THE LOW DOWN - ANTONY MWANHDA
History and home
Many years ago, the call of service arrived at home. From time to time we had to fight for our clothes as Mzee was packing them in sacks for unknown destinations.
Parentage
My parents were Rotarians. My father Emmanuel Wampa-Mwandha (RIP) was President of Rotary Club of Kampala - Arch club in 1985. His elder brother James Mwandha was also president in an earlier year. From time to time we saw a bound magazine which we used to call “Ro-train.” Had it not been for our mum, we would never have known the beautiful secrets hidden within.
We used to read the “stripped gears”; it was the cartoon section at the back of the Rotarian magazine, (I wonder why it was withdrawn). In it, we also found,what still is my favourite section in the magazine, Word Report, which captures images of worthy projects from around the world.
Rotary paraphernalia was common sight from Tee shirts to pennant, pens to mats etc. I remember most fondly when our folks returned from South Africa after a convention some time in 1994 or there about. The sound of music, not the movie filled the house and along with it was ushered increased consumption of the bitter. Honey moon yanyuma!
Vive-la-Rotary came home. Mum’s crescendo blended superbly with Dads baritone. Indeed, as time went on, all my siblings had learnt the song by heart.
The name Amu Shah still rings clear as the old man talked about him fondly, he was the DG of District 920 out of which or which became 9200
Call to service
Interact
I would later join the charter membership (yes, charter) of Jinja College. It was unclear what we were to at the time.
The Interact patron led us to a bare patch on one end of the compound and said “here, this is our plot” he added “we must make everyone proud of this place”. To say I was bored is to be very polite. By the time I left the school, we had created the foundation of what was to be the most popular space in the school. All and sundry used to take photographs from that place, they needed colourful flora on which to touch as the cameraman took photos.
The Interact call of service was to take me to yet another institution as (yes, a charter) member. The Patrons of Interact Club of Makerere High School were Rotarians Adrian Sibo and Rumanyika. They chaperoned us through the initial stages until we met Beine. Makerere High School had a teacher called Beine; he did not believe in or was not interested in the business of Rotary – Interact. One day upon the departure of our two sponsors he descended on the club members with a big stick and ensured personally the club died. He was successful.
Kla South
Addis Pub on the first floor of Nile Hotel was he home of Rotary Club of Kampala South. The club had a wonderful ater-fellowship in the Sub way restaurant not far away. It was there that I used to meet with my soon-to-be club mates.
One day they did not come so I trudged on alone. The following Monday, I called ahead and said I will be at the usual spot but my buddies insisted that I could start even during fellowship. So it begun, I was introduced as a guest an Bingo! The rest is history.
I have been a Rotarian for more than a decade and I will not forget the warmth of the Rotary family during the hardest of times when I lost my dear Father. The support was tremendous even beyond the family. The family business recorded over 90% of its sales to Rotarians and that result had doubled the turnover for the previous year.
I know I chose well.