• Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Login
Watchdog Uganda
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
Watchdog Uganda
No Result
View All Result

JOSEPH KABULETA: The 5 minutes that saved my life 

watchdog by watchdog
4 years ago
in Conversations with, Op-Ed
15 0
Joseph Kabuleta

Joseph Kabuleta

ShareTweetSendShare

I woke up on that Tuesday morning and immediately called Kenneth Matovu to inform him that I was running a bit late but would be at office in a few minutes.

We had planned the previous night to start that day with a trip to Nile Breweries in Jinja to hammer out a sponsorship deal for Uganda Sports Press Association (USPA). But I was inexplicably sleepless the previous night and that caused me to wake up about 30 minutes later than usual. That half-hour saved my life.

“We will not wait for you,” he told me. “You must get here before we set off or we’ll leave without you”.

I was a few minutes away from office when Kenneth called to say that they were setting off.
“Oh I am just five minutes away, surely you can wait,” I pleaded.
But he was unyielding; it was so unlike him. And so, just like that, much to my chagrin, he, along with other New Vision colleagues Simon Peter Ekarot and Leo Kabunga, as well as Monitor’s Francis Batte Jr, left without me.

Kenneth Matovu is a lad I had met a few years earlier when I started my journalism career at The Crusader. He was already an established sports writer at the publication when I joined and it was his avuncular attitude that guided my first strides in journalism. He was such an effervescent character, so chatty, so full of life and an extremely talented writer. Our friendship extended beyond the newsroom. He joined the New Vision sports desk in 1998 and I followed him there a year later after the Crusader newspaper that nurtured us both folded.

At lunch time, I was still sulking over being left behind when someone from the news desk came running to the sports section. A correspondent from Lugazi had called to say there was an accident and was requesting to be called back. We all stood by.

“I can confirm that Ekarot is dead,” he said.
I screamed. We waited anxiously, still on line, until he finally broke it to us that all four were deceased, and their bodies were being transported to Kawolo Hospital.

The one word that stuck with me to this day was “body”. A few minutes prior, Kenneth was a young (26 when he died) exciting talent with the world at his behest but one motoring mistake later he was a “body”.
I marveled at the delicate nature of life. All that promise, all those wonderful dreams had come to such a sad end.

But I will never forget Kenneth Andrew Matovu, that colossus of a human being, a friend and a colleague who taught me a lot about journalism.
He died on this day, August 28, in 2001.

Twenty years later, I still remember his mobile number, I still silently laugh at his jokes and still wonder what he would be like if he was with us. Every time I drive past Lugazi, at that spot, I think about what he could have done different when saw that pickup truck heading in his direction. May be he should have stopped rather than swerved. It doesn’t matter. He had a split second to make that decision and it was a fateful one.

And every time I remember him, I am reminded that, on that morning, God used all means possible, a sleepless night, a failed alarm clock, a slow boda boda rider and even Kenneth’s uncharacteristic impatience to extend my lease on life.

And I know that God spared me for a reason. And I determined on that day to spent the rest of my life discovering what that reason is and pursuing it to the best of my abilities.

Join me as we remember a lad whose race ended before it had started in earnest.


Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
Share3Tweet2SendShare

Related Posts

Op-Ed

AKANSASIRA JUNIOR VICTOR: GEN. MUSEVENI’S GUIDANCE ON THE BALAALO ISSUE IS A GENERATIONAL CALL TO DISCIPLINE, PATRIOTISM, AND ORDER

10th July 2025 at 11:20
Dr. Ayub Mukisa (Ph.D.)
Conversations with

Dr. Ayub Mukisa: Does Karamoja need “wealth creation” or “value addition” on the already available wealth?

10th July 2025 at 10:07
Joshua Kato
Business

JOSHUA KATO: Tax Amnesty re-introduced – A timely opportunity for businesses

10th July 2025 at 09:47
Next Post
Gen Salim Saleh at the burial of Gen Paul Lokech in Pader district on Friday

Gen Salim Saleh: The late Lokech played a crucial role in advocating for administrative and organizational reforms in the army 

  • Prostitution in Uganda- Courtesy Photo

    10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1125 shares
    Share 450 Tweet 281
  • Silent Billionaire Bosco Muwonge Buys Mukwano Arcade at UGX 250 Billion Cash Down

    49 shares
    Share 20 Tweet 12
  • Who is Bosco Muwonge, Uganda’s elusive real estate billionaire?

    36 shares
    Share 14 Tweet 9
  • LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

    2289 shares
    Share 916 Tweet 572
  • Uganda’s Billionaires 2025: Once Again Sudhir Ruparelia Leads a Resilient Pack

    48 shares
    Share 19 Tweet 12
Facebook Twitter

Contact Information

Watchdog Uganda is a portal for solution journalism, trending news plus cutting edge commentaries in the fields of politics, security, business, tourism, entertainment, technology, agriculture, climate change, environment, public health et al. We also give preference to Ugandan community news and topical discussions. The portal also publishes community news and topical discussions.

Email: editorial@watchdoguganda.com
To Advertise:Click here

Latest News

Truth Revealed: Jinja City Council Clarifies On Shs4.2 Billion Return To Treasury 

10th July 2025 at 19:35
Mashable is a global, multi-platform media and entertainment company For more queries and news contact us on this Email: info@mashablepartners.com

Check out

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Minister Muruli Mukasa

LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

24th May 2020 at 10:45
Pregnant woman

Shock as 17-year old boy impregnates his two sisters during Covid-19 lockdown 

17th June 2020 at 08:17
Sudhir Ruparelia is the undisputed king of Kampala

Billionaire Sudhir’s wisdom on how to invest in real estate

0

How a boy’s destiny turned from cotton grower to communications guru

0

Truth Revealed: Jinja City Council Clarifies On Shs4.2 Billion Return To Treasury 

10th July 2025 at 19:35
NUP leaders

NUP’s Pragmatic Pivot: Sending a Bipartisan Treasurer to IPOD

10th July 2025 at 19:29

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda