Prince Henry Katanga was nobility personified

So much has been written about his life. In fact, there is a real danger of his actual life getting lost in the so many theories and opinions surrounding his life and death that have been put forward. I feel it is important to stress that Prince Katanga was anything but a violent person. His pacifist nature is one trait that everyone who knew him will remember.

I have known the prince for more than four decades and I will reiterate that he was peaceful. Do people change over the course of their lives? Certainly. But some fundamentals never do. And that is why the way he died is tragic.

Background
 I first met prince Katanga at their home in Rutoma in 1979, where my family sought refuge from the 1979 liberation war. He was one member of the terrific trio consisting of his brother James Ndahura and sister Elizabeth Nyabiryo both deceased. They were the three youngest children of Prince Arthur Edwin Katanga and his wife Muriel Kyobuhooro, still living at home at the time. Their elder siblings including Prince Arthur Kasasira, who would later become one of the 27 combatants of NRM, were already grown and living independently. 

The three were teenagers and in the manner of all teenagers, they had an incredibly exciting life and referred to themselves as the three musketeers. Due to their closeness in age, they forged a great bond. Back then, the trio struck me as full-grown adults to my seven-year self because of the way they run their large home with the help of one servant. I was particularly impressed by Princess Nyabiryo, commonly known as Beth, who took charge of the meals and the general maintenance of the home with such expertise.

With her in charge, everything ran as clockwork. But I was most impressed by the way the three musketeers doted on their father (his wife was at that time stuck in eastern Uganda where the 1979 war had found her). At any time of the day there was always someone close at hand to attend to him when he called for a glass of water or his smoking pipe or a book. 

Prince Katanga seemed closest to their father, probably due to his seniority and the fact that the two shared strong similarities. They were intellectually inclined and had a wisdom that at times struck me as other worldly. Whereas Beth and James were boisterous and outgoing, Prince Katanga was quiet and retiring, yet friendly. However, one thing the musketeers had in common was their strikingly good looks. They were a joyful and hilarious trio always ready with a joke followed by genuine laughter. In spite of their vast blessings, they were down to earth and respectful.  

As they matured to adulthood, they opened up the circle to include like-minded friends and relatives and formed a formidable social group.  The group enjoyed travelling together and whenever they visited us at home in Mbarara Town. They always brought with them an exciting and festive atmosphere.  When James passed on in the late 1980s and Beth followed in the late 1990s, it is this group that comforted Prince Katanga.  Although the friends are relatives tried to fill the gap left by the siblings, I always felt so terrible for him, unable to imagine the kind of loneliness he must have endured without them. 

Pragmatic man 
Prince Katange forged ahead and created a life for himself and his family. He was a diligent worker who willingly did any work as long as it was decent. That is how he ended up on kyeyo in Japan in the 1990s. His foray into immigrant work gave him a new perspective about life and humanity in general. When he returned home, he seemed to be more at peace with who he was and what he had and valued friendships and relationships more. He was loyal and never forgot a good turn. 

Even when he did not have much to give, Prince Katanga gave generously and was quick to forgive and forget a debt. Although Prince Katanga did not wear his religion on his sleeve, he was more Christian than most. He lived according to the Christian values of fairness, justice, charity, humility, patience, kindness, above all love for all.   

Loved selflessly
Molly, his wife was betrothed to his younger brother James and when he died two weeks to their wedding, the family prevailed on Prince Katanga to marry her in order to give his brother’s unborn child a good start in life. 

He married her without reservation and he has played this role marvelously until the end. The prince and Molly were not unlike other couples, they obviously had their ups and downs. But for the most part, Molly was an attentive, virtuous and hardworking mother and wife. Prince Katanga in his typical regal conduct had never complained about his or given any signs that there was a problem in their marriage.

Human nature
The only thing to be gained about the couple’s private life is to draw lessons from it for future generations. Let us always be aware of the dual nature of all human beings. We are all without exception good and evil; we can nurture but we can also kill.  Adversity is one of the most painful realities of life from Abel’s death to the fall of Jonathan to the death of Uriah the innocent blood soaks the land and no one can explain why. Except that even in the worst circumstances God still reigns. All we can ask for is that God gives us the grace to rise above this tragedy. 

The work of people such as Rabbi Kushner in his book When Bad Things Happen to Good People encourages victims of tragedies to be more pragmatic about the situation to neither blame God nor themselves for neither is to blame.

Life is not meant to be lived singularly, when you feel overwhelmed have the courage to unburden yourself on someone even a person as random as a fellow passenger in a taxi, this will de-escalate whatever emotional turmoil you are experiencing and reduce chances of doing the unthinkable. 

I cannot underscore the impact Prince Katanga’s tragic passing has caused to his family and the likely extensive effects. I pray that God grants his family and friends the grace to overcome the temptation to avenge his death, for God assures us that vengeance is His. I wish nothing but healing, reconciliation, rebirth, forgiveness for all. 

Prince Katanga, God gave you His unlimited favour on earth, I know without a doubt that you will find favour in His presence. I am also convicted that He will not let you die in vain, for now gentle giant, rest in perfect peace.

Loved selflessly
Molly, his wife was betrothed to his younger brother James and when he died two weeks to their wedding, the family prevailed on Prince Katanga to marry her in order to give his brother’s unborn child a good start in life.

He married her without reservation and he has played this role marvelously until the end. The prince and Molly were not unlike other couples, they obviously had their ups and downs.