A recollection of the life story of our father, Godfrey Rushariza Rwakitarate.
The Early Years (1927-1949)
Godfrey Rwakitarate was born near Sanga township in Nyabushozi County in Ankole Kingdom in Uganda, a protectorate of the United Kingdom, during the month of July, 1927. His aunt, Mariamu Kakibara, a younger sister to his father Simeon Rushariza was one of the first converts to Christianity in Ankole Kingdom at the turn of the century. Godfrey came to learn of his birth month because he later heard that his aunt Mariamu had travelled to Kampala when he was born to celebrate the Golden Anniversary (50 years) of the Anglican Church of Uganda.
His father, Simeon Rushariza, was of the sub-clan Abanyonzi of the main clan Abashambo. Simeon had two sisters. His first sister Mariza Kitungikwa was captured and taken as a slave as a young girl during a battle between the Kingdom of Ankole and the Kingdom of Kooki. His other sister, Mariamu Kakibara was given to the missionaries as a servant girl, that had just come to western Uganda and through this relationship she became one of the first converts to Christianity in Ankole in 1902. Simeon was very loyal to his prince, as there was a battle for succession to the throne of Ntare V in Ankole Kingdom in 1895. The prince to whom he remained loyal was Prince Igumira, but the prince that succeeded Ntare was Kahaya II. Simeon left the court of the king and lived the life of his forefathers, a nomad in Nyabushozi and rejected the white missionaries and colonial administrators along with their religion whom Prince Igumira disliked. Simeon and his sisters were related to the new Prime Minister of Ankole, Nuwa Mbaguta, through their mother Salome of the clan Beine-ishe Murari.
Simeon Rushariza had four children. Kukiroro his first child and son who later trained to become a medical assistant was not of the same mother as the other three. Esther Nyenshaija, his second child and only daughter, was married to Mr. Nyenshaija and together they had nine daughters and one son, Tayebwa. Ismail Buhwitsi, his second son, was in the employ of their first cousin Ananias Murumba, the son of their aunt, Mariamu Kakibara, who was a gombolola chief. The last child born to Simeon was Godfrey Rwakitarate. Simeon’s wife and mother to the three younger children was called Pharesi. Soon after the birth of Godfrey, there was domestic conflict between Simeon and Pharesi and this led to Pharesi being sent back to her family. Godfrey was then raised by Salome his paternal grandmother. He got his name Rwakitarate due to his big size as a baby. To soothe him when he was crying they would sing a lullaby in which they would say he looked like the overweight neighbor of the same name who had a plantation near by. The name stuck on Godfrey and later after conversion to Christianity he used the name as his formal surname as most were apt to do.
Godfrey relates that as a little boy he loved to follow his father all around. His father was known as a soothsayer and people came to him seeking answers about their different conditions. He taught the little boy many sayings of the wise and also his craft. Simeon would scatter some corn on the ground and the next morning read the positions of the kernels where the insects had moved them, similar to reading the grains in an empty coffee cup. Godfrey said that his father was very tough on him mainly because he looked like his mother who at the time was separated from his father. As he grew his father wanted him to get an education as it appeared that was the best for him. His first experience with school was special. His first cousin, Yonia Garubungo, daughter to his Aunt Mariamu, was at the time going to the court of the Kabaka of Buganda Daudi Chwa II in 1936. So he got to escort his cousin to Kampala at the tender age of 9 years to help her. He then attended an elementary school, Kayanja Primary School, with the other children in the Lubiri (Palace grounds). This gave him a thirst for formal education. Godfrey often told stories of his time in Kampala. One story was, that as a young boy he would walk to the Kampala Golf Club and earn some money (ekinushu( 1 shilling)) by being a caddy to the European golfers. He gave himself a Luganda name during the stay there of “Sekadduka” which ironically was not a name in the Baganda. After about a school term in Buganda they went back to Ankole.
Godfrey converted to Christianity after moving back to Ankole while living with his aunt Mariamu Kaibara and her family. He was later baptized at ten years of age into the Anglican Church of Uganda. Godfrey chose his name because he thought it was a striking and unique name. He then kept on with his education with the help of several relatives along the way since his family could not afford it. The main supporters in his post primary education were three relatives. These relatives were asked by his father, Rushariza, to assist in his education. His first cousin, Anania Murumba who was a gombolola chief in Kashari, another relative Mr. David Cook who was also a saaza chief in Rwampara and finally another cousin Mr. William Kafureka who was also a saaza chief in Kajara. These three men provided support for Godfrey till he completed junior high at Mbarara High School. Stories about his time in Mbarara Junior High School were told over and over. He remembered learning how to swim in River Ruizi, a risky venture. He also once escaped being caught by Mr Payne the headmaster while smoking and had to extinguish the cigarette in his pocket. It was during his time there that he met a young girl, Jane Kentembwe, while teaching Sunday school at St James Cathedral, Ruharo. Little did anyone know that she would later become his wife.
Upon graduation Godfrey seized on an opportunity to continue his education independently. It was always his dream to better himself especially as he was acutely conscious of his humble roots. The East African Community was starting a telephone technology school in Mbagathi near Nairobi, Kenya. He applied and was accepted into the three-year training program and this began his life long career with the East African Posts and Telecommunication. So in 1949 he set off for neighboring Kenya and started his training as a telephone technician. Before he departed from Ankole, his visionary aunt Malyamu Kakibara told him she had had a dream that during his training in Kenya he was to get converted to a life of faith in Christianity and that it was a white man that was to explain the gospel to him. He did not take this seriously as at the time he was living a life that did not reflect a faith in Christ. Godfrey was known for his chain smoking and chasing girls amongst other things.