By THE OBSERVER UG
I first encountered Mathias Nsubuga Birekeraawo in 2001 when he led a delegation from the Bukalasa Seminary Old Boys’ Association to the seminary day that year.
Before this meeting, I had only heard of him through various FM stations where his name was frequently mentioned. He had run for the position of Member of Parliament in Bukoto South. Later, due to his role as the personal assistant to the then-mayor of Kampala, I occasionally spotted him at church events in the Masaka diocese that we both attended.
In 2009, during my tenure as the prime minister of the Makerere University students’ guild, we invited Nsubuga, then the DP secretary-general and party whip in parliament, to a UYD general assembly at the Guild canteen. He arrived in his distinctive maroon Toyota Surf.
After our meeting, I whispered to him, “Thank you, my OB of Bukalasa Seminary!” This “code” seemed to strike a chord, leading to an invitation to his office at parliament and likely paving the way for our close working relationship. Nsubuga was a man who seemed to have no strangers; he was somehow related to everyone. He often referred to people as “my aunt, uncle, in-law, sibling, son, daughter,” and so on.
While his peers called him Matia, most city dwellers knew him as “500 500,” a nickname derived from his memorable telephone number. My association with Nsubuga began during the intense campaign leading up to the 2011 elections, where I had the privilege of working closely with him on the DP election campaign trail.
During my time as a team leader for the DP election campaign trail, I experienced challenges fundraising for party campaign activities. More importantly, I had the opportunity to delve into Nsubuga’s extensive network of DP stalwarts and sympathizers, whom he had introduced me to.
What amazed me, as a recent university graduate, was not only the vastness of Nsubuga’s network within and outside the country but also his ability to maintain strong personal relationships with each of those he connected me with. Nsubuga was not one to hold grudges for long. Whenever he expressed dissatisfaction, he quickly moved on to the next task as if he had never been upset.
I recall an incident during the campaign trail when we were delayed in arriving at Katovu, Masaka, where Nsubuga had been waiting for us to kickstart the central leg of the program. We had faced logistical challenges during our Western tour, resulting in a lengthy delay from the expected 8 am arrival time to finally reaching at 2 pm.
My phone had been constantly ringing, and I had, at one point, stopped answering Nsubuga’s calls. I had run out of excuses for our lateness. When we finally met him, he was visibly upset and didn’t hold back his frustration and anger, especially directed at party candidate Norbert Mao.
He exclaimed, “No, no, no, Mr. President! This is not the way to do things!” For a moment, I feared that the Buganda campaign program was doomed from the beginning. What surprised me was that, just a few minutes later, the same Nsubuga, whose face had been almost purple with anger when we arrived, was actively ensuring that everything was back on track, including managing the heavy costs of our program.
That was Nsubuga! He could express frustration one moment if things weren’t going well, but then he would quickly switch to checking on your well-being and whether you had eaten. I was part of the core mobilization team during the turbulent days of the TDA (The Democratic Alliance). During one of the late-night candidate selection meetings at Crested Towers, Amama Mbabazi, a candidate, unexpectedly emerged from his office into the boardroom around 3:30 am. No one had anticipated his presence at that hour.
He expressed his appreciation for our efforts and informed us that he had decided to suspend his campaigns for two weeks to visit his sick wife in the UK. Nsubuga immediately reacted, saying, “No, no, no, no, Mr. President, you can’t do that.”
He argued that many issues needed to be addressed, and it couldn’t be done in the absence of the candidate. However, within moments, the compassionate side of Nsubuga emerged as he empathized with Amama’s difficult situation. One afternoon, shortly thereafter, I met Nsubuga at a restaurant along Dewinton road.
After our meal, he realized he didn’t have his car that day; so, he asked, “Elvis, ogenda otya?” We hailed a taxi, and it dropped us off at the City House DP offices. After the 2016 elections, I was appointed as the executive assistant to the party president. Then, an opportunity arose to represent the party at the Democratic Union of Africa (DUA) summer school in Windhoek, Namibia. Nsubuga insisted that I attend and even offered me an out-of-pocket allowance.
Nsubuga often set aside his concerns to bring happiness to others. It was quite common for him to share more than half of any money he received. It was a regular practice for his. Most of the time, you would find him meticulously working on small budgets in his elegant cursive handwriting.
On one sunny afternoon, Nsubuga and the late Issa Kikungwe had just left a bank after withdrawing money for party activities when they encountered the son of one of the deceased DP firebrands. With great excitement, Nsubuga tore open an envelope and handed the young man some money. Kikungwe inquired, “Nsubuga, ssente z’ogaba zizo?” (Is the money you’re giving out yours?) Nsubuga responded by introducing the son as one of the genuine members of the party. Kikungwe, the thrifty accountant, was left speechless.
TURNAROUND
The last encounter I had with Nsubuga, where he appeared active and in good spirits, was during a DP strategic planning conference at the Floral Hotel. He was jovial, cracking jokes throughout the event. The day after the conference, I called him to inform him that I had emailed the read-out of the planning conference for his review.
A brief silence followed, and then he inquired, “Why not a hard copy?” before reluctantly agreeing. Nsubuga was not particularly tech-savvy and took his time embracing technology, including joining WhatsApp after some young DP members nudged him.
About an hour later, as I was on my way home, I received a strange call from Vincent Mayanja, his then-deputy. He sounded restless and asked if I had the contact information for Nsubuga’s wife or any of his children. He conveyed the distressing news, “Nsubuga has suffered a very bad stroke.” Those words hit me hard, and it was painful to hear.
From that point onwards, Nsubuga was confined to his home in Lwengo district. However, the visits to check on his health by the Papal Nuncio, Cardinal Christopher Pierre, and Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi were memorable moments that will forever stay with the residents of Manja village.
Unfortunately, he never recovered, and December 18, 2023, marked exactly seven years since Nsubuga’s passing. He was an admirable family man with a beautiful relationship with his family. In church, Nsubuga was a devout Catholic and an ex-seminarian. His personal connection to Archbishop Joseph Kiwanuka means the Lubaga Cathedral Foundation will forever miss him. In the Buganda kingdom, he was a loyal subject and a father figure to the wife of the Kabaka’s brother.
In politics, he advocated for inter-party dialogue and staunchly championed the institutionalization of political parties. He also served as the chairperson of the Pope Paul Social Club and consistently led various projects for the Mamba clan, collaborating closely with the clan head.
His relationships extended beyond the political spectrum and encompassed various other affiliations. Nsubuga was also a successful businessman. Speaking on behalf of many, I can say that I was honored to have known Nsubuga and privileged to have worked with him as my immediate supervisor.
Continue resting in peace, Hon Nsubuga!
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