BY NELLY OTTO
JINJA
UGANDA’S Deputy Head of Mission to Qatar Ambassador Hajji Muhammad Baswari Kezaala has paid glowing tribute to Grace Kirya, the former LC2 chairman of Jinja Central East Parish who passed away this week following months of battling with cancer-related complications.
The ever-jolly Kirya, 61 who died last week served in different capacities and played many roles in the business and civic administration of Jinja City, from the period it was termed as ghost town.
In his eulogy, Kezaala who also served in different leadership positions including being Jinja mayor for two-five-year terms, before taking on diplomatic duties, describes Kirya as a resolute businessman.
The Doha-based diplomat quotes one of the most famous line (He who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present, controls the past by classical 1984 English journalist and novelist Eric Arthur Blair who wrote under the name George Orwell to explain the pivotal role Kirya played in trade and business in Jinja.
He says Kirya stayed put during the most difficult times when Jinja suffered mass exodus of the non-citizen Asians following the 1972 decree by then President Iddi Amin and later the decade-long decay of 1980-1990 which reduced Jinja to a ghost town or the industrial museum town.
“…I want to point out that Kirya was one of the few sons of Jinja who did not migrate but chose to remain behind in this situation and painstakingly contributed to the economic struggles of this town…”, Kezala eulogised.
During his heydays, Kirya operated a hardware shop along the now busy Main Street intersecting with Nizam Road which had only nine struggling shops selling petty items like pancakes, vegetables, fruits and banana leaves locally used for steaming foods.
His hardware shop was called Ms Westco Company Ltd.
While the LC1 and II chairman for close to 20 years, Kezala says Grace Kirya served with prudence and diligence by maintaining the areas clean with functional street lights.
“…. you diligently executed your duties, you have lived a deserving life my dear brother Grace, a life of serving your town and people…Rest In Peace, Till We Meet Again…”, concludes Ambassador Kezala’s two page condolence letter to the family of Grace Kirya.
Apart from the trade and civil duties he played, the humility of Grace Kirya kneeling before Henry Waako Muloki, the then Kyabazinga whom he served as Personal Assistant will linger in the memory of many people in Busoga.
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