By Mulengera Reporters
One afternoon in 1992, President Museveni’s very beautiful daughter Natasha Karugire (then aged 16) returned home for the long December holiday. She was a student at Mt St. Mary’s Namagunga and had just completed her S3, preparing for S4.
On arrival home, her father and dad summoned her along her other siblings to inform them about their family friend the much-revered Prof Samwiri Rubaraza Karugire (of Kashari) who had died months earlier. The Musevenis went on to inform their teenage children that the deceased history Professor’s children would be spending the long Christmas holiday with the First Family.
Naturally, the Natashas had heard about great man Karugire who was a celebrated elder from the Bagina clan of Bagahe. As such they were thrilled having to spend time with children (moreover their age mates) of such a great man. Samwiri Karugire had been a celebrated author and history Professor at Makerere on whose Livingstone Drive some of his children loved their childhood. Karugire had also excelled as an exemplary father and husband (to Violet Nsasiirwe) whose story was repeatedly and fondly referenced throughout Ankole sub region. His natural brilliance had also made him a role model for many in Ankole-both young and old.
The following morning, Natasha and other Museveni children walked into the living room of the President’s residence and their eyes landed on the four decent and nice-looking Karugire children who had wakened up earlier and sat in the living room. These were Edwin, his elder sister Edwina, brother Edward and their youngest Edith. Each one of them carried Karugire as their second name.
Even before Edwin, who was equally young got chance to say much, Tash (as the Museveni siblings fondly called Natasha while growing up) considered him handsome. He immediately struck her, from the very first time she got to see him, as this likeable dude who is “dark, brooding and flamboyant.” Even when he generally had a quiet, almost introverted disposition, she was naturally attracted to him because he came off as humorous without much effort. She endlessly laughed at the occasional jokes he made each time he chose to engage in some conversation during that long Christmas holiday. Having considered him “exceptionally funny,” Natasha determined to be his friend.
Natasha was also excited about the presence of the Karugire boys because Christmas at Rwakitura had become monotonous and kind of boring because their brother Muhoozi Kainerugaba was always the only boy surrounded by four lovely sisters namely Natasha, Patience and Diana. It was fun now that they had three boys in their midst namely Muhoozi, Edward and Edwin. Like any other child would, MK (always very protective of his sisters) was initially not very comfortable with the two Karugire sons coming into the picture.
The now enlarged group of children in the Museveni household spent much of that Christmas holiday (1992) playing cards, chatting and getting to know each other inside the large traditional hut which Gen Museveni had erected behind the main house. This is where milk pots (ebyanzi) were always being kept for the Museveni household.
Even ghee would be churned there. Christened the Nyakaju by the Museveni kids, this traditional hut was spacious, had a high ceiling and was grass thatched. It had four rooms and the curious holiday makers specially liked it because it was always very cold during the day and hot at night. Whenever the Museveni famous morning walks around the Rwakitura farm ended, the holiday makers would retreat to play cards and crack all manner of jokes from this large hut.
Fast forward: the long December holiday ended and Natasha & her other sisters returned to school at Namagunga where the head teacher Cephas (the Irish Catholic nun always took good care of them) as Edwin also returned to King’s College Budo. This physical distance never broke the bond of the two youngsters (Natasha & Edwin) who were beginning to bond and develop some strange feelings towards each other. Those days we had no mobile phones, no emailing and so the two became pen pals who always wrote plenty of letters to each other. This is how the relationship an trust for one another was nurtured.
After the return of her S4 results, the Musevenis decided it was time to send Natasha to UK where she enrolled at the American College in London. She flew there in August 1994 and was escorted by her mum Janet Kataha Museveni, who had done the same in the 1990 as she joined Namagunga. This was her first time in boarding school because primary was at Edward Kasole’s Kampala Parents School near Pride Theatre along Namirembe Road. All the Museveni children, including MK, commuted from home in Entebbe to Kasole’s school until they completed their PLE.
So, even while in London, Edwin Karugire (who after Budo joined Makerere Law School and later on LDC) kept in touch through letter writing and occasional phone-talking. The more they engaged, the clearer it became they were beginning to develop serious romantic feelings towards each other. It’s something they began acknowledging and openly discussing as they kept growing.
For some time, it remained between them and for Natasha, the biggest fear was how to share the same with her father Museveni, Uncle Salim Saleh and brother Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Since childhood, these had been the men in her life and were very protective of her. Even Edwin was always fearful of especially MK who was always extra protective and generally uncomfortable about men getting anywhere near his sisters.
