Ntungamo

At 71 years, the life of veteran Journalist, teacher, tutor and social icon Mr Elliott Kabangira Magande whose name and title had traditionally changed to Mzee wa Kazi transformed to death. His zeal and enthusiasm towards the media industry, his work on several radio stations, his mentorship to media personalities and the community came to stop on Wednesday February 21, 2024 at Mulago hospital.

Another statistic yet claimed by cancer, Kabangira lived an illustrious life joining the media when it was just a privilege of a few, not just working there but even listening to the radio or reading a newspaper.

“He joined as an internship trainee, I wanted a backup at Radio Uganda when I was taken to the presidential press unit, and I knew him as a good person, he was in his S.6 vacation, I invited him and he passed the interview, when he joined he was the best. He never looked back that even after I went into exile, he excelled.” Mr Joshua Bakutana says.

When Mr Bakutana had him employed in 1975, Radio Uganda was going through a transition seeking professionals as Uganda was to host the Organization of African Unity (OAU) meeting. Under Idi Amin as president, it was one of the most supervised institutions.

Red, Blue, green channels were established to speak in different languages of Uganda, and Kabangira was chosen for Runyankole/ Rukiga as well as English.

He saw the radio transform from Shortwave (SW) through medium wave (MW) to frequency Modulation (FM) and finally to digital broadcasting, and become a champion and a household name; like the marriage vows, until death do us apart, at all times he remained on air.

He was admired by his later employers, his childhood friends, children became obsessed with the radio speaking the language they listened to and as Mr Rukutana says, many received beating for trying to see him inside the radio set.

“As children we admired listening to Runyankole broadcasters, they were few at the time, stubborn boys would destroy radios to see how they looked like inside the radio, they inspired many with content and education, we are glad to have lived to meet some of them and work closely with them. Kabangira never became proud of what he was, he remained simple and down to earth.” Former Attorney General Mr Mwesigwa Rukutana who was his employer at death said.

He read announcements on Radio Uganda, and together with the late Tiguragara Matojo Ssalongo presented Africa magazine, Sunday magazine among other radio programs. His conclusion of announcements especially with people asking relatives to find their sick people at Mulago hospital, ‘finding him dead or alive are all the same’ became phenomenal.

With the evolution of radio, the 1990s saw many private radio stations set up upcountry with frequency technological advancement and Mr Kabangira, like many Radio Uganda employees then, became a target for employment for one of the stations. In 1997, he was employed by the first FM radio station in Kigezi region, Radio Rukungiri, owned by Gen Jim Muhwezi.

“It was a great experience having him at the radio, he became the radio himself and us who he employed enjoyed a lot. He was so tough in training us, but still he natured us to become what he wanted. Many of those he touched are now big people in the media.” Mr Ben Kwikiriza, the station manager Radio Rukungiri recounts.

Working with the Radio, he trained as a teacher. At the time, there were no schools for journalists and most people working on radio were professional teachers or disk jockeys from clubs, Mr Bakutana recounts.

He became a classroom teacher, was promoted to head teacher and with advancement in education he became a tutor for primary teachers college and a coordinating centre tutor. All these he did alongside serving as a journalist. He never dropped his mic. At one point he became a head teacher of two secondary schools at once, Rukungiri high school and Buyanja Grammar where he served diligently.

“Whatever he touched he excelled, at our school he became the life headmaster, almost 20 years after his quitting, students still recognize him as the school head teacher while the public think he is one of the directors. He became the address of our school and promoted it at all times. Last year we had a fundraising, he sponsored all the publicity and rose over Ushs 20m from friends.” Mr Eric Sabiiti the director Buyanja grammar secondary school says.

At the time of his death, he had retired all the teaching and concentrated on media. He worked for political giants. From Muhwezi’s radio station, he started with Former Prime Minister  Amama Mbabazi at Radio Kinkizi in 2002 where he moved from to join Hon Mwesigwa Rukutana’s radio Ankole where he passed on from.

“He was a very professional and dedicated person who knew every dynamic and worked towards solving challenges. He was recommended to me by Ms Susan Muhwezi (Wife to Gen Muhwezi) and we tried to convince him to leave Kinkizi (Amama’s radio station), when he came he was what we wanted, I had wanted to close the radio because it was making loses, but the time he left it was self-reliant and some profits had started coming. The radio was his, we were colleagues.” Mr Rukutana said.

Mr Rwambuka Mugisha who has worked with New Vision for over 30 years and is Chairperson Ntungamo Journalists and media practitioners association said Mr Kabangira fought for media practitioners welfare and rights and walked the talk.

“He was a resilient cadre who diligently served as a journalist and made all efforts to understand the role of radio in promoting media. He fought for the rights of practitioners, ensured his workers are paid and made sure everything he did on radio was to perfection. He criticized government against making Journalists beneficiaries of Emyooga program yet they were professionals.” Mr Rwambuka Mugisha said of the late

South Ankole diocese Bishop Rt Rev Nathan Ahimbisibwe eulogized the late as   a great supporter of development who not only became a journalist but a social activist and teacher against social ills.

“He promoted the diocese and its activities, advised where he felt something was going wrong and made sure all was done to the standard. His radio programs were the most listened to and even at his age and health he kept awake at night to keep the listeners with information. When he hostd us as religious leaders, he guided us, he had information. I shall miss the Oldies show.” Bishop Ahimbisibwe said

At radio Ankole, he hosted, presented and produced news, radio announcements, Sunday morning prayer programs for Anglicans, Catholics and Pentecostal churches, a call in and music selection Ladies night every Wednesday and Sunday night Oldies show. All his night shows ran to the morning. He did this for over 10 years. Alongside presentation, he did adverts and was the commercial manager for the radio too.

He lived a full life! Married two women produced 13 children with them. His younger wife Eva Kabangira survives while his elder wife died in 2019. All his children live.

No great property to his name, no big houses or great chunks of land, not great children working in big offices but his name shall live on.

“No one can have a loving father as our dad, he cared for us, wanted us educated and did it, he gave us all we wanted in life while he lived. I believe even in death he will be proud of what he did for us.” Ms Daizy Kabangira, his daughter said.

With reputation and restraint, his last journey was made through a series of ceremonies. From Mulago hospital to radio Ankole for public viewing, to St Mathew Cathedral Kyamate for a requiem service and later to his young wife’s home. Nyamayenje Rukungiri Municipality. Through Rwakirungura Church of Uganda, he was taken home, his father’s and grand Fathers house hold and indeed big speeches were made to have him sent off.

On Sunday February 25, the casket containing his remains was lowered to the grave by funeral aids after a long service presided over by South Ankole Diocese Bishop Rt Rev Nathan Ahimbisibwe. This was indeed a family heritage grave yard with over 10 other graves that people stood on top as they sang and heard the last prayer. Kabangira the celebrity, the media icon, the brave talker, mentor went to a journey of no return.

End.