Profile of Paulo Munyagwa-Nsibirwa : The life of a journalist and excellent communicator

Paul Munyagwa Nsibirwa was born on 17 March 1917. He was also known as “Paulo”, or “Salongo” (meaning “father of twins”) Paulo Munyagwa Nsibirwa or Munyagwa Nsibirwa. He was the sixth child of the four-time prominent Katikkiro of Buganda Martin Luther Nsibirwa and Damali Namawejje Mukuubwa. Paul’s grandfather was Kiwana and his great-grandfather was Munyagwa.

Paul standing next to his parents

Paul attended school at King’s College Budo (Uganda) and the famous Achimota College (Accra, Ghana). During his studies in Ghana he met with many prominent persons including Kwame Nkrumah who also attended Achimota College. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree

Paul at Budo in 1935

While in Ghana he received a message from his father that he must immediately join the Second World War (WW2) as a soldier and fight on the side of the British. The Katikkiro informed him that he would be both the Katikkiro’s personal and the Nsibirwa family representative in the war effort.

Listening to his father’s instructions without question Paul joined the African Corps and sailed from Ghana to India through (Cape Town, South Africa) a journey that he later explained as difficult and long.

He was an army corporal, served in the India and Burma Campaign (British 14th Army), South East Asia Command. Paul spent 4 years in Burma (present day Myanmar) where he fought in WW2. He was mostly part of a reconnaissance platoon tasked with going ahead of the main fighting force. As a reconnaissance platoon they had to obtain information through spying on the enemy. They assessed the information to determine the strength, positions and equipment of the opposing armed forces so that when the main army forces engaged with them, the army would be adequately prepared.

During WW2 he recalled losing many of his comrades who succumbed due to booby traps or sniper fire both of which were difficult to spot in the dense vegetation in which they operated. Paul was wounded when he was shot by a sniper and had a flesh wound on his left arm which left a life-time scar. He had resigned himself to not surviving WW2 as each day was dangerous for him and he saw death far too often. His experience in WW2 was a major turning point in his life. He later reminisced about his experiences and exploits with whoever cared to listen – his children cherish these memories to date.

It was while he was at the war front that he learnt of his father, the Katikkiro’s assassination. He often lamented that he was already mentally exhausted from the war effort. The death of his father was a severe blow that usurped his last energy as he considered his father to be his biggest supporter. He was to later become heir to Katikkiro Nsibirwa.

Paul in London in 1957

In 1957, he left Uganda for the United Kingdom. he enrolled for a diploma in journalism at the London School of Journalism. While in London he was employed in several part time jobs (including in a restaurant and as a postman). He worked for the British Broadcasting Services. Later in life he was to often speak proudly of these experiences. In the United Kingdom he interacted with many Africans who would later become leaders of their countries. These included Kamuzu Banda (Malawi), Jomo Kenyatta (Kenya), Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana). By the early 1960s sub-Saharan Africa had less than 1500 University graduates and many of the Africans who fought for the independence for their countries personally knew and interacted with each other.

On his return to Africa, Paul worked as a farm manager on a large commercial farm in Dodoma, Tanzania. Throughout his life he was keen about plants and animal husbandry. Through personal interest he had studied botany. He therefore had a sound knowledge which he shared through providing botanical names and characteristics of different plants. He had a lifelong interest in farming.

Paul (second from the left) enjoys an evening with his wife and friends at his residence in Kololo, Uganda

Based on his expertise in journalism, Paul was appointed by Prime Minister Milton Obote as Deputy Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Tourism. He was also the Press Secretary to Milton Obote. His position and previous exposure enabled him to interact with numerous world leaders including African Heads of State and Government, future national African leaders (whose countries were not independent yet). Other notable leaders who he met were Chairman Mao Tse Tung of China and the British royalty.

