Tribute | Peterson

He oft tilted his head and rolled his eyes in quick succession. He followed this up by spreading out his arms in an apparent simulation of the rolling and yawing aerodynamic concepts during our A-level Physics discussions.

He then went on to ape our teacher's tone and gesticulation, curving out a mini-spectacle that, for some of us, eternally got etched in memory.

The topic had been taught months earlier, delivered in a trademark style by a teacher students nicknamed "Cartesian" many years before us.

It’s a memory that still springs to mind at take-off, every time I fly.

Try and compete we did, seldom winning academic battles in selected subjects bar Physics and Chemistry. Many a time, we settled for a serial bridesmaids’ role to a guy who had started out at little-known Bishop Ogez High School before heading to Ntare School.

I still remember going into my final UACE Physics II exam and seeing one of such questions. Mental images of his repeated gesticulation in our earlier discussions suddenly sprang to mind before I let slip a wide grin.

I wanted to hug the questionnaire.

I almost got off my seat for a couple of ecstatic press-ups before I remembered I was under the watchful eye of our exam invigilator. It was no surprise when the results came out and I had scored a distinction in the paper.

This and many others are some of my earliest recollections of the guy who, today, basks in the glory of academic nirvana, having graduated with a first class degree in Law.

It was the only first class Law degree the University was seeing since 2006.

Christened Lord Denning, Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein by sections of euphoric peers, mentees and acquaintances on social media, Peterson’s academic resume now reads like a career academician’s ultimate wish-list: A first-class degree in Electrical Engineering, a first-class degree in Law, a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and an on-going PhD in the same.

Beat that, if you will. You’ll certainly have an Everest of a mountain to climb if you dare to dream.

Yes, I studied with a legend.

Tribute | 229 Songs, 11 Albums, One Brand: The life of Mowzey Radio

We've listened to talented musicians. We’ve seen talented songwriters. And we've had Mowzey Radio, excellent at both, and so much more. A crooner whose voice never let him down. A writer who never suffered writer’s block. An artiste whose art was more than just singing.

This weekend, the music fraternity pays final respects to a departed music icon. Mowzey Radio, one half of the Goodlyfe singing duo will be laid to rest tomorrow.

Born Moses Ssekibogo Nakintije on January 25, 1983, in present-day Buikwe District, Radio studied from at Kibuye Public Primary School and Holy Cross SS, Wanyange (now Lake View, Wanyange) before joining Kira College Butiki for his A-level.

In 2004, he joined Makerere University for a bachelor’s degree in Community Psychology, graduating in 2008.

He cut his musical teeth as part of the Leone Island backup crew, in an increasingly crowded and competitive industry that saw him release two staggered songs in "Jennifer" (2004) and Sweet lady (2006).

Radio's big break would come in 2008 when he, alongside Weasel (né Mayanja Douglas Seguya) launched Nakudata album in a partnership that eventually came to be fondly referred to as East Africa’s dynamic duo.

But it wasn’t until 2009 that the music industry would witness his talent in full flow.

The Radio-Weasel bond had only grown stronger, releasing Nyambura, an album I still consider one of my top ten Ugandan music albums of all time (the others being Born in Africa (Phily Lutaaya, 1987), Tukolagane (Maddox, 2000), Omutanda Gyali (Afrigo, 1994), Shida Za Dunia (Chameleone, 2005), Galenzi Mwe(Paul Kafeero, 2001), Go Mama (Bebe Cool, 2015), Misubbawa (Maurice Kirya, 2010), Bamugambe(Bebe Cool, 2009) and Carolina (Bobi Wine, 2009)).

Often with Weasel and seldom with a host of other artistes, Radio sang about many themes, with love and relationships being predictably predominant in a crossover afro-pop style that had your average downtown music fan share tastes with the wannabe corporate slayer.

Mowzey Radio was as diverse as any good artiste you’ll come across.

