. We greeted him as we moved on and the Brother presented him saying,: “ This is Dr Lubega the first PhD architect in the whole of East Africa and, as you all know, he is an OB of this college!”
Seized with surprise and emotion, the students clapped very cheerfully and many returned to the dormitories to inform their housemates of the presence of a notable East African guru on the campus. And, as we eventually looked around, we saw many heads peeping out of the windows to admire the legend whom many others in the famous quadrangle were greeting with a slight inclination humbled with a polite smile in respect : “Good evening, sir!” / “Good evening, Doctor!” / “We are very glad to see you, dear sir”/ “Thank you very much, dear sir, for honouring us with this visit!”  ETC…
Then Lubega became a legend on his campus!



9.       The Ministry of Education and International Languages
If International Languages ever get to be not officially authorized in secondary schools, one would wonder the intention of this.  It is clear that Government aided schools have teachers who are not on the payroll, these are paid for by the PTA funds, so, I don’t think it is a big wage bill that would make Government interfere with the teaching of International languages knowing very well that these are a pre-requisite to acquiring some jobs.  One gets tempted to think that such a policy when implemented would leave a few private operators to teach these languages and hence would be able to make some bit of cash. 

10.     LC’s and Legality
We are all aware that Lower LC’s are operating illegally.  We are told that Government has no money to fund elections.  There have been instances where some people have made a lot of noise about Constitutional crises; however, as far as they are concerned, there seems to be no Constitutional crisis in this case!  It is not clear for how long we are to keep on this way, however, meanwhile LC courts are undertaking judgments; they are involved in contracts, name it. In 1986 or thereabout, it was possible to undertake elections very cheaply.  For the sake of legality, given that there are no funds as alleged, why doesn’t Government borrow from how these elections were conducted in 1986 and at least have properly mandated people in office?

11.     Reflexology Practitioners and Conventional Medicine
Practitioners of Reflexology are convincing as many people as possible to change from conventional medicine to Reflexology treatment.  There is need for proper guidance here.  Already there is a gentleman who was told that with reflexology treatment he would not need the daily injections for diabetes, and this patient nearly died.  Can Government (Ministry of Health) come out clearly on how reflexology can co-exist with conventional medicine, and how patients on conventional treatment can be started on reflexology treatment without worsening their health problems.

12.     Go to the Search engine ….
If you go to the Internet search engine, be it Yahoo, Google, or any other, and you fill your name, and there are no results in your favour, then it means you may need to do some homework.  Worldwide, someone should be able to feed your name into the search engine and get at least one result; say your particulars or your works, name it.  You can even use free facility like on Tagged.  You can take a look at my page – Just click the link:

13.     Oh God! “How many more need to die on our roads?”
Not long ago, I went for an Introduction Ceremony of a long time friend.  On our way back, I wondered whether it was worth risking life to go for some of these functions given our drivers.  To the function we had an institution driver who was driving a new vehicle and it is until traffic police warned him about his speed that he realized he was speeding.  On the way back, I thought changing vehicles was a better option.  It wasn’t!  We came while it rained and at times I had to tell the driver to mind our security, and by grace of God we arrived in one piece.

Recently a bus crushed into a trailer in Lugazi and the death toll has risen to 40!  I remember a time when Idi Amin banned the trucks on roads at night.  Given the death rate on our roads, it may be better to have trucks stop traveling at night.  40 people can not perish in accident and we take this normal.  Speed Governors are yet to be enforced, and it is a political decision that they are yet to be implemented.  There is simply a lot of junk vehicles including buses imported in the country as well as used/old spare parts.  After those deaths, what happens to the dependants?  Is it any body’s concern?  Can we get serious in this country and stop having politics leading in all decisions to be made.  If vehicle owners cry about the cost of fitting speed governors, should we scrap them and just let people die?  What ever possible ought to be done to have safer road transport.

14.     Brother Anthony Kyemwa more than a father!
I will never forget the parental care of Brother Anthony Kyemwa former Headmaster of St. Mary’s College Kisubi (SMC).  Kyemwa saw the school through very difficult time in the 70’s. The school had no fence but trust the Brother, he was in control.  There was insecurity in Amin’s time, but the Brother made it to see us go for preps where teachers at times were scared.  He endured through the strikes mostly due to food.  I thank the Brother for the parental care.

