In just his freshman year at Makerere University, Joseph Tamale Mirundi Jr. has established his name among the biggest politicians in the varsity. He is the deputy speaker of Uganda Young Democrats (UYD), the biggest political party in the university and also the Democratic Party (DP) chapter therein. Campus Bee got a chance, to interact with the barely 20-year-old student of Bachelor of Industrial and Organisational Psychology – indeed like father, like son!
Asked about himself, he boastfully retorted, “I was going to study law in Germany, but I chose Makerere because it is the biggest University beyond River Limpopo and some parts of Tennessee. I am a passionate politician who hails from a well-to-do family. I have five siblings; two boys and three girls: born of two mothers. My father is a very rich man who has worked for the president for the past 13 years; he is the only man in the world who is loved by his enemies.”
With a sly smile, he continued.
“My only role model is my father: he was a newspaper vendor who came from the remote Rakai, about 300 miles from Kampala, only to land a job at the statehouse. He is a very loving but complicated family-man, who till now, I have also failed to entirely understand, so I pity those that hope to understand him. Hehe… Amongst all my siblings, it is me that moves along with him the most.” He said.
“Of course I get a lot of attention, from very beautiful girls, but a person from a family like mine is taught from childhood, how to deal with it. I sleep in Olympia, and I drive a minivan.”
Mentioning this, he lured me into probing about his father’s recent viral altercation live on NBS TV; he quickly responded.
“I am actually shocked that the incident made news; it is very normal. My father is a man of integrity, he is not like these thieves we have for ministers. You can never accuse him of something false and he doesn’t blow your head off. Ask Andrew Mwenda what he did to him in the presence of the president.”
He jokingly added. “Radio and TV moderators should just be given teargas and pepper spray for protection when interviewing my father.”
Tamale wasn’t any obscure about his political ambitions. With repeated, firm pats of his right hand onto the table, he said to me,
“All factors remaining constant, I am bound to run for president of the 84th guild. I will wipe out all these expired Mafias, both students and administrators who think ruling Makerere is their birthright. It is just like buying expensive socks for smelly feet; they will still stink.” He paused…
Making his father’s famous poker-face, Mirundi continued,
“Besides Mafiarism and rotten management, Makerere has a problem of fighting modernity. Why should we in this era of technology, still be pinning results on notice boards, and failing to obtain CEMAS IDs? I personally traveled with my father to Kenyatta University and my heart bled for my own. We should be having things like Javas inside Makerere. The halls should be privatized and inspected for better service delivery.”
He then relaxed a bit, bent back and continued.
“My saddest memories are those I had at Buddo Junior School, where I was head boy when a ballistic fire took innocent lives of students. And also the happiest was me being elected head prefect at the Main Campus of Seeta High School. I can never forget when my father closed the school for a week, when a female teacher assaulted my sister. From then, mine and her issues in the school were to only be handled by the Minister. Dad still comes to my rescue in any sort of need.”
For his final word, Tamale Jr. affirmed to me.
“Mr. Mutumba, it is very true that my father has witchcraft! Sometimes I am tempted to think he is not human – superhuman. I can assure you that if any of these lethal assassinations you see in the news were plotted against him, he would just disappear like a ghost.” He smiled.
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