Mr. Magala, better known as Mzee Magala, has quickly become a viral TikTok star, entertaining netizens with his humorous yet insightful commentary. His videos are so popular that people rarely scroll past them, no matter how limited their internet bundles might be.
Recently, Mzee Magala appeared on NTV’s ‘Mwasuze Mutya’ program and had viewers in stitches with his take on children’s homework. “Homework has caused more harm to parents than it helps children,” he said, laughing. “Imagine a parent like me, who only studied up to Primary Two, being asked to help my son with Primary Three homework! This thing is very bad and should stop immediately.”
Mzee Magala’s schooling ended early when, after just two days in Primary Three, he was sent home due to unpaid school fees. With no one to pay for him, young Magala turned to making and selling brooms. By the time he had saved the necessary UGX 3,000, the school term was almost over, and so he quit. But his story doesn’t end there.
He shared a heartwarming anecdote about preparing for his own future funeral. “I dug my own grave,” he said. “I don’t know what my children’s financial situation will be when I die, so I don’t want them burdened with funeral costs.” He explained how he’s seen children struggling to raise money for funerals when they can barely afford transport fare to attend. “It’s heartbreaking to see them already worrying about debts and still being asked to contribute for a burial.”
Magala also touched on how, in his youth, people used him as a bad example. “In Bunyaaka village, they used to tell children, ‘If you don’t go to school, you’ll end up like Magala.’ Back then, things were tough. But God turned things around, and now I’m the role model in the village.” With pride, he added that he owns the nicest house in the village, a landmark that even boda-boda riders use for directions. “Everyone knows my house. They say, ‘Do you pass that nice house of Mzee Magala?’ I’m the talk of the village!”
In one particularly funny story, Mzee Magala recounted how his daughter got her hair braided without asking for money from him or her mother. When his wife suggested calling their daughter to come home, Magala quipped, “Did you give her money for that hair? Let her go and thank the person who did, and they can bring her home when they’re done!”
Mzee Magala’s love for his culture runs deep, and he’s currently embroiled in a feud with the local Muslim community after a sheikh insulted the Kabaka and the Buganda Kingdom. His loyalty to his roots and his bold, comedic insights have made him a beloved figure, not just in his village, but across Uganda’s TikTok community.
From a once-struggling village boy to a modern-day digital star, Mzee Magala’s story continues to inspire and entertain.
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