Yowabu Magada Kawaluuko

Yowabu (Joab) Magada Kawaluuko (January 7, 1930- July 29, 2016), was a Ugandan educator and politician who served as the Chairman of Uganda People's Congress in charge of Greater Kamuli District, Uganda, both in the first and second UPC governments. He was founder and member of the Uganda National Congress, which eventually became The Uganda People's Congress (UPC) under former president of Uganda, Dr. Apollo Milton Obote and also served on The National Executive Committee in between 1980 and 1985. He was a practicing Anglican Christian.

Early life

Yowabu Magada Kawaluuko nicknamed commander was born on January 7 1930 to one Enos Muwalu Kizige, a farmer, and Amina Kawala Namusubo Tibagonzeka, a house wife, of Nabirumba village, Kamuli district, Uganda. The second born after his older brother Samuel who was born ten years prior (1920- ), Kawaluuko attended Nabirumba Church Of Uganda Primary School, after which he went to Balawoli, Kaliro, and then to Namulikya where he sat his Primary Leaving Examinations.

Yowabu went on to attend Bishop Willis Teacher Training College and later to Kaliro where he trained as vernacular teacher in 1951. Kawaluuko taught in Kagulu, Kigingi, Nsale, Irundu, Bugaya, Buyende and Nabirumba, first as a grade 3 teacher, deputy and then head teacher, before his retirement in 1993.

Marriage

Yowabu was married officially twice, first in 1956 to Ruth Mercy Tabingwa Kawaluuko ( July 14th 1937 - May 9th 1979 her death and later to Monica Mukoda Kawaluuko 1980-2016 (His death).

Children

Elizabeth Robinah Jessica Nakaima Nkuutu (29th October 1957 - 7th October 1994), Monica Mercy Ruth Tibagonzeka Alaba TOGA (26th March 1960 - 17th September 1996),Mildred Flavia Sarah Batwalizawo,(1972 -June 1975), Hon Moses Kizige MP (1962 - ) a serving member of The Ugandan government Cabinet, Rosette Muzigo Morrison (LLM), (1964 - ) a senior lawyer with the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague, Kawaluuko was father to 15 other children.

Death and afterward

In late 2015, Kawaluuko was diagonised with testicular cancer, which was too advanced to completely clear on treatment. He died in Kampala on July 30, 2016, having collapsed on the way to Kampala international hospital, for a routine check up in relation to complications of a recently discovered tumour in his right ear.

His death came as complete shock to most, despite his ill health and it led to complete out pouring of grief seen in the tens of thousands of people that descended on Nabirumba village,Kamuli, Uganda to pay their last respects, effectively turning the place into a temporary shrine. Following a thanks giving service at Saint Andrew's church Bukoto in Kamapala on August the 3rd, Kawaluuko was laid to rest on Thursday August the 4th 2016 in his ancestral home of Nabirumba. His funeral was attended by high ranking state officials, the clergy and the judiciary, including 12 government ministers led by the Deputy Prime Minister Kirunda Kivejinja and 30 Members of parliament, three judges and three bishops were all in attendance, which was fitting given his contribution and position as one of the most influential Ugandan politicians in the 60 years leading up to his death.

Philosophical and/or political views

Kawaluuko was a strong supporter of Uganda Peoples Congress and The National Resistance Movement in his late years. He was a Christian by faith

Bibliography

www.newvision.co.ug accessed on 06/08/2016

References/Notes and references

http://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1431900/thousands-mourn-kamuli-fallen-upc-diehard