Dr. Frank Nabwiso, a renowned Ugandan politician, academic, and champion of democracy, has passed away at the age of 84.
Born on December 14, 1940, Dr. Nabwiso was a true patriot who dedicated his life to serving his country and community.
As a former Member of Parliament for Kagoma County in the greater Jinja District before the City was carved off, Dr. Nabwiso was a vocal advocate for multiparty democracy and human rights.
He played a key role in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and later joined the now troubled opposition Forum for democratic Change (FDC), becoming a strong critic of President Yoweri Museveni’s governance.
Dr. Nabwiso’s academic achievements were impressive, with a PhD. in Adult Education and Rural Development from Wisconsin Madison University.
He was a respected scholar and leader at institutions like Makerere University and Busoga University.
His legacy extends beyond his impressive resume, as he was a devoted family man, a talented singer, news anchor, and passionate advocate for his community.
Dr. Nabwiso’s passing has left a void in Uganda’s political and academic landscape, but his impact will continue to inspire generations to come.
The Head of Uganda’s Mission in Moscow, Russia Ambassador Moses Kizige, in his tribute sent to this reporter, recounts his knowledge and interaction with the now deceased Dr Frank Nabwiso.
We at Watchdog Uganda happily share with you verbatim, read on:
I received messages on Saturday afternoon (14th December, 2024) from different WhatsApp groups, mainly Busoga based, announcing the demise of Comrade Hon. Dr. Frank Bulima Nabwiiso, former Member of Parliament, Kagoma County Jinja District, in the 7th Parliament.
I had not heard of him being indisposed, I therefore called a friend (veteran journalist/politician), Simon Muyanga Lutaya, who confirmed to me that this true patriot had indeed gone to be with the Lord.
Meeting Dr. Frank Bulima Nabwiiso – 2000
I returned to Uganda in May 2000 after spending some years at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana USA, as a graduate student, and an adjunct professor of Accounting and Taxation.
It was not easy finding a job. After trying many places, I ended up in front of Mzee Justin Byagagaire (RIP), then the Managing Director of Development Consultants International, one of the leading consultancy firms in the country at the time.
Dr. Okoth introduced me to Mzee Byagagaire as a highly qualified management consultant and Financial Analyst, who had only returned recently from the United States of America. But in reality, I had never done any consultancy work.
Mzee Byagagaire, a bully of some sort, did not have much time for me. He threw to me a bunch of papers, and a detailed CV of one Professor Enoch Rukale, and asked me to put together a team of consultants, and prepare a technical and financial proposal, to bid for a consultancy assignment.
This was; “The Teacher Development And Management Systems (Tdms) Project Summative Evaluation”.
This was a Request for a Proposal, from the Ministry of Education and Sports, so I came to learn latter.
Having been out of the country for some time, I did not know where to start. I just thought of Makerere University, and the person who came to my mind was Stephen Kateega, then an Assistant Academic Registrar and close associate of Dr. David Kantaale Kazungu (RIP), one of my mentors.
I went to Makerere, looking for Stephen Kateega, and indeed, he was very helpful.
He told me that a team of Education Experts, had expressed interest in doing the same assignment but had not qualified for the next stage.
The team had Professor Asavia Wandira as team leader. It also had Dr. Frank Bulima Nabwiiso, and Stephen Maloba. He gave me the contacts of all, and wished me good luck.
I was hesitant to approach Professor Asavia Wandira, because the last time I had moved close to him, was in February 1986, when I was the Chief Trumpeter for the Great Lumumba Hall, leading the protests by Gallant Elephants and Boxers, protesting against the quality of food which was being served to us, hardly three weeks after the NRA/NRM had captured power in Kampala.
But he was easier to get at his residence in Ntinda than Dr. Frank Nabwiiso, who was so mobile. I was therefore left with no option but to confront Professor Asavia Wandira.
He received me happily and also summoned Professor Enoch Rukale, Dr. Frank Nabwiiso, and Mr. Stephen Maloba (who had just retired as the Commissioner of Education) for a meeting at his residence the following day. Fortunately, they all turned up for the meeting in time.
I was assigned, together with Dr. Frank Nabwiso, the task of putting together a draft technical proposal for the team to discuss after one week.
To my astonishment, Dr. Frank Nabwiso’s phone went off after a few hours, and for three days, I could not find him. After failing to find him, I ran to Dr. David Kantaale Kazungu for help. He laughed at me and then told me all the possible places I could find the good Professor.
He also told me that if you get hold of him, take him to your house and lock him up until the work is done. That is exactly what I did after finding him. For the next three days, we worked on the proposal. I did not allow him to step out of the house. I gave him a suit, and we were still the same size, a new pair of shoes and a shirt for our next meeting.
I also got on board a classmate, David Ihalwe Kimoimo, as a financial analyst, and with the input of the other team members, we warn the consultancy.
The pay for the consultancy job was so amazing, and that is all Dr. Frank Nabwiso and I were required for the 2001 Parliamentary Election Campaigns.
Definitely, the election process was not that much monetized as it is now, but all the same, we got enough money that enabled us to win the elections.
