HON. PAUL KAWANGA SSEMWOGERERE MAKES 90 YEARS ON FEBRUARY 11, 2022.
As an Old Boy of St. Mary’s College, Kisubi the alumni of the school are grateful to God for his fruitful life and contribution to his mother land Uganda where he qualifies as a leading democrat.
About Hon. Paul Ssemwogerere and his life at St. Mary’s College, Kisubi as written by himself in response to a questionnaire that was sent to him prior to Uganda’s Golden Independence in 2012.
I was born on 11th February, 1932, at Bumangi, Buggala Island, in the Ssese archipelago; and I was baptized on 18th February by Rev. Fr. Berjhard who was curate at the Catholic Mission.
Que: When did you join St. Mary’s College Kisubi?
Ans: I joined St. Mary’s College In 1947 in Junior Secondary One when:
o Bro. Amator was Headmaster RIP;
o Anthony Ssingo RIP was Head Prefect;
o Bro. Anthony Kyemwa RIP was in Junior Secondary Two.
After obtaining the Junior Secondary Leaving Certificate in 1949, I was admitted to Senior Secondary One in 1950; and I obtained the Cambridge Overseas School Certificate in 1952.
During that period (When Ssemwogerere was a student) the College was headed by four Headmasters in succession: Bro. Amator RIP, Bro Eugene RIP, Bro. Louis RIP and Bro. John Leonard RIP.
In 1951, I was directly elected Head Prefect by the students, the first - eversuch direct elections, under an innovation introduced at SMACK by the first American-born and American-educated Headmaster, Bro. Louis.
Que: What House did you belong to at St. Mary’s College, Kisubi?
Ans: I belonged to Lourdel House; and our banner was “Excelsior”.
Que: What are your memories of SMACK?
Ans: The School’s outstanding reputation;
The tidiness, especially by comparison with other schools, of the Brothers’ and students’ attire, as well as of the school compound;
The valuable learning experience;
The wonderful teachers and fellow students, who made one feel we were a family;
The well-stocked school library and the encouragement we received from our teachers to read beyond the Class text books, and to develop a reading culture;
The rich extra-curricular programmes, in whose activities I joyfully participated and excelled:
1. St. Mary’s College Cadet Corps (KCCC):
St. Mary’s College was one of only two (and later three) schools in East Africa which conducted a Cadet Corps training programme; the others being Namilyango College (and later, St. Henry’s College, Kitovu).
I was enrolled into the KCCC and rose to the rank of Sergeant Major and Platoon Commander: there were four Platoons in all under one Company; and our overall Company Commanders were, in succession, the late Paul Nnyungwe and John Lukwago.
In 1950, I was one of 10 cadets selected to train students at St. Henry’s College, Kitovu, who, subsequently, became the pioneers in the introduction of theCadet Corps programme there; and, on completion of Secondary School, some of them, e.g., the Late Gilbert Sseruwagi and Edwin Wasswa, joined Uganda Police as officer-cadets and rose to the highest ranks in the Force.
In the same year (1950), I was among a group of cadets selected to undergo some elementary military training at the King’s African Rifles (KAR) base, at Jinja; another member of our group was Leonard Kigonya, who, after St. Mary’s, joined the Prisons Department and eventually headed it. Unfortunately he was killed by Amin’s hit men.
2. The Debating Society:
The society shaped and sharpened my debating skills, leading the Headmaster, Rev. Bro. John Leonard, to refer to me, in his official Letter of Recommendation about me, as the best debater in the school (1952);
I led the Debating Society as its President in 1951 - 2.
The society gave me, and St. Mary’s, an avenue and a rare opportunity to prove ourselves in a hot debate at the time, which was hosted by our arch - rivals, King’s College, Budo, and presided over personally by the College Headmaster, Mr. Cobb: proposition, which I led, and by which we scored an impressive victory, was, “Bride price should be abolished”.
3. The Literary, Dramatic and Musical Society (LDMS):
Participation in LDMS activities greatly improved our command of the English language and provided us with a good insight into the lives of some of the leading personalities in history and some of the important events of their time;
I was active in Drama where I played leading roles in characters, such as the “Chauffer” in the Italian play, “The Brigands of Bravenza”, and Shakespeare’s “King Henry the Fifth”.
4. Lawn and Table Tennis: these two were my most favourite sports (1947-52); and in which our teams won the Uganda Senior Secondary Schools Championships Finals Cups, defeating the favourites, and the country’s leading Asian School, Old Kampala Secondary School, on their premises, in both the Singles and Doubles events (1951).
5. The “noble art” of Boxing: I was active in the Boxing Club; and I won the Uganda Feather - weight Champion Trophy in 1951.
6. Other activities:
I took part in many other extra - curricular activities, which included: Football; Cricket; Swimming; Volley Ball; Gymnastics; Athletics; Shot-put; Drafts.
In 1951, I received St. Mary’s College “Best-All-Rounder” Student Award.
Que: Can you remember the type of feeding you were having at St. Mary’s College Kisubi?
Ans: The typical diet at St. Mary’s, during week days and Saturdays, was sweet potatoes and cassava with groundnut sauce and beans; and bananas with meat on Sundays. We also had breakfast and evening tea.
Que: Were new students being teased then?
Ans: There was teasing of new students; but the teasing was directed mainly at the relatively “rather old” new-comers, and especially those judged to be lacking in manners. However, by comparison to other Boarding Schools, e.g., Kings College, Budo, and Namilyango College, teasing at St. Mary’s was minimal and short - lived, and never brutal.
Que: Today, St. Mary’s College Kisubi is much more of a school for the rich. How was it around your time?
Ans: No:
St. Mary’s College, Kisubi was not a school for the rich, although some of the students came from families of rich parents:
In making admissions and evaluating students, the criteria were academic competence and character.
While some students came from well-to-do families, e.g., families of chiefs etc., they received no special treatment; and they were required to conduct themselves in strict conformity with the same school regulations and norms as the rest of the students.
On the other hand, St. Mary’s College made special efforts to institute a bursary scheme of her own for deserving students from modest and poor families; I was a beneficiary from this scheme, right from the beginning on my admission to the College.
In addition, there was a Buganda Government scholarship scheme for students who performed well enough in the then Junior Secondary Leaving Certificate examination (i.e., Junior Secondary III) and were continuing with their studies in Senior Secondary; I was a beneficiary from this scheme as well.
Que: Who inspired you at St. Mary’s College Kisubi?
Ans: Many Brothers on the Teaching Staff, the Chaplains, fellow students and visiting Old Boys and clergy were a great inspiration to me. Outstanding among all of them was our Biology Teacher and Headmaster, Bro. Louis.
Que: Where did you go after leaving St. Mary’s College Kisubi?
Ans: I enrolled at Makerere College, then the University College of East Africa, when it was still an affiliate of the University of London, where I underwent an Intermediate Course (the equivalent of Higher School Certificate) and, thereafter joined the Faculty of Education for a Diploma in Education (Dip. Ed. EA; 1959).
