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A family that writes together...
The Zikusookas during the book reading. PHOTO | ISAAC SSEJJOMBWE
What you need to know:
- Walking with Gorillas takes the reader on an incredible personal journey with her early days as a student in Uganda, enduring the assassination of her father during a civil war, to her veterinarian education in England.
Last Saturday afternoon was special for Rhoda Kalema, Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka and Ndhego Zikusoka. Special because the three authors launched their books at Aristoc bookstore in the presence of their fans and family.
What is so special is that the trio are of the same generation. Rhoda Kalema (92) is the mother to Dr Gladys Kalema while the latter is the mother to Zikusoka.
The authors signed their books and interacted with the audience as they talked about the inspiration behind their books before answering a few questions from the audience. They passionately discussed their best chapters, the stories behind their writing, their experiences and shared their remarkable journeys.
Rhoda Kalema, who has authored several books, launched My Life is But a Weaving, a beautiful tapestry of her journey in faith through decades of service and sacrifice. Kalema is a gifted storyteller and recounts life as a student at Kings College Budo in the 1930s and 1940s.
At Budo, she gets a taste of leadership as a girls’ prefect and experiences tragedy with the loss of her sister, Sara, in a lightning strike in the hills of Budo. Her father, Katikiro (Prime Minister) Martin Luther Nsibirwa, was assassinated in 1945 at Namirembe Cathedral.
In 1950, Rhoda Kalema married William Wilberforce Kalema, a Budo teacher, who served as a minister in the first Obote government. In 1956, she joined the Uganda Women’s Council, embarking on a lifelong commitment to improve the status of women in Uganda.
Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Uganda’s first wildlife veterinarian wrote Walking with the Gorillas, an enchanting memoir that tells the remarkable story from her animal-loving childhood to her career protecting endangered mountain gorillas and other wild animals.
Walking with Gorillas takes the reader on an incredible personal journey with her early days as a student in Uganda, enduring the assassination of her father during a civil war, to her veterinarian education in England.
For Ndhego, it was Zoo Keeper For a Week, where he describes his experience as a junior zookeeper for a week at the Entebbe Zoo (UWEC) in Uganda. He also tells his experience with different animals such as lions, snakes, crocodiles, giraffes, among others.
