Belated Hero's day post....

If Hero's day is about celebration of war heroes? Today, I chose to celebrate my grandmother Monica Nalebe Kalanzi (RIP) and mother Mary Goretti Nakimera Mutebi and here's why:

My mother’s childhood dream was to get married to someone from the city. She believed that raising her kids from the city would give them more exposure and opportunities. My parents got married at Kitovu Cathedral in Masaka and drove several miles back to Kampala for their wedding reception at Silver Springs Hotel. After their wedding, they lived at William Street briefly before moving to Mbuya flats just below the Military hospital, which is now the Ministry of Defence headquarters.

In 1985, when the road from Masaka to Kampala was intercepted by rebels, my grandmother braved the risky journey from Masaka via ferry to pick her daughter, who she felt was abandoned in the city. On a cold and quiet evening, long after curfew hours, we heard a desperate knock at the door. “Maria Gulawo, nze mama.” –“Maria, open the door, this is your mother.” Jjaja worried that it wasn’t safe for mum to stay in the city alone; the rebels were approaching and….. and…..it was better off if she was back home with family. (My Dad was overseas)
This was a hard test on mum’s resolve to raise her kids from the city. She worried that if she moved back to Masaka, she would never return. With the reminder that her life and that of her children was in danger, mum opted for the suggestion to move to Kawempe-my uncle’s home but not back to Masaka.

Very early the next morning, Mum and Jjaja hired a wheel burrow from Giza Giza market. With some of our very basic belongings, the long treak to Kawempe started; Jjaja walking by her daughter and the two of us (my brother and I) strapped on the wheel burrow. Every time a gunshot was fired, mum and jjaja shielded us with their warm bodies to protect us from being hurt. When we got to Kawempe, Jjaja embarked on the long journey back to Masaka.

Every war is documented with a story; one that is told in the history books. The stories celebrate heros, those who have been brave enough to risk their lives for their country. We adorn them with medals and headline their names in the media. Every child who has survived the war has their story, if they are an 80’s child, it will be a story about who saved their life during 1986 liberation war. Today I applaud my heroines. Maama and Jjaja