Ebyafaayo bya Joe Church

Ekitundu ekisinga obunene eky’Okuzuukuka kw’Afirika ey’Obuvanjuba kya Bafirika — kya mukozi w’eby’obulamu eyayatula amalala ge mu maaso g’eddwaliro lyonna, kya muntu wa bulijjo eyabuuliranga mu nguudo okutuusa abantu lwe baalowooza nti agudde eddalu, kya ssaabalabirizi eyattibwa olw’okugaana okusirika. Joe Church teyali n’omu ku bano. Yali musawo Omungereza, omuminsani ow’eddaala erya bulijjo, eyatumibwa okuddukanya eddwaliro mu nsi etaali yiye. Ekifuula erinnya lye obutayawukana ku Kuzuukuka si kwe kuba nti ye yakukulembera — bulijjo yakakasanga nti si ye — wabula nti mu kiwummulo mu 1929, ng’aweddemu amaanyi, yabuuzibwa ekibuuzo kye yali tayinza kwegunjira yekka, era, olw’ekisa, yalina eky’okuddamu ekimu omubuuza kye yali yeetaaga.

Mutabani w’omusumba eyalonda obusawo

John Edward Church — bonna baamuyitanga Joe — yazaalibwa nga 10 Agusito 1899 mu Bungereza, mutabani w’omusumba Omungereza ow’omu kyalo, Edward Joseph Church. Okuva ku myaka kkumi n’emu yaweerezebwa okusoma ewala mu ssomero ly’abato erya St Lawrence College, Ramsgate, nga bwe kyali kitera okukolebwa mu maka g’abasumba mu mulembe ogwali guteredde ogwa Kabaka Edward.

Awo ekyasa ne kimenyeka. Yakula n’atuuka ku myaka egy’obusajja nga Ssematalo Ogusooka gutandise, n’aweereza mu Tank Corps, ng’afuuliddwa omukungu w’amaggye (second lieutenant) ku myaka kkumi n’omwenda — omulenzi omukungu mu kyuma ekyali ekipya era ekisinga obubi mu lutalo olwo. Bwe lwaggwa, mu 1919 yagenda mu Emmanuel College, Cambridge, ku nsimbi ez’amaggye okusoma obusawo, era eyo n’ayingira mu Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union, ekibiina ky’abayizi ab’enjiri abanyiikivu ekibumbye emirembe n’emirembe gy’Abakristaayo Abangereza.

Okukyuka kwe yakumanya olunaku lwennyini: nga 29 Agusito 1920. Kisaanidde okwetegereza nti mutabani w’omusumba, eyakulira munda mu kkanisa era nga yali yeegasse dda ku kibiina ky’Abakristaayo, yali akyasobola okutuuma olunaku ekintu ekyo lwe kyafuuka ekikye. Church yamanya okuva mu bulamu bwe yennyini nti okubeera okumpi n’okukkiriza si kye kimu n’okujjuzibwa nakwo — enjawulo eyali egenda okufuuka ensonga enkulu ey’obuweereza bwe bwonna.

Yatendekebwa mu St Bartholomew’s Hospital e London era n’atuuka ku ddaala lya MD mu 1926. Yali musawo wa ddala, omukugu era omwegendereza, so si mubuulizi eyali asitudde obusitusi ensawo y’omusawo. Nga 28 Okitobba 1927 yasaabala okugenda e Afirika n’ekibiina kya Church Missionary Society, wansi wa Ruanda Mission yaakyo, era oluvannyuma lw’emyezi nga etaano egy’okutendekebwa e Kabale mu Uganda, n’atumibwa okusala ensalo okugenda e Gahini, mu Rwanda. Yatuuka n’asanga ekitundu ekyo nga kinyigirizibwa enjala ey’amaanyi — omulimu gwe ogwasooka mu Afirika gwali mu bantu abaali bafa enjala.

Lusozi Namirembe, Ssebutemba 1929

Emyaka ebiri nga giyiseewo, Church yali akooye nnyo era ng’aweddemu essuubi. Eddwaliro lyali lizibu, ebibala byali bitono, era nga bw’ayogera yennyini yali kumpi okutuuka ku nkomerero y’amaanyi ge. Mu Ssebutemba 1929 yagenda e Kampala okuwummulako akaseera katono, n’asula ku Lusozi Namirembe, awali ekkanisa ennene ey’Ekkanisa ya Uganda. Eyo, okumpi n’ekkanisa ennene, n’asisinkana omuntu wa bulijjo Omunnayuganda ayitibwa Simeon Nsibambi.

Nsibambi yali musajja assibwamu ekitiibwa era ng’alina amaanyi mangi mu by’eddiini, naye yali tamatidde n’akatono — si na nsi, wabula na ye yennyini n’ekkanisa ye. Omusawo ono Omungereza eyali akooye yamubuuza ekibuuzo ekizze kiddiŋŋana mu Kuzuukuka okuva olwo:

Waliwo ekintu ekimbulamu nze n’ekkanisa ya Uganda. Oyinza okumbuulira kye kiri?