Following a coup d’etat that brought General Idi Amin to power as Ugandan president, Paul was invited to be a cabinet minister in Amin’s government. He turned down the offer and that act automatically made him an enemy of the State. He was tipped off by his former office messenger (who had since joined the feared State Research Bureau – Amin’s secret police) that he was on a hitlist of people to be assassinated.

Following the revelation, he abruptly fled Uganda on foot (to avoid encountering any roadblocks where his name may have been circulated). He undertook a 3-months audacious journey to Zambia in the company of his young son Sira Bugembe Nsibirwa (less than 10 years old at the time). Paul was of the view that if he was in the company of a child he would raise less suspicion and be shown mercy if any security forces stopped him along the way. While clandestinely crossing the border between Uganda and Rwanda at an illegal crossing at night, security forces randomly open fired in the dark and Paul was superficially injured in the legs. The on-foot journey took them through Rwanda, Zaire (present day Democratic Republic of Congo), Tanzania and then Zambia. Once in Zambia, he worked in journalism. He was a Head Lecturer in journalism at the Africa Literature Centre (Kitwe, Zambia).

When Milton Obote won the elections in 1980, he could barely forget the exceptional service in journalism of Paul. He was recalled from Zambia and served as an Executive Radio and Television News Editor for Radio Uganda and Uganda Television (UTV) now Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) for 3 years until 1983.

Paul established and edited a newspaper called Mkombozi and started efforts to establish the Uganda School of Journalism. Due to growing insecurity in Uganda and following numerous attempts on his life, he left the country and settled in Kitale, Kenya where he engaged in commercial farming. He was accompanied to Kenya by his two sons William Kabenge Nsibirwa and Martin Semalulu Nsibirwa.

In 1986, following yet another change of government that brought Yoweri Museveni to power, Paul relocated to Zimbabwe. He was appointed as a Principal Lecturer in the division of Mass Communication at Harare Polytechnic, Harare, Zimbabwe for 7 years until his retirement in 1997.

Paul (in centre, talking to a guest in short pants) with journalism students at Harare Polytechnic

In 1984, Munyagwa left Uganda for Zimbabwe where was appointed principal lecturer in the division of Mass Communication at Harare Polytechnic, Harare, Zimbabwe for 7 years until his retirement in 1997.

On his birthday in 2000 his personal physician diagnosed him with throat cancer. He passed away on 27 November 2000. His son William became his heir on his passing.

Paul is remembered for being bold and quite knowledgeable on matters that were aimed at addressing economic crises in Africa and was of the view that journalism could fuel the development of Africa. He is quoted in the Sunday Mail Newspaper of Zimbabwe on 19 December, 1999 as noting that,”No development can take place in a war situation. Africans should learn to use negotiating tables to stop the genocidal wars that have characterized life on the continent for several years. We must stop the wars.”

Some of his work for which he was proud as a Pan-Africanist included, first, he had participated in the liberation struggles of many African countries. Second, he was involved on behalf of Uganda in the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (present day African Union). Third, he had introduced television to Uganda through his work in journalism and as a Deputy Minister. Fourth, he had trained many journalists during his lifetime.

Paul at home

He was survived by children. Among them was his oldest surviving daughter Mary Munyagwa Nalwejje Nsibirwa. He also had grandchildren. His children and grandchildren live and work in many parts of the world providing technical expertise in various fields including; academia, journalism, finance, entertainment, healthcare, engineering, business, law, and policy development.

Some of his favourite sayings which he lived by and wanted others to emulate were

• “A bird in hand is worth two in the bush” (appreciate what you have)
• “Too many cooks spoil the broth” (too many people doing a single task yield poor results)
• “Do not put off to tomorrow what you can do today” (don’t procrastinate)
• “What is worth doing is worth doing well” (aim for the best always, take pride in your work and strive for excellence)

In his later years, he loved music his favourite band and artists being the famous Afrigo Band, Don Williams and Judy Boucher. He loved physical fitness and eating healthily. Therefore, he took daily long walks and ate healthily.