From gospel-leaning songs like Mukama Nyongera Amaanyi, Tambula Nange and Omanyi Mukama to happy-go-lucky themed ones (I am so high, Play it again, Tell dem so); from songs stemming out of ego fights with other actors in the entertainment industry (Ability, Kamira the teacher, Kiduula) to those aimed at their detractors (Obudde, Talk and talk, Ngenda Mumaaso), they sang them all.

In "Kamilla the teacher", the duo tried to hit at Jose Chameleone, their erstwhile mentor-turned foe (before mending fences, again). The latter chose to see the lighter side of this, adopting "teacher" as one of the many titles that he still uses to-date.

It was a similar situation with Kiduula, a song that was composed after their crew had been banned from accessing Ange Noir in the aftermath of a raucous brawl at the discotheque.

If there was music that came close to revealing the softer side of Mowzey Radio, it’s the love ballads that often had many eating out of his palm. Mama, a song dedicated to his mum belongs to this category. Several times, he calls her by her full name and goes on to shower praises in a trademark mellow soliloquy that his fans had got accustomed to.

His talent remains unmatched, as evidenced in his lyrics. Witty wordplay, soothing flow, and serenading performances will remain in many a music fan’s memory.

Radio’s talent was never restricted to the environs of Neverland, the duo’s Makindye home, often lending a helping hand to other artistes as Red Banton, Diamond Oscar, Gift of Kaddo can testify. He also wrote music for other artistes such as Irene Ntale (Bikoola, Sembera, Mazzi Nekyenyanja), Juliana (Twalina Omukwano) and Ekitone, the song that reinvigorated Desire Luzinda’s then stagnating career in 2014.

Radio had an eye on the bigger picture. He was in the process of incubating Angel Music, a record label he envisaged to grow bigger and do much more than just singing, such as writing music and talent management among others.

Choosing Radio’s best-written song is a daunting task. But if one had a gun to my temple, my pick of his collection would be one of Let’s Connect (featuring Sizzaman), Dudu (featuring Shanks Gumaras), Ability and Nyumbani (featuring Viboyo).

For over five years, there was the talk of their impending split, fueled by a speculative and gossip-hungry media. The duo appeared to enjoy the mind games, often keeping them guessing. Thus they continued to release singles, usually interspersed with the odd collabo.

As Mowzey Radio signs out at the tender age of 35, we can only fete to his precocious works, and toast to a talent we may not see again in a long time. He last released an album in 2016, opting for singles that would be released as and when he was ready.

Mowzey Radio wrote over 229 songs in a 10-year career, averaging more than 22 songs a year. Out of these, 68 had not been out yet, and are likely to be released posthumously. 

Radio and Weasel: the complete Album listing;

2007: Nakudata

2008: Nyambura

2009: Bread and Butter

2010: Ngenda Maaso

2011: Talk and Talk

2012: Tonjagala

2013: Fantastic

2014: Obudde

2014: Amaaso/Ntunga

2015: Neera

2016: Owana Wabandi

Mowzey Radio: A catalog of his work;

- Abatesi - Goodlyfe ft. Chance Nalubega

- Ability - Radio, Weasel, Rabadaba ft. Rabadaba

- Akalimu - Goodlyfe

- Akasiisi - GoodLyfe Crew

- Am In Love - Radio and Weasel Ft. Lillian

- Amaaso – Radio, Weasel Ft  Pallaso, The Mess

- Amari - Radio, Weasel, and Sean Simple

- Amazima - Radio and Weasel ft. Blaq Fuego

- Batabani Ba Kintu - Radio and Weasel Ft Dr Jose Chameleon, Magic Washington and WJ

- Best I Know - Radio and Weasel ft. Jose Chameleone

- Beyonce and Jay Z - Radio and Weasel

- Bigambo - Radio ft Gravity Omutujju

- Bikoola - Radio and Weasel and Irene Ntale

- Bread and Butter - Goodlyfe Crew

- Breath Away - Radio and Weasel (GoodLyfe)

- Bring Me Back - Radio and Weasel (Goodlyfe)

