The ANTHONY I Knew

 

I first met Anthony Wameli Yeboah in Busoga College Mwiri. I was his Junior Prefect in the Great Wako House and it is there that I first sensed his stubborn yet resilient nature. 

Anthony represented us in Sports and Games and I still recall him flying our light blue colours high. By the time I left Mwiri, Anthony was not yet the dedicated follower of our Lord Jesus Christ that we know today. Mwiri has this effect on you. One can never leave the same.

I believe Anthony joined us at Law School in Makerere as I was about to finish my course. He would then graduate, join the Judiciary and then leave it to become the passionate defence  counsel and human rights lawyer we have grown to know him to be. 

As President of Uganda Christian Lawyers Fraternity, I had tasked Anthony to lead the UCLF Sports Day activities because of his passion and love for soccer. (I  do recall that he had a football league for his church too). Whereas he was willing to lead the Sports activities, Anthony's defence work with the indigent and often shunned clients, his political engagements with NUP, and his pastoral Ministry at his church made it difficult to do. 

Like a true Mwirian, his big heart for service would later lead him to throw in his hat for the Presidency of the Uganda Law Society (ULS) as well as the Member of Parliament seat for Namisindwa Constituency. I do recall having a "good problem" of trying to do a "Camp David meet" so as to form a consensus with the other UCLF candidates Pheona Wall and Bernard Oundo who were also interested in the seat. The rest is now history. Good history too. 

I have known Anthony as a selfless and passionate lawyer. He has depicted the true Christian values   of _doing justice, loving mercy and walking humbly before the Lord._ Anthony also exemplified the truth in the Busoga College Mwiri logo of _Kulwa Katonda Negwangga lyaffe_ (For God and our country)

He has loved his wife and children and has fought the cancer with all he could. I recall watching him lead prayers via Zoom whilst based in the USA where he was receiving his treatment. He lost his fight but his spirit lives on. We remain victors in Christ. 

Today we mourn the passing on to Glory of our brother Anthony but my encouragement to his wife, the children, his law partner Turyamusiima Geoffrey and all those constituencies he cherished, is from *1 Thess 4:13-14*

_Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him_ (1 Thess 4: 13-18)

May Anthony rest in Abraham's bosom until we meet again

_Daniel R Ruhweza PhD_

President MOBA

President Emeritus UCLF

Letter to a Friend

My dear Friend

May 2023 be a great year for you

May you be fruitful in all areas of your life

My prayer is that you will enjoy good health, an influential and purpose laden  life and that you will not lack. 

May the Lord be the wind beneath your wings and the rod upon which you lean when you go weary

May your broken relationships be healed, and your good relationships be taken a level higher

May your children and disciples be blessed

May your spouse excel in all she does and may this New Year bring you untold joy and may the Lord continue to expand your territory 

I pray for wisdom for you but also for provision

Amen

The Cactus

I love this cactus plant. 

Sometimes when tending to it, I get pricked. However I cannot allow to cut it down and burn it. 

I look for means to keep lovingly tending to it. I cannot explain the joy of seeing it blossom neither can I even explain what I mean when I say "I love it".

Juxstapose👆🏾

 

AGREED

 

A short story by D. R. Ruhweza

 

'He has agreed to forgive!' Maimuna screamed. Her voice was followed by the sound of small feet tumbling over each other. Heaving and panting heavily, she burst into the smoke filled kitchen, 'they..' she caught her breath before continuing '… they have agreed' she reported. 'He has said he is sorry.'

 

'What? really?' Mukaka asked while jumping off her three-legged worn out stool. She picked up her nkoni, a walking stick and slowly yet steadily willed old bones out of the kitchen. In her time, no child or woman was allowed to be seen or heard near the rukurato meeting of elders. 'Yes' Maimuna continued, 'Mugwisa said he was sorry and agreed to pay compensation.' Tears of joy filled Mukaka's eyes as from a distance, she could see her middle-aged son kneeling before his grey haired balding father in a strong embrace.