For the students, reading was pleasure (unlike the situation now when cheating of examinations is the norm by a number of students who don’t want to read yet they fictitiously want to show they excel at books.  For us we could even compete in bathroom!  Those students who would go for Express (reading from midnight to 3.00am) would wake up their friends for Oriental (reading from 3.00am to breakfast time or thereabout).  Cooking water with bedsprings for heavy coffee was normal.  We were good at summarizing for exams.

Brother got respect from students; they could see him from a distance and would get moving very fast to wherever they were required.  The Brother gave us freedom to move around Kisubi hill but this never compromised academic standards/excellence.

Asked about what led St. Mary’s College Kisubi to be at the height of glory and fame it enjoys as far as academics is concerned, Brother Kyemwa said, “ In my opinion, the aspirations of the students and staff led to the rise of the school.  There was a strong spirit of competitiveness with other leading schools; that is Kings College Buddo, Mt. St. Mary’s Namagunga, Namilyango to mention but a few.”

Brother Kyemwa’s message to the SMACK community if they are to maintain the established tradition of excellence is: “Discipline should be emphasized because it is with discipline that one can concentrate on one’s work.  There should also be a strong school spirit among the students because this unites them in all aspects.”  “When I meet former students of St. Mary’s College Kisubi, they always thank me for having emphasized discipline.”

Brother Kyemwa would like to be remembered as one who tried under the circumstances of the time.  He tried to keep the school standards up and never down.

The Eagle Magazine Team Interviewed Dr. Geofrey Onegi Obel (Old Boy of SMACK) and below is the Excerpt:

The Eagle: What do you remember most about SMACK?
Geofrey Onegi Obel: When I think about SMACK, the first thing that comes to my mind is Brother Anthony Kyemwa.

The Eagle: Why?

Geofrey Onegi Obel: He was kind of role model to us, a very strong figure, parental and also very nice as long as you did not cross his way.

The Eagle Magazine team of 2004 Interviewed Dr. Simon Kagugube and below is an Excerpt.
Dr Simon Kagugube was at St. Mary’s College from 1970 to 1975(He is Executive Director, Centenary Bank)
The Eagle: Any negative memories of SMACK?
Dr Simon Kagugube: No negative memories, none at all.  A few difficult times maybe.  For me it was very good.  I don’t have anything to regret.  I have been to America for 6 years, Yale…all over; Kisubi is the best place I have lived in period.  There are no serious worries when in SMACK.  No negative memories, tough moment’s maybe.  When I was House Prefect for Kiwanuka there was a near strike.  That was one of the most challenging moments in SMACK, not negative.  We were new prefects and there was a near strike in the school.  And remember these were Amin’s days they could bring Military Police!  As leaders we had to balance the pressure of the students and the administration.  So, we collected all the students, had them sit in the middle of the school buildings that is (Administration block, the Chapel, Chemistry Laboratory and HSc Block), we then asked them to write down all their grievances.  I was assigned the role of writing out these grievances because of my good English Language.  I sat in Cubicle A (HSc Building) and for the bigger part of the night I was writing.  And, remember Brother Anthony Kyemwa (the Headmaster) was the type whose No! was a NO!  Nonetheless, we had very good working relationship with him.  There was respect for each other.  I wrote out the students’ complaints and gave students to reproduce (I still have the original copy in my papers).  I read it out to the students; that is before the entire school.  We had to control the crowd… charisma, and I felt like a real politician.  Brother Kyemwa insisted on reading it to the members of staff himself.  The staff members came out asking why we were so hard.  However, I am very proud of that effort.

15.     Mr. J. C. Kiwanuka made 89 years
Mr. J. C. Kiwanuka, the longest serving teacher at St. Mary’s College Kisubi (SMACK) from 1951 – 2001 made 89 years in July.  We thank God for the gift of life he has given to our great Mathematics encyclopedia popularly known as Manoeuvre.  He began teaching at Mary’s on October 1st 1951 making 57 years since he reported to teach at his former school.  He is a graduate of Nottingham University, got his degree in June 1951, and was sponsored by Buganda Government.