— Simeon Nsibambi ng’abuuza Joe Church, ku Lusozi Namirembe, 1929

Church teyalina nteekateeka gy’amuwa. Kye yalina ye njigiriza ya Keswick ku butukuvu gye yali anywedde ng’akyali muyizi — okujjuzibwa Omwoyo Omutukuvu n’ekyo ababuulizi baayo kye baayita Obulamu obw’Obuwanguzi — ne Bayibuli eggule. Abasajja bombi baamala ennaku bbiri nga bali wamu nga tebalina kirala kye bakola okuggyako okusoma n’okusaba. Baayita mu nnyiriri ezikwataganyizibwa (chain-references) n’ebinnyonnyola ebiri mu Bayibuli ya Scofield eya Church ebikwata ku kujjuzibwa Omwoyo, nga bagoberera ensonga eyo okuva mu kitundu ekimu okudda mu kirala, era ne basaba. Nsibambi, ng’omutima gumulumiriza okutuuka ku magumba, n’asaba okuleka ekibi kyonna mu kukkiriza.

Oluvannyuma Church yawandiika ku kusisinkana okwo n’essanyu eryeyoleka ddala — ku ssanyu eringi ery’okubuulira Nsibambi ku kujjuzibwa Omwoyo ne ku Bulamu obw’Obuwanguzi. Yaddayo e Gahini ng’akyuse, n’awandiikira ab’eka sentensi eyafuuka obunnabbi bw’ebyo byonna ebyaddirira:

Kaakano tewali kiyinza kuziyiza kufukibwa kwa mazima okwa Mwoyo Omutukuvu mu Rwanda, okuggyako obutatukuzibwa bwaffe ffennyini.

— Joe Church, ng’awandiikira ab’eka oluvannyuma lw’okusisinkana okwa 1929

Nsibambi ennaku ezo ebbiri teyazeekuumira yekka. Ng’akwatiddwa ensonyi olw’eddiini ye ey’edda era ng’ayaka olw’empya, yatandika okubuulira mu bbanga ku Lusozi Namirembe — ku kumenyeka, ku kwenenya, ku kuzzibwa obuggya — okutuusa baliraanwa be lwe baalowooza nti obwongo bwe tebukyali butebenkevu. Abawandiisi b’ebyafaayo by’ekibiina kino bayita okusisinkana okwo wakati w’abasajja bombi akasasi akaakoleeza mu butongole Okuzuukuka kw’Afirika ey’Obuvanjuba. Kya kitalo okulondoola omuliro ogwabuna ssemazinga okutuuka ku bantu babiri abaali basaba mpola nga bafukamidde, naye eyo gye gutuuka.

Gahini, n’omuliro ogwagaana okusigala mu kifo kimu

Omutima gw’obulamu bwa Church yennyini gwali eddwaliro e Gahini, era eyo, so si ku kituuti ky’olukuŋŋaana olunene lwonna, Okuzuukuka we kutera okugambibwa nti kwasibuka bwe kwabalukawo nga mu 1933. Mu 1930 yali awasizza Decima Tracey — Decie — nga 19 Mayi mu Uganda; naye yennyini yali musawo eyatendekebwa era yakolanga ku mabbali ge e Gahini, era baakuliza abaana bataano mu kifo ekyo. Okuzuukuka, okuva ku ntandikwa, kwali kintu kya mulimu gwa bulijjo: abasawo babiri, waadi ejjudde abalwadde, n’okuzuula mpola nti enjiri gye baabuulira yali erina okusooka okuba ey’amazima mu bo bennyini.

Enkyukakyuka e Gahini yajja okuyita mu mukozi w’eddwaliro ayitibwa Yosiya Kinuka, omusiba w’ebiwundu, mutabani w’omwami ow’e Ankole, eyali ow’amalala era ng’awakanya mu lwatu obubaka obw’okwenenya. Yanyiiganga nnyo okuyitibwa Omulawodikiya — wa kibuguumirize — era okumala akaseera yalwanyisa ekintu ekyo kyonna. Awo omutima ne gumulumiriza. Yayatula mu lwatu eddiini ye ey’erinnya obulinnya n’amalala ge ag’omwoyo, n’akyuka, n’afuuka omu ku basooka mu ttiimu ez’okubuulira enjiri era munne wa Church gwe yakola naye obulamu bwe bwonna. Enkola eyo — omusajja ow’amalala ng’amenyese, ng’atuuma mu ddoboozi eddene ekibi kye kyennyini, mu maaso g’abalala — ye yafuuka yingini y’Okuzuukuka. Kwatambulira si ku bwogezi obulungi wabula ku kwatula, okuliyirira n’okutabagana, okuva ku kulumirizibwa olw’ekibi okutuuka ku kisa ekituuka ewala.