 

Seated upon a bulging root of the old Mvule tree, Matama sat wiping her tears away in time to accept the strong squeeze on her shoulder from Mukaka her mother in law. Matama had been at the centre of a long and terrible feud between her husband and his father. Mugwisa had just returned from self-imposed exile from the nearby Humura village. He had done the dastardly deed of impregnating his father's concubine. As was required by the custom of the village, Mugurusi had disowned his son and disinherited him. The Village elders had concurred with the old man and forbidden his son from ever returning to the village. Matama had spent the last two years struggling to make peace between her fugitive husband and his ailing father.  The old man's heart bled for his only son and yet at the same time burnt with anger at the way he had been betrayed. Mukaka had become to old to warm Mugurusi's bed. A young woman had therefore been sought to tend to his diminishing body.

 

Matama was not a beautiful girl but she had the voice of an angel. She was also blessed with green fingers because all that she planted flourished. Unable to produce any more children due to a problematic pregnancy that left her womb-less. She had resigned to the fact that her husband would seek other women in order to sire a son.  Mugwisa had found the body of his father's concubine irresistible. However, an ectopic pregnancy with fatal results to mother and child had led to the old man's renewed life of solitude. Unable to forgive his son, Mugu, as his granddaughter Maimuna called him, had become a bitter and solitary figure.

 

In her husband's absence, the cunning work of Matama had began. She weaved her way into the old man's heart in spite of her own pain, suffered at having been betrayed by her childhood love. For months, Matama had borne the brunt of venomous abuse her father-in-law harboured for his son. Encouraged by Mukaka, she had appealed on her husband's behalf. 'You need him here to keep your bloodline running Mugurusi' she cajoled. 'Punish him but call him back', she had pleaded. ‘Without him I am nothing, you are nothing, Maimuna is nothing.' she had cried.

 

The old man had over the weeks softened his stance. The kindly voice of his daughter in law had cracked away at his ill temper and pain. He had raised his tired hands at last and sent for his son. 'You are a good woman, Mugurusi had said before meeting his son in the presence of the elders. 'A good woman' he had muttered again.

 

 

The Hon. Justice Mr. Mike James W’duallo Chibita

 

The Hon. Justice Mr. Mike James W’duallo Chibita

 

Happy Birthday to a Great Man of God.

Happy birthday to a Leader, friend and Father

Happy birthday to a son, mentor and Comrade

Happy birthday to a child of God and Husband to One

 

This whole morning and since yesterday,

I have been thinking of appropriate words to say

or an action to take to celebrate the birth of this Gentle Giant.

 

At a time when we lack fathers,

You have been our father.

At a time when we need genuine friends,

You have been there.

At a moment when we desperately need people

to believe in us and validate what we do,

you have been that.

At the moment when we seek counsel

You have been a Counsellor

 

Thank you for looking out for me

Thank you for loving us

Thank you for involving us in your life

For mentoring us

For the jokes, the wisdom

And the tough love

 

Happy birthday indeed

The Hon. Justice Mr. Mike James W’duallo Chibita

We honor you

 

D. R. Ruhweza (A Son) 

April 30, 2022

FORGIVE

 

 

FORGIVE

 

Forgive that one who tortures us

Breaking our bones and tears our flesh

Forgive that one who dehumanizes us

Crashing our b*lls and gauging out our eyes

 

Forgive that one who sells our land to foreigners

Destroys our swamps and cuts down the forests

Forgive that one who sells our riches

And for a pittance of pleasure

Hands over our most precious heirlooms

 

Forgive that one who steals our valleys

Destroys our hills and changes the ancient boundaries

Forgive that one who poisons our soils, burns our huts

And digs up our lumonde

 

Forgive that one who dishonours us

Despises our inheritance and kill our sons

Forgive that one who calls us lewd names

Spews profanities on our mothers and curses our ancestors

 

Forgive that one who steals our inheritance

Sells our sons and daughters into postmodern slavery

Forces our widows into prostitution and emasculates our young men

 

Forgive that one

For we forgive them too

 

Inspired by Dr. Miria Matembe

THE REQUIREMENT

 

THE REQUIREMENT

 

By Daniel R. Ruhweza UCLF President-Emeritus

 

I was recently invited to speak to a small group of Ugandans about the role of Justice and the rule of the law in national transformation. As we explored the word of God regarding this subject, one of the attendees asked – Where are the Christian lawyers? Do they even exist? What are they doing to resolve these issues?

