• 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

How I explained Ivan Ssemwanga’s death to my 4 year old

Mulema Najib by Mulema Najib
8 years ago
in Voices
1 0

Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home/90/81/2028190/web/wp-content/themes/jnews/class/Image/ImageNormalLoad.php on line 70

Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home/90/81/2028190/web/wp-content/themes/jnews/class/Image/ImageNormalLoad.php on line 73
ShareTweetSendShare

By John C Ssentongo

Since good news is rarely good news on ‘newsroom dockets’ I try to shield my children from news. Period. I don’t owe many people an explanation but to summarise it all – I am in knowledge of the fact that what we think about makes who we are.

So, to expose children to negative information robs them a chance to think through things with the positivety needed for their good upbringing. That is not to say my wife and I, shut our children from realities of life all together. No.

However, we do control information that we know is not actually useful for their development. However, it was not easy to shut out the news of Ivan Ssemwanga’s death. Everyone around the children was talking about the socialite – some called “omugagga”, “sangoma”, “generous”, “extravagant”, “omufere” and so many names.

So, my daughter who happens to be four years asked me about Ivan Ssemwanga and why he is important.

Daughter: Dad, who is Ivan Ssemwanga? Me: Ivan Ssemwanga! Who is asking about him? Daughter: Everyone is talking about him? Who is he? Me: Some man – died far away from here, but he has been buried. Daughter: So many people die, why is everyone talking about him? Me: I don’t know.

Daughter: Dad, you are a journalist, do people here know more about him than you? Me: Well, I don’t know. Daughter: Was he some sort of important person? Me: I don’t think so. Daughter: But he used to give out money to the poor? Me: Poor? Who said so? Daughter: The neighbor Me: No, he used to give money to fellow drunkards. Don’t worry, he is not important

Daughter: But why is everyone talking about him Me: Because he was famous Daughter: Is he more famous than the owner of St Lawrence schools? (We told her about the death of the important person Mr Mukiibi who died around the same time.)

Me: Ivan was more famous, but not more important. Daughter, our country unfortunately pays more attention to comedy than on important things like education. So, people who make merry and throw money around like Ivan are celebrated than people who add value to our society by building schools like Mr Mukiibi. Daughter: So, it is better to be like Ivan than Mr Mukiibi?

Me: You can’t say that, daughter. It is important to do important things where people laud you or not. Do the right things like Mr Mukiibi. Be humble. People who seek other people’s praise are not worth paying attention to. They are just performers. Nothing more to them.

Daughter: So, why is Mr Mukiibi more important that Ivan? Me: Because Mukiibi has used his knowledge, skills, and money to build monuments that will live long after him.

He built schools in Uganda where Ugandan children have gone to school and became better people. The schools have employed Ugandans and paid taxes to our government. The students who pass through St Lawrence schools are now contributing to national development in different ways.

For Ivan, he has done a lot, I hear, but I don’t know any monument in Uganda he has left behind to live 50 years after him. May be his grave.

Daughter: I understand. It is better to build what will live long after you are dead. Me: Yes my daughter. And it does not matter whether anyone praises you today for what you do today – what is important, ensure it is benefiting someone today and in the future. Not just today. Daughter: Yes dad.

Have something to add to this article? Send to info@watchdog.co.ug  or whatsapp up us +256700537838


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

Related Posts

National

MP Nsereko Vows to Block NUP’s Rubongoya in Kampala Central Race

29th June 2025 at 11:27
Bukoto Central MP Richard sebamala was locked out of DP elections which has created discontent amongst DP members
Op-Ed

Sebamala’s Next Move After DP Lockout Signals a Brewing Storm in Uganda’s Opposition

6th June 2025 at 11:32
Community News

MIKE SSEGAWA — Kabaka Mutebi at 70: A Reign of Revival, Unity, and Progress in Buganda

11th April 2025 at 22:25
Next Post

Museveni directs IGG to suspend UWA boss Seguya over corruption, smuggling, mismanagement of wildlife body 

  • Prostitution in Uganda- Courtesy Photo

    10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1118 shares
    Share 447 Tweet 280
  • Silent Billionaire Bosco Muwonge Buys Mukwano Arcade at UGX 250 Billion Cash Down

    45 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 11
  • LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

    2287 shares
    Share 915 Tweet 572
  • Who is Bosco Muwonge, Uganda’s elusive real estate billionaire?

    29 shares
    Share 12 Tweet 7
  • Uganda’s Billionaires 2025: Once Again Sudhir Ruparelia Leads a Resilient Pack

    46 shares
    Share 18 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

Reason Over Regulation: President Yoweri Museveni Urges Ugandans to Embrace Science and Reason in Natural Resources Management

8th July 2025 at 09:15
Sudhir Ruparelia is the undisputed king of Kampala

Why Sudhir Ruparelia is Ahead of John Bosco Muwonge in the Class of Billionaires

8th July 2025 at 00:42

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

Reason Over Regulation: President Yoweri Museveni Urges Ugandans to Embrace Science and Reason in Natural Resources Management

8th July 2025 at 09:15
Sudhir Ruparelia is the undisputed king of Kampala

Why Sudhir Ruparelia is Ahead of John Bosco Muwonge in the Class of Billionaires

8th July 2025 at 00:42

© 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