- Bwebityo - Goodlyfe and Diamond Oscar

- Bwondekawo - Goodlyfe Crew

- Byagana - Radio and Weasel ft Ziza Bafana

- Can't Let You Go - Radio and Weasel

- Kamilla, the teacher - Radio andWeasel

- Commando - Radio and Weasel ft. Navio, Myko Ouma

- Corruption - Radio and Weasel

- Crucify - Radio and Weasel

- Dagala - Radio (and Weasel, later in the remix)

- Ddembesa - Goodlyfe ft. Da Twinz

- Do You Know Me Before - Radio and Weasel

- Done - Radio and Weasel ft Locnville

- Don't Cry - Radio and Weasel ft. Wizkid

- Dudu - Goodlyfe ft. Shanks Gumaras

- Dunda - Radio and Weasel

- Ekitone - Desire Luzinda (Written by Radio)

- Ekyama - Radio and Weasel (Goodlyfe)

- Engule - Radio and Weasel ft Juliana Kanyomozi

- Eriiso - Radio and weasel ft Unique

- Everthing I do - Radio and Weasel

- Faces - Radio and Weasel ft. Sam

- Fire and Butter - Radio and Weasel Ft. Beenie Man and M.I

- Fitting - Radio, Weasel and Desire Luzinda

- Five Star Girl - Goodlyfe Crew

- Forgotten - Radio and Weasel ft. SizzaMan

- Gat No Love - Radio, Weasel and Wizkid

- Gezagezamu - Radio and Weasel

- Gitawo - Radio and Weasel

- Golden Girl - Radio and weasel Ft Mighty son, Buki Solja and Mesiah

- Good Night - Radio and Weasel

- Gudi Gude - Radio and Weasle  ft Kalifah AgaNaga

- Gutamiza - Radio and Weasel ft B2C

- Gyal Dem - Radio and Weasel Ft Buffalo Soljah

- Gyal Next Door - Radio and Weasel FT Toniks

- Hafusana - Radio and Weasel

- Hallo - Radio, Weasel ft Chameleone

- Heart Attack Vuvuzela - Radio and Weasel

- Hellena - Radio and Weasel ft. David Lutalo

- Home to Africa – Radio, Weasel ft PJ Powers

- How we do it - Radio ft. Keko

- I am so high - Radio, Weasel, Sizzaman, Red Banton andDiamond Oscar

- Jaburata Remix - Radio Weasel and KaySwitch

- Juicy - Radio and Weasel

- Julaina - Radio and Weasel and Vjoj

- Kama Katono - Radio and Weasel (Elly Wamala)

- Kankunganye - Radio and Weasel Ft Mun G

- Kapapula Kakusala - Radio and Weasel

- Kiboko - Goodlyfe ft Amani

- Kiduula - Radio and Weasel
- Kikumi Kinaana (Radio and Weasel, ft. Red Banton)

- Kintu - Radio and Weasel

- Kirimanyi - Radio and Weasel

- Kuku - Radio and Weasel

- Kyuma - Radio and Weasel ft Spice Diana

- Leero Tompona - Radio and Weasel ft. Leila Kayondo

- Leesu - Mowzey Radio

- Let Dem Know - Radio and Weasel

- Let's Connect - Radio and Weasel ft. Sizzaman (Goodlyfe)

- Lets Go Home - Radio and Weasel

- Lola - Radio and Weasel

- Lunaku Lwa Mbaga - Radio and Weasel

- Lwaki Onumya - Radio and Weasel
- Lwaki Tokula - Radio and Weasel

- Magnetic - Goodlyfe

- Make Money - Radio and Weasel ft. Chameleone, Haruna Mubiru, Buchaman

- Mama - Radio and Weasel

- Maze Okukwetegereza - Radio and Weasel, Maro
- Mazzi n'ekyenyanja Irene Ntale (written by Radio)