Mr. J. C. Kiwanuka in the DP Government
As a Minister of Education in the short lived Democratic Party Government (for about one year), J. C says that he had the advantage of having been President of Uganda Teachers’ Association (UTA) hence knew many problems that existed in the profession, and following the Lawrence Commission Report with some adjustments, their Government acted on:
1)     Improving Teachers’ Salaries and Conditions of Service;
2)     They enacted the Teachers’ Pension Schemes for all teachers;
3)     Equalised salaries of male and female teachers of the same grade, lay or religious;
4)     Awarded 300 scholarships to suitable candidates in all walks of life including tailors, shoe makers, etc;
5)     Started Higher School Certificate in Girls’ Schools for example Gayaza High School, Mt. St. Mary’s Namagunga and Trinity College Nabingo;
6)     Some schools were given initial Government grants, for example Bishop S.S.S Mukono, Kibuli S.S.S, Christ the King Girls’ School (Kalisizo), Mary Hill Girls’ School, Lubiri S.S.S and Kiyira College (Busoga) built by the Kyabazinga.
7)     During the one year stay in Government, they J. Cs administration enacted the Board of Governor’s Rules for Senior Secondary schools and Teachers’ Colleges.
8)     The Teachers’ Conditions of Service were also enacted.

Manoeuvre says that when he started teaching at SMACK, starting HSC at St. Mary’s had penetrated his mind.  He talked the matter over with the Late Brother Louis Chuonard and Brother Oscar Roger both former Headmasters of SMACK.  Fortunately, they were also very keen on the idea.  The Executive Committee of St. Mary’s Old Boys Association (SMOBA) made an appointment with the Late Governor Andrew Cohen to meet and discuss the matter.  The Governor accepted to meet them, they discussed the matter, and on the occasion of the School’s Celebration of the 50th Anniversary, Sir Andrew Cohen broke the news that he had allowed the school to start Higher School Certificate (HSC).

Sir Andrew Cohen broke the news that St. Mary’s Old Boy’s Association (SMOBA) was the only body that contacted him on this matter.
Mr Kiwanuka says that he feels very grateful to God for the venture of the HSC, which ended up a success through the vehicle of the Old Boys.  The school now gets so many graduates from Makerere University and other Universities.
Asked why SMACK has always excelled, Mr Kiwanuka says, “Because of her excellent basic foundation; spiritually, morally, academically.”  He further says, “The first three Medical Doctors in Uganda are SMACK products (Dr Bamundaga, Dr Bamugye and Dr Baziwane).  He says, “The old colonial idea that there was hardly anybody in Uganda that was capable of reading successfully for a degree was first smacked by a SMACK product.  He smashed the theory on the colonialists’ own ground”. 

16.     SMACK’S Other Key Constituencies
 Dr G. H. Kkolokolo (Paris-France)
St Mary’s College Kisubi has always been a consistent pioneer in sending students not only to University but also to other very important centres of high learning specializing in key domains which are very relevant to the development of our country and of Africa in general.
Having sent numbers and numbers to Entebbe School of Surveyors (Katabi) during most of the British colonial period and produced for East Africa very many wonderful land surveyors and notable Cartographers some of whom were recruited by Universities to boost their Geography Departments, SMACK intellectually gave weight to recruitment into such celebrated institutions as Kyambogo Technical Institute, for diploma engineers and technicians, Bukalasa Agricultural Institute and Arapai  Agricultural Institute for our very important agricultural sector, Mulago Medical Institute for our very badly needed paramedical  personnel, Entebbe Veterinary Institute for our very necessary grass roots veterinarians, Kyambogo TTC for our senior secondary school teachers, and the security forces training schools where many of our alumni have performed so excellently well and eventually become very wise brilliant members of the  forces.
Serious-minded graduates from these institutions have proved their very great utility throughout our positive stage development. And SMACK is always there to share very good points! We must really commend and praise our alumni who have passed through these institutions for the very good name they have made for our great college. Remember the saying: whenever and wherever there is anything positive, constructive, progressive, educative and productive, SMACK is always present!
Yes, our people have always been there making a very excellent name for our very much prestigious institution, and I personally thank them for this special contribution. It’s SMACK’s contribution!
These alumni are an exemplary lot to us all. Very many of them have taken on advanced further studies and have become top graduates. I can cite a few examples: Dr D. Bafokuzara, Senior etymologist and Researcher at NARO (Kawanda), he went through Bukalasa Agricultural Institute. Idem Dr  J. Nsereko, Senior lecturer in the Faculty of Agriculture at MUK; then two alumni, among others, from Mulago Medical  Institute, one Dr Lutaaya, a London University PhD in Pathology, and  one Mr  Lugomoka,  a  BSc and  MSc in Biochemistry. And those others who didn’t venture into further studies have remained very faithful servants of their country, always exemplary models to emulate and imitate! They are indeed the core calibre of hard workers and  humble patient achievers through those genuine means that their simple environment can offer, and this is one of the wonders of  our notable St  Mary’s College Kisubi, an institution that has produced achievers  in all layers of society!
Via the security forces SMACK has given to Uganda an admirable lot of competent personnel in very top key positions whether in the army or in the police or prisons services. We were the first to produce a number of Sandhurst -trained army officers; and think of the police and the prisons services where we have always had our people in command and at the helm and they have always been doing very well  to the point of being strongly appreciated by the whole Ugandan society!
In order to  express  our  fully-committed  appreciation  and  sincere gratitude to these nation- loving   alumni,  I would humbly request our very intelligent  and  very  highly inspired  far-sighted SMACK Awards Committee to look very carefully into  more of these names  and prize them  for  the good of our very great   nation, just as it has already been done to one of them, H. E. Ambassador J. Tomusange, a very  pragmatic diplomat who made it to  everything  via the celebrated Mulago Medical Institute. Some outstanding profiles from our forces and from our Bukalasa / Arapai / Entebbe / Kyambogo-trained civil personnel would deserve a secondment to our SMACK Awards Committee for a special recognition as alumni who have achieved a lot under extremely very difficult circumstances.

