By Barrister Peter Magomu Mashate
I am truly consumed with sadness at the news of the death of Mr Tamale Mirundi. I met him way back in 2008 in London (UK) when he came with His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI as his Senior press Secretary. His position meant that he was often in attendance of various meetings with the President taking notes and making sense of such meetings to the President and indeed to the country. As it turned out the following day of my meeting was published in New vision in Uganda as it was a meeting of public interest.
While going for that meeting, it was duly suggested to me and my delegation by the Principal Private Secretary to HE the President Hon Amelia Kyambadde that the meeting would be very brief probably 30 minutes as there was a long que que behind me with immediate person behind me waiting to see the President. This dignitary right behind me was none other than Baroness Lynda Chalker a member of the House of Lords Chamber and a former Conservative government minister for Overseas development and was now having a Special designation with United nations and indeed World bank.
As it turned out our meeting with the President took some hours beyond the anticipated PPS schedule. Comrade Mirundi phoned me the following morning and told me that he was very privileged to meet me at close range. This is because he had been reading about the London based Barrister Peter Magomu Mashate, a Senior constitutional & Human Rights BARRISTER-AT-LAW of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn of Court London. He said, indeed, my great work for the country and in particular the NRM party & indeed my representation of His Excellency the President and government of Uganda in some legal matters in the jurisdiction of United kingdom had marked me out as a true patriot and Panafrican.
He also told me that he had a son who had just graduated as a lawyer in Uganda and wanted him to come to UK and do a Masters degree in law. He asked me to recommend a good university that taught that LLM masters degree programme. I instantly told him that his son should enroll with Kingston University in London. He then asked me why? I told him that is where I had also studied for my Masters LLM degree in law with a research dissertation.
Indeed, we became friends, over time. Subsequently, I met him in Kampala along Luwum street and he reminded me of the London meeting with the President and told me that for His Excellency the President to have given me so much time at the London meeting, it meant that he was critically taking in my submissions. I asked him; comrade Tamale on what basis do you conclude that?
Characteristic of Tamale humour, he said; ” I read the President’s “body language like I read everybody’s body language in the meeting including the body language of Hon Sam Kutesa” who also was in the meeting. Comrade Mirundi then turned around and said, “look at that woman who has just passed us here” which I did, what can you tell me about her? I said I didn’t know her and he replied “I started reading her body language just as she was coming up to when she passed us. He said wait a moment she is going to look back” and indeed the lady now at a distance turned her head. We then all fell into rib-breaking laughter until tears came to our eyes. Such was the great humour comrade Mirundi was endowed with.
Much later in 2022, he looked me up and through a friend and a Political Pundit and opinion leader in Mbale City Mr John Kazibwe popularly known as “JJ” he made appointment to see me. I accepted that appointment and indeed met him in Kampala. He thought he was late but truly he wasn’t but just on time. He then walked in with his body guards and apologised for the delay saying his car had mechanical problem but given the importance of the meeting and knowing me as “typically English and diplomat” he jumped into Uber for the meeting. So humble, so sociable, so respectful, so human was comrade Mirundi, notwithstanding, those who came into his political firing range. At the end of the meeting he asked me for the documents I had for HE the President which I gave him. He told me BARRISTER consider this done and by tomorrow afternoon HE the President will have them.
As fate would have it, little did I know that was my last meeting with comrade Tamale Mirundi a brave crusader for truth and justice and a free and fair society. Mirundi was crusader of ideas he put bluntly in a world where many only tow the line of political correctness.
Indeed, William Shakespeare in his book Julius Caesar wrote; “..cowards live longer as they die many times (because each time they face a challenge they metaphorically “die”) before their real death but the valiant (brave) die once” as they face the danger instant with bravery. Unfortunately comrade Mirundi you are gone but gone too early. May the Almighty rest your SOUL in eternal peace.
The writer is a CONSTITUTIONAL & HUMAN RIGHTS BARRISTER-AT-LAW OF THE HONOURABLE SOCIETY OF LINCOLN’S INN OF COURT LONDON.