Even while studying in UK, each time she got into conduct with male adults who behaved inappropriately towards her, Natasha always reported to her elder brother MK who would react very apprehensively. Gratefully, as she joined the American College in London, MK was that same year (1992) also joining Nottingham University. And even during exile in Sweden, MK was always very protective of his sisters. Besides MK, who didn’t stay very from where she was staying, Natasha also would count on her cousin Hope Rubyarenzya Nyakairu who was living in the same City of London along with her husband Don Nyakairu. She also had other friends such as Nancy from Sudan and other international students from other parts of Africa, for additional company and comfortable.
So, protective of her was her dad Museveni to the extent that he had initially objected to the idea of surrendering his very beautiful teenage daughter to the unknowns that came with having to stay very far away from him in London for all those years. Hence in all their phone calls and letter exchanges, as they romanticized while looking forward to meeting again someday, Natasha and Edwin always wondered how the news of their relationship was going to ever be broken to the three most important men in her life. They agreed to keep praying to God about it so that some way emerges, around what for long seemed complicated.
In the late 1990s, Natasha (having completed her studies) returned back to Uganda and even started some business in Lugogo. Their conversations with Edwin rapidly changed and it was very clear their chemistry was deepening every other day. Their conversations increasingly ceased being general as they began to specifically discuss certain things. It was clear they were more than friends.
Christmas of 1998 was pivotal. Natasha had become 22 and felt it was time to get serious with potential marriage to Edwin who assured her he respected but didn’t fear the three men in her life. This meant he was ready to face them and explain his intentions for their girl. Gratefully, Diana and Patient were as friendly and agreeable to him as Natasha was. The three sisters wondered to themselves why their parents would resent the idea of Natasha pushing put with Edwin who they saw grow and knew very well. And besides, his birth place in Kashari was a two hours’ drive from Rwakitura.
He had completed LDC, got a job with Kateera Kagumire Advocates and had some money on him. Upon encouragement by his girlfriend’s sisters, he started buying nice gifts and roses for Natasha. The three sisters always teased him as to why he was so traditional in the way he approached certain things even when he had grown up in Kampala. July 1999, MK got married to Charlotte Nankunda Kutesa, which was great inspiration and motivation to the Karugires who were still fearing to open up to the Musevenis. Then came the year 2000 with all the original excitement of the world ending which turned into excitement when end of the universe never happened.
On the morning of 11th March 2000, as the euphoria that came with crossing into the new millennium reigned, Natasha went to the house to the good morning to her parents and Gen Museveni told her about the interesting dream he had about her. Briefly this was to the effect that she had got lost and mysteriously disappeared from him as they took a casual walk around Entebbe town.
He had nicknamed her Kuukuru as a child and he told her “I was devastated because I searched everywhere in Entebbe and I couldn’t find you my Kuukuru.” He told her he didn’t believe what he saw in the dream because he was sure his Kuukuru was sharp enough never to get lost and go missing just like that. Janet, who already knew about the impending proposal by Edwin, sarcastically laughed off the President’s dream as she gestured to her daughter not to fear breaking the news to him.
This was at Nakasero State Lodge and Natasha, at the instigation of her mother, told the President she was driving to Entebbe for lunch later in the afternoon that very day, with Edwin Karugire, who gratefully was well known to him. Museveni told her “I know it will be him driving kindly tell him to drive carefully.” Edwin led her to Botanical Beach Hotel Entebbe, which was a new and trendy place in Kampala as of that time. And that’s where they had their consequential lunch date. After the meal had been completed and the table cleared by waitresses, Edwin nervously turned and looked her in the eye before proceeding to pull out a little gift in a box. As he passed it on to her, he nervously asked for her hand in marriage.
It was just them seated out for lunch and there was no even camera to capture the moment. This is March 2000. Natasha reacted to the proposal by looking him straight in the eye and proceeded to shed tears of joy whereafter she said she was accepting his request. On returning home, Natasha burst into the study room from where Museveni was watching a documentary about industrialization and the performance of the Germans in the 2nd World War. Immediately, Janet walked in and Natasha waved her finger with an engagement ring as Museveni concentrated on his documentary.
Janet was happy and praised God for the news as Museveni, who must have been shocked at the news, busied himself watching the documentary. Janet and daughter teasingly said to him maybe this is what your dream meant. Museveni still didn’t exhibit any emotions towards what the daughter had just communicated. Edwin arrived moments later to be able to face Museveni face to face and ask to marry his daughter. He came hours later after Natasha had flashed the engagement ring. Natasha and mum Janet were busy praying for God to give him courage to be able to effectively face the big man from Rwakitura while asking to marry his oldest daughter.
He was ushered into the study room where Mzee was watching his documentary from as Janet and daughter pensively waited. What happened? Which questions did he ask him and how did he eventually manage to get Museveni agree to him marrying his daughter will be subject to the subsequent part 2 of this story. How does the Kuhingira and wedding proceed with Simon Kaheru being Edwin Karugire’s best man? Look forward to that and much more in our subsequent reporting. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
