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The proverbial “office chair” in Kigarama Primary School is my foundation for aspiration and leadership!
The power to make choices is always one of the greatest assets you have as a human being. In this picture, I was overlooking my alma mater, Kigararama Primary School, on December 25, 2022.
I started out my primary school education at this humble school in 1997, following the government of Uganda’s decree that all children aged 5 and above should go to school. I was making eight years’ pay then. So, I finally started school.
I have many bad memories of my early school days, but also many great ones looking back. I can trace my source of confidence and aspiration for leadership to Primary 2, where we used to tell stories in class. So I would go home and ask my late mother to tell me a story, which I would tell at school the following day. My mother used to do that grudgingly, but the following day, I would either be the first or the second one to ascend to the “office chair” in front of the pupils to narrate a story.
The culture was that the storyteller would always be given a chair, which was only a preserve of the staff room, which is why we called it an “office chair.”
and everyone would pay attention to what you are narrating. It brought a sense of authority to the person in the “office chair.”
As a young boy, this was my favorite moment, and I know the majority of my classmates used to enjoy it too.
As I grow up, I have learned to always ask for the “office chair” so as to let my light shine on others. This was further inspired by my friend Prof. JCS Musaasizi, who was the founding principal of the College of Education and External Studies at Makerere University, where I requested my fellow students for the “office chair” and they gave it to me. I was able to serve them as president both at the College of Education and the School of Education from 2012 to 2013. Practically, these guys gave me two “office chairs” at the same time, and I am glad I served. Prof. JCS Musaazi always told us that the term “education” comes from the Latin word “educare,” which means letting your light shine on others.
The proverbial “office chair” is such an important aspect of my life, and my current journey is to request an “office chair” from the people of Kigarama and Ndorwa East, which surely traces its foundation to this “office chair” at Kigarama Primary School. I know that my desire for the same chair now is not to tell stories but to actually ensure that the people of Kigarama and Ndorwa East can benefit from the wide range of skills that I have been able to build along the way.
My dream and desire is that I will be given the “office chair” so as to spearhead great efforts in making our education and health infrastructure better. With the office chair, I am sure we shall have many friends at the cake table, and my people will have enough to share on the cake. With the “office chair,” I know we shall be able to vouch for better household income for all our people in Kaharo, Maziba, Buhara, and Kyanamira sub counties.
I know that when I have the “office chair,” we shall not fail to lobby for more support for our treasures like the Maziba Dam in Maziba Subcounty, and this would open our hopes for more electricity and the like. I also know that we would also make known to the public the great mineral wealth in Buhara and Kyanamira Subcounties and the like.
Oh yeah, I can’t wait to tell the young people about this proverbial “office chair” that gave me confidence to even aspire to provide great leadership to the people of Ndorwa East.
Dear friends, It’s fourteen (14) days into the new year, and I thought I should share the memories of the proverbial “office chair.” and also to say hello to my people in Ndorwa East.
I love you all!
*#NdorwaEast26*
*Alexander Kyokwijuka*
Humble Citizen, Ndorwa East