Abalala ne bajja. Mu 1931 Blasio Kigozi, muto wa Nsibambi, yeegatta ku Church e Gahini, ne yeewaayo mu mulimu n’obunyiikivu obwalabika ng’obumanyi nti ekiseera kyabwo kitono. Yakoowoola ekkanisa zukuka — ezuukuke — era oluvannyuma, nga 26 Janwali 1936, n’afa omusujja gw’enkwa, ng’akyali muvubuka. Okubalukawo okusingako obunene kwali kumaze okujja e Kabale, mu Uganda, mu 1935, era okuva eyo enkuŋŋaana ennene ne zitwala ekibiina ebweru mu Afirika ey’Obuvanjuba yonna, era mu kiseera, ne mu Bulaaya, mu Amerika ne mu Buyindi.

Mu byonna ebyo oluyimba lw’Okuzuukuka olw’okukumbirako lwali oluyimba olwangu olw’okwebaza, olwayimbibwanga mu Luganda wonna abalokole — abaalokolebwa — we baakuŋŋaaniranga:

Tukutendereza Yesu — Yesu Omwana gw’Endiga, omusaayi gwo gunnaazizza.

— “Tukutendereza Yesu,” oluyimba lw’Okuzuukuka kw’Afirika ey’Obuvanjuba

Church ye yandisoose okugamba nti tewali na kimu ku bino kye yakola. Yali aleese Bayibuli ya Scofield, enjigiriza ya Keswick entono, n’okwagala okumenyebwa wamu n’Abafirika be yali azze okuweereza. Ebirala byava walala. Bwe waaliwo okuddibwamu kw’okusaba okw’oku Lusozi Namirembe, tekwali kyamagero kimu kye yali asobola okulagako. Kwali kintu kyennyini — omuliro e Gahini, obulamu obwakyuka obw’omusiba w’ebiwundu ow’amalala mu ddwaliro, n’abantu emitwalo n’emitwalo abaali bagenda okutuuma ebibi byabwe ne basanga nga binaaziddwa.

Obuweereza obwawangaala, n’okugenda

Church yawaayo ekitundu ekisinga obunene eky’obulamu bwe eri eddwaliro eryo n’ensi eyo. Yaweereza ng’omusawo wa kabaka wa Rwanda, era Kabaka Baudouin owa Bubirigi n’amuwa omudaali — obubonero bw’ekitiibwa kye yali tanoonya era kye yali tatera kwogerako. Era yawandiika, wadde bulijjo ng’omujulirwa okusinga ng’omuwandiisi w’ebitabo: obulamu bwa Blasio Kigozi, Awake! An African Calling (1937); Forgive Them (1966), olugero lw’omujulizi Omufirika Yona Kanamuzeyi; era, ng’akaddiye, ebyafaayo bye ye ku kibiina kyonna, Quest for the Highest (1981), ebyaggibwa mu bitabo bye yawandiikangamu okumala ekitundu ky’ekyasa.

Enkomerero y’ekiseera kye mu Afirika teyali nnyangu. Mu 1961 yava mu Rwanda wakati mu ffujjo ery’ebika n’ery’ebyobufuzi eryali liyuzaayuza ensi — enjatika ze zimu ezaali zigenda okukaluba ne zifuuka ebibi ennyo okusingawo. Okumala akaseera yayambako okuweereza eddwaliro e Kabarole, mu Uganda, nga tannawummula nga mu 1964. Yava ddala mu Afirika yonna mu 1972, mu myaka gya Amin, n’asenga e Little Shelford, okumpi ne Cambridge gye yasooka okufunira okukkiriza kwe ng’akyali muyizi. Yafiira eyo nga 29 Ssebutemba 1989, ng’aweza emyaka kyenda.

Ky’alese

Joe Church yaleka eddwaliro, ebitabo ebitono eby’obwetoowaze, n’ekibiina ekitaatuumibwa linnya lye kubanga teyakikkiriza. Ky’alese ekisinga okweyoleka kye kifaananyi ky’okusisinkana okwa 1929 — obukakafu nti ebintu ebinene ebya Katonda bisobola okutandika nga bitono nnyo era nga biri wansi nnyo.

Teyali mutandisi mu ngeri okwegomba gye kutegeeramu ekigambo ekyo. Yali musawo eyali aweddemu essuubi mu kiwummulo ekitaali kikye, eyali asitudde Bayibuli eggule n’enjigiriza ku bujjuvu bw’Omwoyo, era eyatuula ennaku bbiri ne muganda we Omufirika eyagaana okumwekwasa obusongasonga. Okuva mu ekyo mwavaamu okuzuukuka okwakyusa ekkanisa mu kitundu kyonna eky’ensi. Sentensi ye yennyini y’esigala nga kye kintu ekisinga obwesimbu kye yayogera ku kwo: nti tewali kiyinza kuziyiza kufukibwa kw’Omwoyo okuggyako obutatukuzibwa mu abo abakusabira. Obulamu bwe obwasigalawo yabumala ng’akakasa nti obubulwa obwo, waakiri, tebuba bubwe.