Till We Meet, You Will Never Walk Alone George
This eulogy is dedicated to one of my closest friends George Francis Walusimbi Mpanga who passed away suddenly on 5thJune 2019
It has been hard writing these lines because I couldn’t find the exact words. For the first three to four hours after I received the news, I locked myself away in my hotel room and I grieved – it was easier that way than face the reality on social media. Later, I composed myself and I thought I should write some kind of eulogy especially that I would not be able to escort my friend to his final resting place.
I first met George Walusimbi Mpanga in 1991 in Kyankwanzi. We were part of the group that attended the political education course that was hastily organized for all high school leavers that were due to join Makerere University. When I met him, we immediately connected because of his jolly and humorous way of putting things. I liked the fact that he spoke with a deep and authoritative yet non-threatening voice. I enjoyed his company. After the 6 weeks in the bush, we met again at the University. We met several times because of the mutual interests we shared. We both joined Nkoba Za Mbogo because we loved Buganda, we both loved our halls of residence and regularly engaged in the banter that was common those days. Later we both ended up lobbying for the same candidate in the race for guild president. In more ways than one, this was the turning point in our relationship. We affectionately referred to each other as ‘Lobbyist’. At the peak of the campaigns, George came looking for me and said ‘Look some people say that you are a mole in our camp, that you support the other candidate’. I took the news with disappointment but appreciated George for letting me know. I chose not return to the meetings that were called to map out the strategies (I was not being invited anyway). I remember telling him that this was the last time I will ever participate in partisan politics, because it is very dangerous. George agreed with me. Over the years we decided to dedicate any leadership and mobilization skills that we may have to serving Rotary and our Kabaka.
Many years later, when the English Premier League became trendy in town, we discovered that we both supported Liverpool from the 1980s. From then on, we shared the pain of losing and the delight of winning. In 2005, after the night of the Liverpool Champions League win in Instabul, my wife and I were blessed with a daughter. While we watched the game, I casually mentioned to George, that Victoria was in Hospital and she may be having a baby prematurely. The following day, George reached out, visited us at Nairobi Hospital and led us in prayer. George loved his God and was proudly catholic. Yet he respected and tolerated other faiths. He served the Catholic Church with unshakable faith. Later in 2008 when he visited us in London, the girl he prayed for had grown into an adorable 3-year old. She offered her sweater to George because she felt he had not dressed appropriately for the cooler temperatures of that island. Every time George met our daughter Renee, he recounted the story from her birth to the night she offered him a sweater with such enthusiasm and love, you would think it had just happened the day before. That was George. He always had the knack to spice up any story, that you wished you were there. George loved children and you could see that they were not simply a statistic before him. He always spoke proudly and adoringly of Bawoomya and Ndugga (my thoughts and prayers are with you both). He knew all the children in my house by name and they all knew him as CP. He had interest in them and they returned the favour.
George loved Rotary and especially the values that our noble organization stands for. He courted and cajoled a reluctant me for a while to join Rotaract and I declined. Later when he and a few others dreamt of coming up with the Rotary Club of Kiwatule, I was among the very first people he invited to join. ‘This time I am not taking NO for answer’ he was quick to add. I finally succumbed – that is how good he was at convincing. He taught me the intricacies of the protocol and bureaucracy in Rotary. When he handed over the Presidency to me in 2004, I was not ready to be president; I had only been a Rotarian for one and half years. He held my hand and guided me through the tough days. He loved volunteering and hated missing Rotary meetings. His last words to us as a club were some kind of a plea to us to find a drug that can stabilize his diabetes so that he doesn’t miss events like the 2019 District Conference and Assembly in Dar. We will miss George in Rotary but I am sure he will miss Rotary as much wherever he is. A man of strong opinions, he never shied away from taking a position even if it was unpopular. He stood for what he believed in. In 2004, at the Inter City Conference in Mbale (whose theme was Peace and Conflict Resolution), CP George loudly wondered, possibly to the embarrassment of the organizers why no Rotarians from Gulu had been invited, yet it was the only place in Uganda that was still being ravaged by an armed conflict. He believed in voluntarism and making sacrifices as the true pillars of Rotary. He hated ostentation and never really agreed with dismissing members for non-payment of dues. His last and perhaps controversial topic in Rotary was about gaudiness. He took the microphone and spoke to us about Rotary Ey’amalala– ‘since when did showy giving and pomposity be the reason we are in Rotary?’ he asked. This topic may not have earned him many friends but I agreed with him and gave him my support.
Over a year ago, George was diagnosed with diabetes. At first everything seemed to be under control but then sometime in the course of last year we got news that he had been admitted to hospital. That did not defeat George, he was later discharged and as boisterous as ever he bounced back to his usual self. We continued having fun and enjoying the things we did together until about two months ago when I noticed that George was missing from meetings and some events. A few of us got concerned. Efforts were made to find out what was wrong. When we go hold of him, he comforted us. He assured us that all is well. Probably most of it was not. But that was the George I knew, he never wanted us to be worried – how I wish I read the signs better. In my last conversation with him a week ago, he sounded strong and we promised each other that we would to toast to a Liverpool win on my return. Liverpool won, but there will be no George to toast with when I return. My heart is heavy. I am sad because you are gone George. I am hurting because I have not been able to see you off to your final resting place. Rest in Peace my friend. Until we meet again, I promise You Will Never Walk Alone.
I’m very happy to have found you, now you will never leave me, for I will always find you in the beauty of life- Walter Rinder
Comments