By Mulengera Reporters
To their credit, the management of Next Media (which runs leading TV brand NBS and other media platforms) today Thursday unveiled the inaugural session for Uganda’s Housing Baraza which CEO Dr. Kin Kariisa says is meant to give government and other stakeholders a platform to directly interact with citizens who ideally must constitute demand for decent and affordable housing.
Attended by MPs, Ministers, private sector leaders and powerful CEOs including those from banks, the inaugural event (comprising of both an exhibition and conference sessioned discussions) was held at Serena Conference Center in whose compound hundreds of tear drop banners flew as stakeholders sat inside Victoria Hall to listen to and participate in the Baraza/open discussion.
With the speaking list comprising of Broll East Africa’s Moses Lutalo; Housing Finance Bank’s Peace Kabunga, NSSF’ David Wanangwe, PEP Constructor’s Johnson Denge, Southgate Properties’ Richard Munyaneza, Knight Frank Uganda’s Judy Rugasira Kyanda, NWSC’ Silver Mugisha, Ministry of Housing’s Dave Khayangayanga, FSD Uganda’s Josepth Lutwama, KCCA’s Moses Atwine, Bageine & Company’s Sabiti Bageine, NHCCL’ Eng Kenneth Kaijuka, Roofings Group’s Stuart Jason Mwesigwa, HFB’s Paul Niwagaba, Tanzania Mortgage Finance’s Oscar Mgaya and RE/MAX Uganda’s Arthur Mukembo, the organizers got the impression they had the best speaker profile for the different panel discussions.
The panel discussions were preceded by an opening session during which Kin Kariisa, Minister Chris Baryomunsi, HFB MD Micheal Mugabi, HFB Board Chairman David Opiokello and Deputy Prime Minister Kirunda Kivejinja (representing the President of Uganda) spoke giving overview insights aimed at contextualizing the discussion that was to follow.
KK VS SAMSON KASUMBA
It was in the opening session that NBS’ Samson Kasumba, who was Director of Ceremonies, veiledly clashed with Kirunda Kivejinja over whether the practice of over-fencing homes (on top of having CCTV cameras, dogs, private fire arms, security guards etc) wasn’t part of the reason housing continues being very expensive in Uganda.
Kasumba referenced on the fact that White House and the Queen’s Palace in Birmingham aren’t fenced yet the Americans and Briton have the money and can afford the best fencing money can buy.
Kasumba, who without any prompting named all the world cities he has ever been to and enumerated all his relatives and clan members owning houses in Chicago and other US Cities, also wondered why in Uganda people shun mortgage financing and pride themselves in owning houses built through struggling and lumpsum spending of personal fortune. As he made his point, Kasumba raised many thought-provoking questions which he said didn’t have to be answered.
Baryomunsi spoke first but gave his other views and avoided reacting to Kasumba but KK who came after him insisted before reading the President’s speech he must contribute to the Baraza by responding to Kasumba’s points which he said were incoherent.
For unknown reasons, KK referred to the Principal’s speech as “this burden.” And this is how he specifically made his curious characterization: “Before I deliver the burden of my boss to you let me first participate in the Baraza.” Some thought this perhaps was for lack of a better word but Kivejinja repeated the same word (burden) later.
He would read into the speech and then pause to make his own observations and then read the next paragraph. And each time this happened, he would beg: “Why don’t you now allow me to deliver the burden to you which I have been given to deliver to you?”
In rebutting Kasumba’s earlier points, KK said the fencing was originated from the colonial days when the colonial officials lived in enclosed establishments because they were always insecure knowing they were surrounded by the subdued majority who resented their policies.
Kivejinja said even after Independence, the suit-wearing post-independence (Kasumba-style) elites carried on with that lifestyle. Bashing the British further, KK referenced on the Buganda Agreement of 1900 saying besides dispossessing the majority of their land to reward the collaborating small Ganda clique, the agreement was used to decimate political entities like Bunyoro whose geographical territory he said stretched as far as Nansana.
That to create the 20 administrative units, KK said Buganda (whose territory stopped at Lubigi) was expanded annexing nearby places like Nansana previously belonging to Bunyoro.
Kasumba later indicated he was fascinated to realize Bunyoro originally came as near as Nansana which lack of knowledge Kivejinja attributed to “secondary ignorance” which he said many Ugandans suffer from because they don’t like to read.
In the end, the 84-year-old Kivejinja (who also said he doesn’t mind being called senile and said the youths must stamp out corruption because for them fought colonialism which was the contemporary challenge of their youth) left the microphone and took his seat.
On coming to the microphone, Kasumba (who respectfully stood stiff as KK contemptuously dismissed his earlier points) expressed his reservations on the strong words KK had used.
He had bragged about starting three primary schools in his parish along Kamuli road in Jinja saying it has since produced over 200 graduates.
KK said the “only problem is they [graduates] are just loitering around having failed to get jobs.” And being then wordsmith he is, Kasumba capitalized on this to throw veiled barbs at KK.
He said he is always very contemptuous of people who use derogatory words like “loitering” and the last person he ever heard using such crude language was his primary school teacher.
Perhaps he didn’t hear or realize this was a veiled attack on him, KK never bothered fighting back. In any case it was time to go for the photo session followed by tour of the exhibition after which Kivejinja and other dignitaries left as the others returned for the subsequent panel discussion sessions.
Watch out for the subsequent coverage on the more substantive submissions that were made at the inaugural NBS Housing Baraza. (For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755 or email us at mulengera2040@gmail.com).
