Simei kakungulu biography of martin

To mark 50 years of Uganda’s independence, New Vision will until October 9, 2012 be publishing highlights of events and profiling personalities who have shaped the history of this country. Today, GERALD TENYWA brings you the story of Semei Kakungulu, the tree lover

When Semei Kakungulu, a warrior and tribal leader died, a part of Uganda’s history also died. Though he was sent to eastern Uganda by the colonialists as an administrator, he is more remembered for the millions of Mvule trees that were planted during his time. A century after they were planted, Kakungulu’s trees still stand along the roadside, like soldiers mounting a guard of honour for passersby. This landmark is still a stunner, especially for the first-time travellers to eastern Uganda who keep on inquiring, “Who planted these trees?”

“This man Kakungulu was a visionary,” says Dr. Aryamanya Mugisha, the former executive director at the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).  Mugisha points out that planting trees at that time demanded a leader with vision because the country still had many trees. Mugisha says attempts to mobilise people to plant as many trees as those Kakungulu planted have failed. He adds that people refresh with drinks to celebrate planting of ceremonial trees, which never survive.

A decade ago, Kakungulu won the hearts of the environmentalists at the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), which is the Government watchdog on environment.

NEMA awarded him posthumously for his role in preserving the environment. His grandson, Shanon Kakungulu, a former legislator in Masaka, received the award. According to Martin Rutangye who spearheaded the NEMA initiative to award Kakungulu, Kakungulu is the great grandfather of tree planting campaigns in Uganda. 

Why did Kakungulu compel people to plant trees?
Given that the seeds of Mvule trees are so tiny and not easy to grow, Dr. Gerald Eilu of Makerer

Dear people,

Traitor or heroes are like identical twin brothers or sisters. However,’ Traitor’ is not a word to be bandied about lightly. Traitor is an ugly word and should be used sparingly. If we describe someone as a traitor, we should first be confident that he or she has violated specific laws dealing with treason. How would we have defined treason during the Semei Kakungulu times when there was no country called Uganda? Someone who sells classified information about the country’s weapons development program to a foreign nation may well be convicted of treason and appropriately described as a traitor. But we cannot and should not use the same word to describe a person used by the British to lead a successful Baganda army against the neighbouring kingdom of Bunyoro in 1894-5. Kakungulu was a military man used to extend both Buganda and British interests outside Buganda kingdom in the north and northeast. This suited both the British and Buganda very well at the time. There was no country called Uganda at the time. So what does one base on to call Kakungulu a traitor?

Up to now, I’m finding it difficult to identify a Uganda hero apart from the Ignatius Musazi and group. Yes,Kakungulu killed a lot of people while pursuing his ambitions or kingdom or British objectives, but does this make him a traitor by any standards? It is remarkable that one who obviously considers himself to be an offended patriot can call Obote a hero when he killed several Ugandans he was supposed to protect but when we cannot accord the same hero status to Kakungulu who was making use of his common sense. If all leaders who kill are bad to some people, then we should just put them in the same category. Bush is considered by one section of Americans to be a traitor and a terrorist war criminal because of the lives lost around the world under his watch. What about murderous Mugabe in Zimbabwe who has killed his own people within his territory instead of pro

TOURISM | KAKUNGULU | BUGISU

MBALE - After a four hours drive from Kampala City to Mbale City, one is left wondering whether Semei Kakungulu was a statesman, a trader, a developer, a traitor or a religious man. 

This after visiting his elegant home on green Gangama hill, offering one a bird's view of fast urbanising neighbourhoods. 

While there, Minister Of State for tourism Martin Magara says it is time to boost the traffic of tourists to the Elgon Region.

“Having a long menu of attractions adding Wanale Hill and Kakungulu’s home will make domestic and foreign tourists stay longer and have a variety of items to interest them,” said Magara.

“The Bugisu conservative culture that has survived colonialism and western lifestyle influence is an asset in the tourism industry,” said Magara. 

“Kakungulu memoirs from his birth in 1868, through his survival in Busoga, Bugisu, then under the Uganda Protectorate and after the imposition of British protectorate is worth listening to.”

In his various roles Kakungulu was an elephant hunter, guerrilla leader, Buganda kingdom chief, border warlord, British ally in military campaigns, self-imposed king, President of the Busoga Lukiko, and leader of the anti-medicine Bamalaki and Bayudaya separatist sects.

Minister of State for Tourism Martin Magara (right) and Steven Masaba buy coffee, a major cash crop in Bugisu. (All Photos by Titus Kakembo)

When it was revealed that Kakungulu was instrumental in the arrest of Kabaka Mwanga and Omukama Kabalega in Kaberamaido, a tourism ambassador Moses Golola was audibly disturbed.

“He betrayed Kabaka Mwanga?” asked a disturbed Golola who had been beating drums and urging girls to dance. “Return the drums and bark cloth to the car. I am disturbed by this history.”

Journalists were seen googling Kakungulu detailed h

By Karen Primack (2002)

In 1995, following a trip with a Kulanu delegation to the Abayudaya Jews of Uganda, I wrote an article titled Visiting the Ugandan Miracle. A community faithfully practicing self-taught mainstream Judaism in the middle of nowhere, having discovered the religion on their own without benefit of missionaries or role models did seem miraculous. The organization Kulanu, which helps lost and dispersed Jewish communities, could hardly find a more apt group to assist!

But what makes a miracle? Seven years later, on a second Kulanu mission to the Abayudaya with a Beit Din (religious court) to perform conversions, I heard Rabbi Joseph Prouser recite the traditional blessing for witnessing a miracle: Baruch ata Adonai Elohaynu Melech ha-Olam she-asa nisim l’avotaynu ba-makom ha-zeh! (Praised are You, dear God, Who performed miracles for our People in this very place!) What had made him think he had witnessed a miracle? Lets take a look at the 2002 trip and then return to the question of miracles.

Arrival

The delegation arrived at Nabugoye Hill near Mbale, Uganda, on February 5 to the typical tumultuous Abayudaya musical welcome. We were coming to participate in the halakhic conversion to Judaism of qualified individuals in the 600-member community. The Abayudaya community embraced Judaism in 1919, when their leader, Semei Kakungulu, decided to follow only the laws of Moses which he read about in the Bible that British missionaries had brought to Uganda. The community has been practicing Judaism and upgrading its knowledge and observance ever since.

Among us were three rabbis from the US, one rabbi from Israel, a rabbinical student, two musicians, a journalist, two documentary film makers, a horticulturist, and two Kulanu officers. Among them were community leaders, ululating women, and many, many children.

At the welcoming ceremony, Abayudaya chairman Jacob Mwosuko reviewed the importance of Kulanu to the community. He noted that be