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Kivengyere was a shining star of Kigezi, says Kanyeihamba
Author, George Wilson Kanyeihamba.
What you need to know:
- Hope Kivengyere as a public servant and international star will always shine through the history of mankind
I am where I am, thanks to Hope Kivengyere.
In 1977, while lecturing at what is now the University of Portsmouth UK, I was informed that they were two Ugandans who had come to see me.
It was Kivengyere and Peter Otai, a former Cabinet minister in the Milton Obote II government. When I met them, they said they had a message for me from Bishop Festo Kivengyere.
The message was simple. The bishop was pleading with me to join the anti-Idi Amin struggle and have Amin removed from power.
Otai advised me to join the Obote group. Kivengyere preferred that I team up with the new generation led by Yoweri Museveni.
I promised to give them my answer later. I then chose the NRM of Museveni and I never regretted the choice. The rest is history.
Legend
There is a legend of the Amazon women who owned and controlled a country. They were giants and icons of success.
Kigezi sub-region has had and continues to have Amazon women. When Kigezi men marry beauties from other regions, those beauties also become Amazon giants. The example of such beauties include former minister Betty Bigombe, Vice President Jessica Alupo, UNAids executive director Winnie Byanyima and Susan Kyakwera Kanyeihamba.
Hope Kivengyere as a public servant and international star will always shine through the history of mankind.
I once defended her excellent record of working tirelessly, and effectively for the Republic of Uganda. My defence of her was misconstrued, mistakenly on the basis that she was my intimate friend, which was totally untrue.
Kivengyere never had time or desire to indulge in a relationship. And she was always transparent, accommodating and extremely helpful. She had followed the legacy of another presidential aid icon, the late Betty Bikangaga.
Kivengyere had been invited to be one of the directors of the Kanyeihamba Foundation, which stands for the promotion of human rights, preservation of our correct historical records justice, transparency and accountability. It was, therefore, a shock to learn that she had passed on.
Bishop Festo Kivengere had four daughters named Hope, Peace, Joy and Charity, each of them stunningly beautiful.
Charity and Hope didn’t get married to anyone. Charity is the God mother of my daughter Serah. And their mother was called Merabu. Their names reveal the character, behaviour and work of the Kivengere family.
Fare-thee-well Hope, you will always be remembered with the fondest memories.
