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When I received news of Hon. Manzi’s passing in a Whatsapp message from Prof. Ben Kiregera about 11 pm Friday night I doubted and asked him to confirm. Meanwhile, I checked the Greater Kigezi Fraternity forum and the sad news could not be denied as I had hoped.
When someone you have known closely for so many decades passes on you cannot help feeling that your own time must be near. So sleep becomes difficult and the urgency to put your house in order is obvious. When I first met Manzi at Makerere University we were both lecturers in the Department of Economics.
When he told me his story about how he had struggled to qualify for mature entrance having had to struggle through a very difficult childhood, I strongly identified with his determination and achievements. He had gone through so much to obtain education and was now a lecturer, and a brilliant one, at our highest institution of learning. Later in life, we found ourselves in political struggles that taxed our intellect, courage, and patriotism to the maximum.
In my case I had to flee for mylife but he stayed on suffered all the security and economic hardships that Ugandans had to endure in the 1970s and 1980s.He emerged from all that to engage successfully in elective politics and I was particularly grateful to him for daring to vigorously support those of us who opposed the sale of Uganda Commercial Bank. Even when he was a minister of state in charge of privatization he dared to champion that stand.
We were defeated in that struggle but I believe history will tell whether or not we were on the right side of our national interest.I interacted with him on many occasions and I was happy that he became a member of the board of governors of Bank of Uganda during my tenor as minister of finance.
I have no apologies for the appointment. He was totally and fully qualified for the role and he performed effectively and faithfully.We interacted in numerous fora over the years but at least two deserve special mention: he told me that he had built a church building in his parish.
I was amazed that he had taken the construction of a church as a virtual personal project! In 2018 as Kigezi organized the Namugongo Ceremonies, I went for my first encounter with the Committee at All Saints Cathedral. I could not help being touched by the Grace and humility with which he received us. He made us feel valued and loved. And indeed I believe it was a great memorial. Among the many events I remember is that in the men’s event alone on 2nd June 2018, 69 men gave their lives to Christ that day.
This is a small glimpse of the great efforts of this giant in education, economic development, finance ( both national finance and Microfinance); politics and Church building.To God be the glory for his illustrious endeavors and achievements.
His wonderful wife and the children are in our prayers at this most difficult time in history when we cannot give our loved ones a befitting burial. Fellow Ugandans please prostrate in repentance to God to cut short these days of the pestilence.
Lord bend down and help us we pray, for the pestilence is breaking our soul as Satan buffets over our griefs. Be merciful to us for we have no one else but you. Remember the Uganda martyrs oh Lord and for their sake and the sake of our savior Jesus, Your Son, stop this plague. For thine is the Kingdom, the power and glory forever. Amen.