- Mbulira Mukwano - Weasel and Sammy Cool

- Money - Radio and Weasel

- Mpanilira - Radio and Weasel, Deena

- Mr. DJ - Radio, Weasel ft. All Stars (Peter Miles, Navio, Rabadaba, Viboyo andOthers)

- Mr. Right - Radio, Weasel ft. GNL Zamba

- Mukama Nyongera Amaanyi - Mowzey Radio

- Multiply by 2 - Radio, Weasel and Angella Katatumba

- Mutima - Radio, Weasel ft. Serena Bata

- My Life (Remix) - Dogo Janja Ft Radio and Weasel

- Nah Normal - Radio and Weasel and A Pass

- Nakutamani - Goodlyfe

- Nanansi - Radio and Weasel

- Neera - Mowzeyy Radio

- Nfuula Zaabu - Radio and Weasel ft Pastor Bugembe

- Ngamba - Goodlyfe

- Ngenda Mumaaso - Radio and Weasel

- Nipe Kifunguo Yako - Radio and Weasel FT Wizkid and Washington

- Niwe Yahwe - Radio

- Nkwagala - Mowzey Radio

- Nkwegomba - Radio, Weasel ft. Cas Cas

- Nkwetaga - Radio and Weasel (Goodlyfe)

- Nkya Kujukila - Radio feat. Rocky Giant

- Ntunga - Radio and Weasel

- Ntwalako Out - Radio and Weasel

- Number emu - Radio and Weasel

- Nyambura - Radio and Weasel

- Nyumbani - Radio and Weasel

- Obudde - Radio and Weasel

- Ole - Radio and Weasel

- Omanyi Mukama - Goodlyfe

- Omukisa Mpeewo - Radio and Weasel

- Omwana Wabandi - Radio and Weasel

- One In A million - Radio and Weasel Ft Silver X

- Panadol - Radio and Weasel ft Chameleone

- Paradise - Radio and Weasel ft. Locomotives (Goodlyfe)

- Play It Again - Radio and Weasel ft Dj Pius

- Plenty Plenty - Radio and Weasel

- Pollination - Goodlyfe and Obsessions

- Potential - Radio, Weasel ft. General Ozzy

- Remember Me - Radio and Weasel

- Rewind - Radio And Weasel

- Romantic Call - Radio

- Sawa Ya Beer - Radio and Weasel

- Scratch My Back - Vanessa Mdee Ft. Radio and Weasel

- Searching - Kukulee ft Radio and Weasel

- Sembera - Radio ft Lyto Boss
- Sembera - Irene Ntale (written by Radio)

- Simunino - Radio and Weasel

- Single and Searching - Radio and Weasel

- Sitani - Radio, Weasel

- Skin Tight (Remix) - Radio and Weasel, Pallaso and Mr Eazi

- Sky Walker - Radio and Weasel

- So Much - Chagga and Weasel

- Somesa Egwanga - Radio and Weasel

- Street Lights - Radio and Weasel (Goodlyfe Crew)

- Sumulula - Radio and Weasel ft Pallaso

- Tabula Edagala - Radio and Weasel

- Take my heart - Radio and Weasel

- Talk and Talk - Radio and Weasel

- Tambula Nange - Mowzey Radio

- Technique - Radio

- There She Go - Radio and Weasel ft DJ Madengo

- Tonjagala - Mowzey Radio and Weasel

- Tonoonya - Radio and Weasel, Desire Luzinda

- Twalina Omukwano - Juliana (Written by Radio)

- Twamukwekula - Radio and Weasel ft Emperor Orlando

- Wankwata - Radio and Weasel ft. Dizzo

- Wankyawa - Radio

- Where You Are - Blue 3 ft. Radio and Weasel

- You make me cry - Radio and Weasel ft. Diamond Oscar

- Zino Enaku - Radio, Weasel, Kuklee, Myco Chris

- Zuena - Radio and Weasel

- Lwaki Tokula - Radio and Weasel

Rest thee well, Soldier.

Perspective | The marvel that is the BBC

Every month has its own unique memories and December, for me, is no exception.