 

In response to these questions, we made reference to Micah 6: 8 as the point of review. That Scripture states ‘He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and love mercy and to walk humbly before your God? (Micah 6: 8).  I have always felt that this was a befitting Scripture for Christian lawyers and especially their social justice arms which are involved in providing free legal services. However, it also heavily dawned on me that this requirement is not for only Christian lawyers, but for all and sundry (all people). The Scripture doesn’t indicate that the instruction is only for lawyers but for ‘all of man’. The call is to all of us – regardless of our position, rank, nationality and employment (and even height).

 

We are all (regardless of colour ad creed), the subject of the command that makes reference to ‘O Man’ and therefore, we are all required to do

a)      … Justice which about ensuring fair treatment of all, not just in the courtrooms but also in the other aspects of society – be it economics, land and environmental justice, opportunities for study, etc.  All employees and employers – regardless of whether they are practitioners of the law or not – are required to promote justice;

b)      … and love mercy (kindness/compassion) once again a call – not only for lawyers pleading in mitigation for their clients who have been convicted of crime, but also for the less fortunate, the injured, the destitute and even for the depressed –

c)      … walk humbly – this is a requirement for all of us once again. To desist from being like Nebuchadnezzar who thought himself mighty and powerful, only to be reduced into the status of an animal until he recognised that only GOD was Supreme (Daniel 4: 25- 35) or the rich fool whose life was required of him for he didn’t consider God in all his plans (Luke 12:20)

 

May we not forget that regardless of whether our legal ‘‘practice’’ is in the halls of justice or not, wherever we are placed, the requirement in Micah 6: 8 is upon the Christian lawyer the bastion/citadel of hope. Nonetheless, this call is also for all the children of GOD who hearken unto his call (including each and very Christian who answers to the name of the Lord)

 

Prayer: Almighty God, may we never at one moment forget that you call us all – regardless of colour and creed – to do justice, and love mercy and to walk humbly before your God. Guide us on what we ought to do and how we ought to do it. Show us where we have ignored to do as commanded and give us the wisdom and tenacity never to depart from your ways

 

Action point/ Discussion: What is the Lord saying to you and what are you going to do about it?

The Power of the Word

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path (Psalms 115:105 AMP)

 

A story is told of a huge steam ship that was moving in the high seas in the dead of the night. The captain realised that he was on a collision course with what looked like another smaller ship. The captain of the steamship sent out a message to the ‘smaller ship’ to change direction otherwise, his mighty ship would crass into it. The smaller ship was insistent that the larger vessel should be the one to change course. After a series of messages to and fro, the smaller vessel finally advised that it was actually a lighthouse and that if the steamship did not change course, it was going to crash into boulders and rocks to its total damage.

 

The above story shows that the critical power of light especially in times of crisis. On many occasions, we have come to the crossroads and we are not sure of which way to go. Many times we look to friends, family, pastors and education for direction. Some like King Saul rushed to questionable characters for help. Many of us have turned to self-help groups and books which have been written to help. However, these often do not address the core issues we might be facing. However, the Psalmist testifies that the Word of God is a lamp unto our feet. (Psalms 115:105 AMP).   In my imagination, when one is walking through the darkness, they need to see where they are going. Without light (either from the moon or the stars), one will certainly stumble and fall. However, light is key to avoid such pitfalls. This is what the Psalmist means by the phrase ‘a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path’

 

Choices of what career to choose, which spouse to marry, where to take our children and how to carry out a business is really about our relationship with God through His word. As we read His Word, we get to know where we are supposed to be, in which spaces we should lead and what we need to do in times of trouble. Indeed, John 1:1, the Bible says -In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

 

The above Scripture shows that Jesus is the most important person in our lives. Everything starts and ends with Him. He is the beginning and the end. Therefore, life can only be meaningful and we can only have relevance through Him. Colossians 1:15-17 (NKJV) says He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or [a]principalities or [b]powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. So clearly, a relationship with Jesus is a relationship with Our God and King. To get guidance and light, we start with a relationship with Jesus our Lord. Amen. The Scripture further says “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. (Deuteronomy 8:18 NKJV). Here we see that without the Lord, we will struggle to succeed in life.

 

Secondly, we read from Psalm 138:2 (NKJV) the Psalmist says - I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.  This now refers to the Word of God – which is the Bible.  We clearly see from the above Scripture that whereas a lot of power is done in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, yet the Lord has guided us to realise that there is something even more powerful than His own name. That is His Word. It is this Word that helps us untangle the mysteries and confusions in our life today.

 

We therefore need to read His word daily so that we can have guidance in this World.