The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda’s parliament on Tuesday observed a minute of silence in memory of Constance Muhangazima ‘Mama Adyeri’, mother to Burahya County MP Margaret Muhanga, journalist Andrew Mwenda and UPDF Maj Gen Kayanja Muhanga. She died aged 84 on Monday and was buried Friday in Kanyandahi , Fort Portal.
Constance Muhangazima died at Nakasero hospital Monday evening after being transported from Fort Portal for better management of her age-related illness.
“Adyeri was a kind and generous human being who looked and cared for everyone who came into her world: her own children, grandchildren and great grandchildren; her relatives’ children, children of neighbors and friends and on many occasions, perfect strangers,” said Andrew Mwenda in a tribute soon after she passed away.
“During her long life, her home was a home for almost everyone. The weak, the sick, the hungry, the needy all came to our home and shared whatever little she had. In her world, there was no scarcity – so much so that her limited resources were to her, inexhaustible. She may not have been as rich in material possessions but she was abundantly wealthy in her heart.”
At her 83rd birthday celebrations last year, Museveni hailed her for role in improving society. “I attended this celebration because of what Mama Adyeri has achieved. Not only does she have a good religious background but she has also educated her children, is disciplined and has an economically stable family,” Museveni said last year.
Mama Adyeri was a member of President Museveni’s UPM in 1980 and did her Chaka Muchaka aged 55 after the NRM had come into power.
Mama Adyeri had 14 children – ten boys and four girls. She is survived by eleven children, 56 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren and three great, great grandchildren – leaving behind 106 live off springs.
Lt Gen @mkainerugaba joined hundreds of mourners in Kanyandahi village in Fort Portal for the send off of Mrs Adyeeri Muhanganzima the mother of Veteran journalist @AndrewMwenda, Maj Gen Kayanja And MP Margaret Muhanga. Gen MK described Adyeeri as a strong supporter of the govt pic.twitter.com/MqInwBSxrS
— Mr Brightside🇺🇬 (@BrightSide_Ug) June 21, 2019
Who is Mama Adyeri?
“She was an exceptional human being. Her life’s principle was: charity to all and malice toward none,” said Mwenda, who is Managing Director of The Independent.
Adyeri was a faithful Christian and a committed member of the Church of Uganda, Mwenda said, adding that “Her best friend, she always said, was Jesus Christ, who protected and cared for her.”
She spent most of her later life helping build churches and spread the gospel of Christ. She was at one time the leader of Mothers Union in Rwenzori Diocese where she almost single handedly built a Mothers’ Union community center at Kasiisi. It is one of the biggest Mothers’ Union Community centers in Uganda.
Constance Kabakali Mabiiho Adyeri Muhangazima was born in Toro Kingdom, Fort Portal town on February 2nd 1935 to Samson Mabiiho and Edith Kabatooro.
Mabiiho was a son of Nyamutale Ya’Rutabisa who was Ssaza Chief of Mwenge (Pokino Mutalesa). Kabatooro was the daughter of Nekodemu Kakurora, Ssaza Chief of Bwamba (Kasuju Omukumbya) and one of the signatories to the Toro Agreement of 1903. Her mother’s young sister (auntie), Kezia Byanjeru, was queen of Toro, married to King George Rukidi III.
At age seven, Kezia took Adyeri to grow up in the palace to be taught the royal traditions of our Kingdom. She attended Kabarole Primary School and later Kyebambe Girls School for junior secondary school and later did a secretarial course under the tutorship of British settlers.
When she finished this course, she became a private secretary to the king. She worked in that role until she met Philip Byaabu Atwooki Muhangazima, and they got married.
While Muhangazima was a civil servant, Adyeri became a businesswoman.
“At a time when women were keeping in the home, Adyeri traded in general merchandise and became an equal breadwinner in our home. Thus during the development of our family estate in Kanyandahi, both our parents worked together in raising funds to buy and expand the farm where we all grew up,” Mwenda said.