This December marks twenty years since I rescued my old man's transistor radio from its misery because we (the radio and I) were kinda idle at the time and could certainly do with each other's company.

It was in the same month that I discovered, and fell in love with British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) radio. BBC became my principal source of my information because 1) I neither had access to nor knew how to use the internet and 2) I still required a visa to sneak out and watch the English Premier League.

Allan Green, Jonathan Overend, Alex Capstick, Tim Vickery, Nishat Adat, Julian Marshall and Russell Fuller became personal favorites.

I barely went a week without listening to one of Network Africa, Focus on Africa, Sports World, News Hour, From Our Own Correspondent, or Letter from America among a multitude of others the station had to offer.

It was partly because of my then infatuation with BBC that mzee tasked me with giving him highlights of the day's news. In 2004, there was a coup in Haiti that had then-president Jean Bertrand Aristide ousted by rebels under the command of a certain Guy Phillipe.

On the evening the news came through, I had wandered to Tanzania-based Radio Free Africa via Medium Wave transmission and gotten hooked because RFA played awesome Rumba in the evenings. I was still anganzi when mzee asked me about the coup.

You should have seen me sweating.

My explanation of the ousted president having a complicated name fell on deaf ears because I had done French in O-Level and therefore there was no way I could fail to grasp what should have been a simple name.

Rating BBC's programming as decent would be an understatement. They are excellent. The catalogue, the layout, the presentation and everything else in between is simply top-drawer.

But if there's one thing that has fascinated me most about BBC, it's the length of service for the average employee. Whereas some had their careers cut short by the cruel hand of death (Rest in peace, Raphael Tenthani, Komla Dumor) a good chunk of the presenters I first heard in 1997 are still active.

Julian Marshall (any relation to the long-serving staffer – Marion Marshall, anyone?) has done his thing for a whopping forty years, yet he still sounds as fresh as when I first heard his voice in 1997.

James Alexander Gordon did the Sports Report classified results in his trademark baritone for a cool 41 years before succumbing to cancer at 78, while Alistair Cooke did "Letter from America" (among others) until his very last breath, literally, before succumbing to lung cancer at 95 – a career spanning 58 years.

Twenty years since I first knew BBC, I have finished school, got employed, changed jobs no less than five different times and Paul Bakibinga's voice is still on radio.

What could be the magic behind this staff longevity at BBC?

Perspective | Superstition

One corporate guy was said to pass wind from the workplace elevator by 06:30 hrs every morning. It was meant to bring him good fortunes that included, among others, job stability. Maintain this, and his job was his for as long as he wanted it – or so he had been told.

Another, a married guy, had this not-so-eye-candy side chic he wouldn’t let go of because maintaining her on his “payroll” came with good fortunes. Every time he parted with some cash, he got several times more. His deals always came through. She was his godsend.

A number of (successful) men have said the same, of their partners. They are, in their own words, the kind of women that come with "natural blessings".

Some of these fortunes have been attributed to Aerva Lanata, a naturally occurring herb with a host of medicinal alleviations including but not limited to kidney stones, jaundice, cough, asthma, and headache as well as an antidote for rat poisoning, the herb locally known as Olweza in Luganda.

So lauded has it been, that its importance was extended to being used as a talisman against evil spirits, for good-luck as well as for the well-being of widows in the Ganda culture.

Olweza is one of the main components of the herbal concoction – Ekyogero – in which new-born babies are cleansed to protect them against the aforementioned misfortunes.

If one’s partner appears to bring good luck, the common perception, albeit sometimes used jocularly, is that they were showered with the herb. Thus the common phrase: "Yanaaba Olweza".

Every once in a while, you’ll meet this guy who won’t wear a certain color of shirts on a particular day of the week. You probably know of someone who will turn back at the sight of a startled black pussy-cat in the morning.

Others silently follow some rituals in certain spheres of their lives. People do car-showers (for lack of a better phrase) because the car needs that initiation ceremony.

So they eat, drink and make merry while some guy is busy concealing dry herbs in the glove compartment.

