By Perez Rumanzi
Monday 16th June 2025 marked the end of a struggle of a man who lived long enough to witness both good and bad, touched lives, married women, produced children and emerged VICTORIOUS. At 95, Mzee Yoram Bampebihero passed on in his sleep after a long struggle of sickness and old age.
Losing his two wives one at a young age and the remarried one later was his lowest, but marrying the third one gave life to the aging man, giving him life, blessing his children and leaving a great generation.
His first wife Vangirini Bayangusya died in 1975. While the children had grown old and could take care of their young ones, they could not manage his middle age, made him to marry Maseveni who also died in 1983.
As fate had it for her, this is the wife who made it with him to last minute. 42 years later, mama Evalyne and the children were near him as he rested.
Bampebihero (Loosely translated as: they give me the words I use to rebuke them) was born in 1930 and lived for 95 solid years. The son of Bakamwenza ga KAROTORORWA of the ‘Abairuntu tribe who do not eat grass hopers and a Muhweju Tribe woman Sarah (Shara) Kakome ka RUGUNUKA of Katooma- Ngomba, current day Nyakyera was the first of 4 children. 2 boys- Bampebihero and Rwabukwiire (both deceased). 2 girls- Jacinta Nyabunwa (RIP) and Ester Bujamire. Bujamire only still lives.
His mother was abandoned by the husband after producing only four children by her husband the late Bakamwenza. He was nurtured by the Basingo clan where the grandmother Rabecca was born.
The youngest and latest wife did great things gave him 8 children and did great things in his old age. She raised the orphans left behind by Maama Maseveni 3 of the four children being girls are married while one is deceased. Mr Mugisha, the only boy child is settled on his father’s land.
His nephew Mr Rwabukwire’s children (Prof Magume) helped in educating some of his children and they old children educated thus took on the young ones making the family have those acceding education. His children Janan is a water engineer, Evalyne, and Nalongo Meron Nshemereirwe have different professions and have made the old man and PROUD. Evalyne had paid fees for all her younger siblings, built a decent house for the parents, and all the upkeep needed at all times.
In a well written Eulogy to the deceased, Mr Steven Magume Rwabukwire, chose to conclude greeting the late with hopes he will meet them somewhere near heaven
“Greetings to all- your dear wives, brothers, nieces and nephews and, especially the latest one-David Muhwezi Kahundha (former Makerere University Secretary)!” he noted.
The names of Bampebihero’s cousins are equally meaningful and are reflective of the situation around that time. As fate would have it, Bankinika’s mother died, and Bakamwenza could not return to Sarah. Instead, he married a young maid called BAMUNYIMBUKA, the mother of Late JACKSON MUGONGO (RIP). In 1962, Bakamwenza died and left behind a new bride, the mother of Mugongo. Because she was never inherited like tradition had it, she went away and must be dead as of now.
He died with an illustrious career and skills that no one may have inherited as most African traditions are never passed on except for oral tradition. Some indeed were crippled with advent of colonialism.
He was one of the most prolific Blacksmiths and iron workers who became the great innovators driving technology into modernity. Iron ore would be smelted using wood fuel. Hard Wood was harvested from the northern hills. The last of those woody tree species became extinct in the early 1970s due to overharvesting by man.
Because Blacksmiths were richer, food- secure by food supply through barter trade him and his ancestors had cattle. Yoram Bampebihero became a sole herdsman taking over from Mrs Margaret Kantungankye Rugaama (RIP), together with Kezia Nyakakondo (RIP-2011) the sisters to Bakamwenza and his paternal aunts.
Because he wanted the animals gained to survive, He mastered the art of animal husbandry to the extent that he earned himself the title, Doctor (Vet). He could treat animal ailments with herbs (Ethno-veterinary) drugs.
In an interview in 2023, the old man, an ardent radio listener who loved children near him joked that he would wish to have a new wife as the one she had had gooten old and could not satisfy his desire. The wife was 40 years older than him.
“My Wife is now too old, I may want to marry another one, she no longer wants to produce other children yet I need more.” He noted.
His last born at the time of his death was in advanced level 5.
He talked of how he survived being taken to fight World war yet most of his peers were taken, how he became rich at the young age and it prevented him from going to school and growing up by a single mother.
“Never abandon your children. My mother was a great hero. It was hard for her growing us up almost alone. When my father discovered that they were from the same clan, he only decided to abandon her after enjoying his sister. If I was not an orphan, I would have went o fight in the world war, they said I was a child and wanted me to remain near my mother.” He said.
His skill of iron working was not left to any of the children. He may have died with it. While Butaare is well known for the black smiths, it’s difficult to find one at the time. Most old men have died, and the remaining ones were crippled by going to school for long years.
End.