Indeed, even after becoming Member of Parliament, I spent most of my time in the 7th Parliament doing consultancy work, and I was not surprised when the electorate in Bugabula County North showed me the exist in 2005 during the NRM Primaries.
Later, we were to do several other consultancies with him and Professor Asavia Wandira (RIP).
Exposure to Politics.
Before I left the country for the USA, I participated in the Constituent Assembly Elections. I had gone into the race on the insistence of Fr. Damien Grimes(RIP), my former headteacher at Namasagali College, rather than as a serious contender.
Fr. Grimes insisted that among the many students that had gone through his hands, he saw a lot I could contribute to nation building as a political leader, and that is how I got into the race.
Dr. Frank Nabwiiso invited me to go and talk to his team of campaigners in Namagera in December 2000. In the meeting, Dr. Frank Nabwiiso talked about the basic human needs; that is, food, water, clothing, sleep, and shelter, and then related these to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
He did it in such a simplistic manner that I could not imagine. But everyone in the meeting understood what he was talking about, and then he asked them to evaluate themselves and find their levels in the hierarchy of needs. It was so touching. Women were wiping tears, and men were lost of words.
This was a very effective way of communicating with the voters. It also gave people hope. It made them believe that indeed you understand their problems, and it was real in all aspects. This is what I adopted in my own campaigns. He has also consistently preached the same message.
Working with HE. Dr. Specioza Wandira Kazibwe
We were both sworn in as Members of the 7th Parliament in the first week of July 2001. A meeting was called for the Busoga Parliamentary Group at the residence of Hon. James Mwandha (RIP) in Kololo.
The Chairperson HE Dr. Specioza Wandira Kazibwe was on time, but the secretary, Hon. Isaac Isanga Musumba had somehow delayed to reach the meeting venue.
The Chairperson proposed that we get a temporary secretary to take minutes, and Dr. Frank Nabwiiso proposed my name.
The only other person in the meeting who knew very well was my sister and childhood friend Hon. Night Salaamu Musumba, and spoke very highly of me. I was therefore tasked to take the minutes.
My brother Hon Isaac Isanga Musumba found when the meeting had been running for less than ten minutes, but he asked me to continue taking the minutes. I circulated a paper where I requested everyone to put their email addresses. The meeting ended at 1.30 am, and we were to reconvene at the same venue the following day at 10.00 am.
I am an early riser, and being a resident of Entebbe Road, I am normally in the office by 7.00 am. Immediately I got to my office at Business Synergies Consultants, I typed the minutes, and by 8.00am, I had sent the minutes to everyone who had left an email address behind. At 10.00 am, I came with hard copies of the minutes, but Dr. Wandira Kazibwe had retrieved hers from her email, printed them, and made some comments.
At the beginning of the meeting, she declared that she had gotten the right team to work with; Dr. Frank Nabwiiso is a very well accomplished writer, and Moses Kizige, a very efficient secretary of the Busoga Parliamentary Group.
From that day, we started a very long journey that saw us spend hours working on many important projects and concepts for Busoga.
We coordinated the Busoga Peoples’ Forum Coordination meetings, that culminated in the signing of the Busoga Peoples’ Charter for Development, and the Ten Years’ Busoga Strategic Development Plan, which advocated the immediate Zoning of Agricultural Production in Busoga.
As fate would have it, HE Dr. Specioza Wandira Kazibwe resigned her position as Vice President of Uganda, to pursue Doctoral studies at Harvard University in the United States of America, and we lost a very able, consistent, well intended champion of development in Busoga.
We ended up going different ways, socially, economically, and, of course, politically. The Centre could no longer hold. “Things Fell Apart” (Chinua Achebe’s novel).
My other interaction with Dr. Frank Nabwiiso
I do not have much information about this intellectual giant from the Baise Muwaya Clan. All I know is that his father, Bulima, was from Kakutu, Saaka, in Namwiwa Sub- County Kaliro District.
He was close to my father, Yowabu Magada Kawaaluuko, and his childhood friend teacher, Zerubaberi Mboira Kasibule. I know Maama Ruth Namukose Kasibule was a princess from Kakutu Saaka, but Nabwiiso trained as a teacher at one time with these two, Yowabu and Zerubaberi He also talked about people like Aminsi Kadhebengu and Jamada Muwilongwa, who were super stars of some sort in the Nabirumba Community. It is likely that Muzeyi Bulima (RIP) could have served as a Mubulizi (Lay Reader) within Kamuli Arch Deaconry, Church of Uganda Busoga Diocese.
He was a highly skilled singer who could read music, both in stuff notation and sol-fa notation. He was a natural bass sing but could sing tenor without straining himself. Whenever he started songs in church or on occasions, he always picked the right key.
In the effort to save Busoga University, Dr. Nabwiiso offered himself to serve as a vice chancellor, and in my view, he did an excellent piece of work. We had political differences but met on many occasions to discuss and implement what we viewed as a common good. It is this true patriot that has gone to rest.
Rest in Eternity Comrade in the Struggle. We hope to meet you there in glory.
Amb. Moses Kawaaluuko Kizige
Head of Mission Moscow.
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