17.     Prof. Otiti, Uganda’s Only Nobel Prize Winner
(The New Vision)
Born of peasant parents, Prof. Tom Otiti has risen to great heights as a Physicist and Researcher, and among other schools he has been at St. Mary’s College Kisubi. 

STRIKES and Makerere University are so intertwined that to have been at the institution, whether as a student, lecturer, support staff or an administrator, you are expected to have participated in one.  Not so for Prof. Tom Otiti. The 51-year-old don joined the university as a teaching assistant in 1985, with little to his name. But with a profound belief that university education is research-oriented, he got engrossed in research.

Read more by clicking on the link below:



18.     Let us not build a Katayimbwa economy
(The Monitor)
By Joachim Buwembo (OB SMACK)
Everyone is saddened, shocked and unhappy with the growing use of katayimbwa (iron bar) to kill innocent people in the early evening hours around our urban areas. It is a senseless new trend by urban thugs to extinguish useful lives in a manner that leaves everyone around in shock. It is also an unacceptable misuse of steel.

More about the story click on the link below:

THANK YOU BROTHER ANTHONY JOSEPH KYEMWA

PROJECT: 'THANK YOU BROTHER ANTHONY JOSEPH KYEMWA'

    Brother Anthony Kyemwa as Headmaster was more than a father!

I will never forget the parental care of Brother Anthony Kyemwa former Headmaster of St. Mary’s College Kisubi (SMC).  Kyemwa saw the school through very difficult time in the 70’s. The school had no fence but trust the Brother, he was in control.  There was insecurity in Amin’s time, but the Brother made it to see us go for preps where teachers at times were scared.  He endured through the strikes mostly due to food.  I thank the Brother for the parental care.

 For the students, reading was pleasure.  For us we could even compete in bathroom!  Those students who would go for Express (reading from midnight to 3.00am) would wake up their friends for Oriental (reading from 3.00am to breakfast time or thereabout).  Cooking water with bed springs for heavy coffee was normal.  We were good at summarizing for exams.

Brother got respect from students; they could see him from a distance and would get moving very fast to wherever they were required.  The Brother gave us freedom to move around Kisubi hill but this never compromised academic standards/excellence.





































Dear all,

The communication regarding a "thank you project for Brother Kyemwa"
was made in good faith.  Many times we are cut off from these great
teachers of ours and are ready to get involved when there is serious
danger and at times too late.  At Brother Kyemwa's age, he is expected
to get ailments associated with old age, so the appeal for medical
support is in that direction.

I don't at any moment want to run any account where funds raised can
be put, in fact I believe the Brother has an active account where such
funds can be sent if it is made public knowledge for the Old Boys.  My
idea is simple, if there is such a fund under the cover of the thank
you or whatever it may be, I think will be some good help to the
Brother.

So, in a nutshell, as most of us belong to some organizations, we do
make long term and short term programmes; in the same line, let us do
good planning for our retired teachers so that they enjoy decent
lives.

Hope I am understood.

I thank you.

William Kituuka