Mzee Mukwano: My friend, our friend, a friend of everybody
Sam Mayanja
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It was in the early 1990’s. I had just come back to the homeland and virtually with no familiar face to call a friend.
Mzee Mukwano filled that void. I owed him nothing.
He could do without me, but somehow he invited me into his life and the life of his circle. Every evening after picking the children from school, I would wind up at Mzee Mukwano’s factory who would entertain my children to a rich evening tea.
My Saturdays were invariably at Mukwano’s place.
Every time and always, he seemed a new man and a new friend. Although he had many he called friends, he somehow made me feel as if I was the only friend -offering that warmth of friendship difficult to comprehend.
Mzee Mukwano loved talking about his early humble life at Bukandula, Gomba County as if he lived it yesterday. He would repeat that story every other day, as if he had never told it before. I saw the big and small receiving from the generous hand of Mzee Mukwano.
Fridays were a special day at Mukwano’s factory.
It looked as if the entire city of Kampala was flocking to Mzee to pick the weekend upkeep. As far as Mzee was concerned, everybody was “Ssebo” or “Nyabo”.
He was more humble than those who received from his hand and ensured that his giving did not compromise the dignity of the recipient.
On the day I visited the factory to break to Mzee the news of my decision to quit my employment with Uganda Development Bank, Mzee was too busy as usual with the myriads who thronged his presence on Fridays.
His son young Alykhan quickly realised that I was not my usual self, listening to my story, like father like son, and quickly, in the trickling of an eye raised all the resources I needed to launch myself in private legal practice.
The money was without any precondition, only followed with the words, “Mukwano money is blessed money. Use it for the purpose.”
Putting the money for the purpose I did, and it was with that money that Sam Mayanja & Co.
Advocates was set up and within only one year of activity, was robust and vibrant enough to join other eminent law firms to launch the Kampala Associated Advocates (KAA) which legal firm now extends its practice beyond the borders of Uganda.
Mzee Mukwano exuded positive attitudes which lifted the weak, the bankrupt, the discouraged, and those on the verge of committing suicide.
He gave everybody hope and made them believe that things can change for the better - always reaching out to his fellow citizens from a stance of goodwill, hard work, and generosity.
Despising laziness and mediocrity, he belonged to that rare breed of Ugandans who work deep in the night, while others slept, building the nation, while others gambled and criticised.
He was a meteor who burnt himself out in a bid to light the world.
On Thursday 11th July 2019 Mzee Mukwano submitting to the common denominator of all humanity, he transited to a better place, a land where all shall be free, and forever living in the Glory of the company of God.
Sam Mayanja Senior Partner Kampala Associated Advocates Email: smayanja@kaa.co.ug Website: www.kaa.co.ug
