Sights & Sighs: Uganda - Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to my motherland Uganda -

May the latter days be better than the past days - (Haggai 2:9)

I attended a reception organised by the Uganda Society UK to mark 50 years of Independence for Uganda. It was good to interact with various people who are connected with the country in one way or another.

Keith Arrowsmith, Chair Uganda Society UK

H.E Joan Rwabyomere, Uganda's High Commissioner to United Kingdom gave a simple and succinct account of the state of the nation and her speech was well received. She made me proud.

James Lang Brown, (author of Uganda Diary) and H.E Joan Rwabyomere, Uganda's High Commissioner to United Kingdom

The Uganda Society UK is composed of mainly former British employees who worked in Uganda, their children, spouses, and well wishers.

I was invited by Mrs. Margi Mahoney nee Coates, daughter of a former Headmaster of my School Busoga College Mwiri (Canon F.G. Coates). Seen here with Peter Woodford O.B.E (former teacher)

Mr. Peter Biroli is also a child of a former teacher at Mwiri -

Mr. Charles Biroli and his daughter

Some of the teachers at Mwiri pre- independence also attended -

Margi Mahoney, daughter of Rev Coates, Gordon Holmes & Mary Benjamin -former teachers

With Edward Bisamunyu son of Former Mwiri OldBoy and Diplomat Mr. Bisamunyu


With (L-R) Gordon Holmes, Margi Mahoney, Peter Woodsford O.B.E

I was seated next to Alan Forward, author of "You Have Been Allocated Uganda": Letters from a District Officer'. He was a colonial officer in Uganda whose last post was as personal assistant to the last Governor General of Uganda - Mitchell Cotts

Mrs. Barbara Saben, as she was at Independence Day 1962

The Mayor of Kampala at the time of Independence, Mrs. Barbara Saben is still alive and is 100 years old today. She was too frail to attend but sent a Congratulatory message.