Others do animal sacrifices at every significant milestone of their construction projects. Someone gets to the wall-plate level and some innocent goat, somewhere, has to give up its life because the house is being "immunized" against misfortune.

Some give to charity not because they have big hearts but because they believe giving comes with good fortunes.

Superstition. Do these things really work?

Perspective | Five things we've learnt from Zimbabwe

Unless you've been living in some extraterrestrial black hole, by now you should be knowing about the new guy at the helm in Zimbabwe.

Gone with the Wind is the mercurial Robert Gabriel Mugabe, and in his place is Emerson Mnangagwa, the man who also goes by the nickname "the crocodile".

Is this all we ought to know about the country that was once known as Southern Rhodesia?

#1 Not every Zimbabwean speaks good English

Their literacy levels have been praised ad infinitum. Critics and social media "experts" waxed lyrical about how organized they were, in their celebration of Mugabe's departure.

Many hyped the populace's composure and articulation and the apparent absence of violence as many chose to quietly wish for change. Which is fine; but they didn't have to exaggerate this – or did they?

We still have Zimbabweans with their indigenous accents. Zimbabweans who still speak like part of their tongue is glued to the floor of their buccal cavity. Zimbabweans who were "heppy" to "hev" a new president.

#2 Ammara Brown

You've probably never heard of her. I hadn't, until Mugabe happened. This sultry songstress was among the hordes of people interviewed by the BBC in their quest to make the most out of the then ensuing drama in the country.

The 29-year old's style borders on Afro-pop, and calling her the Di'ja of Zimbabwe wouldn't exactly be far-fetched. If you like Di'ja, you'll love Ammara.

My pick of her collection is Akiliz, a song inspired by the legendary Greek fable about Achilles. Born destined to die in infancy, Achilles' mom – Thetis – was to cleanse him in the magical river Styx in order to avert his looming demise.

Thetis did, but did so while clutching her young son's heel – meaning the heel was never protected.

It would become the vulnerable point that eventually led to his death after he succumbed to a poisonous arrow, giving birth to the famous noun: "Achilles heel".

One's Achilles' heel symbolizes their weakness, and Zimbabwe certainly wasn't short of these.

Maybe, just maybe, Mugabe's touted eloquence and past (independence heroics) could have been Zimbabweans' Achilles' heel, blinding them into according excessive respect to their geriatric ex-president.

Ammara Brown cryptically says the song was inspired by a personal experience she won't disclose. It's a song many a Zimbabwean just may relate to.

#3 Southern Africa is still one big (Bantu) family. Largely.

It may not be the only linguistic similarity, but this is what caught my attention – Mnangagwa's nickname. Zimbabwe's new president is also known as "Ngweenya", Karanga for crocodile.

The Bemba in Zambia call it Ngw'ena, while their neighbors to the north – the Nyanja – call it Ng'ona. Peering further North, "Goonya", the reptile's native name amongst the Ganda/Nkore in Central and Western Uganda almost makes the entire stretch from South Africa to Uganda look like one big, extended family.

#4. It’s safety first, for the average Zimbabwean

They had been invited to take part in the CECAFA football tournament slated for 03/12/2017 in Machakos, Kenya, and had confirmed participation.

On the dawn of President Uhuru Kenyatta's inauguration, a stray bullet struck a 7-year old boy during opposition protests in Nairobi (63 Kilometers from Machakos), killing him instantly.

The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) immediately declared the situation in Kenya "volatile" and withdrew its participation.

#5 Was Mugabe's resignation a case of religion being mightier than the gun?

He had been held hostage for a couple of days, and Gucci Grace initially said to be enjoying sizzling sausages in Neighboring Namibia (she was later reported to have been present, eventually, moments before Mugabe's resignation was couriered to Parliament).

The 93-year old held onto his position, refusing to give in to General Chiwenga and his collection of power-hungry schemers until he was talked into it by a Jesuit priest, a one Father Fidelis Mukonori.