Because of the war situation, they could not fully sleep at night because at the back of their mind, they were aware that night hours were the most convenient operation hours for the NRA rebels headed by (then) rebel leader Yoweri Museveni.
While celebrating one’s 96th birthday in the present day Uganda is not a mean achievement but also celebrating 70 years in marriage is a far bigger phenomenon. However, quite through God’s providence, Rev. George Mukiibi and his wife Beatrice Nalaaki Mukiibi, are celebrating the platinum anniversary in marriage on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025.
They were married in September 1955 by the late Dunstan Nsubuga, the then bishop of Namirembe diocese, who also consecrated him as a priest.
Born about 96 years ago (he is not certain about his birth date) to Samuel Balaba and Viola Nanfuka of Buteera in Bulemeezi, the present day Nakaseke district. Rev. Mukiibi’s wife Beatrice is 88 years old. According to their own story, the two have seen all they were meant to see in life, as young people in the post-independence era, right through the five-year NRA protracted war, to the present day.
Through the two-hour interview at their home located at Nakifuma in Nakifuma-Naggalama town council, Mukono district, they defied all odds naturally presented by old age, and bore no sign of regret, ailment or being overtaken by fatigue.
Flanked by a section of their children and grandchildren, the Mukiibis, wearing faces void of gloom and full of satisfaction, sanctity and sobriety, narrated the history of their life to the dot, recalling events in their life like occurrences that happened a few years back, with each reminding the other where one may have fallen short of some data.
A son to a lay reader, Samuel Balaba, Mukiibi was also commissioned as a lay reader by Namirembe Diocese at the age of 26 at Ndejje, and he also served as a classroom teacher at Bbowa-Mpumudde. Freshly married, the couple served in various places including Bbowa, Bukuuku, Kavumba all in present-day Luweero Diocese until their relocation to Kiziika in Bugerere, (present-day Mukono Diocese) to escape the wrath of the Luweero Triangle war.
As a youthful clergyman, Rev. Mukiibi was sent to minister at Kavumba in the current Luweero diocese which was then under Namirembe diocese, one of the areas most adversely affected by the liberation war in the early 1980s.
Being enthusiastic and fresh in the ministry, despite the security situation which was not stable in his new area of ministry, Rev. Mukiibi says when he was assigned to go and minister at Kavumba he did not hesitate.
Unknowingly to him was the insecurity which acted as a stumbling block in his ministry to the extent that it almost claimed the couple’s life.
The 96-year-old Rev. Mukiibi vividly recalls two incidents in which he cheated death by a whisker, and retells everything as if they happened yesterday.
Because of the war situation, they could not fully sleep at night because at the back of their mind, they were aware that night hours were the most convenient operation hours for the NRA rebels headed by (then) rebel leader Yoweri Museveni. Majority of residents in the neighbourhood had fled the war torn zone but the Mukiibis stayed put, relying on divine protection.
“One day, as we were in our house, the rebels ambushed us after having disarmed guards at a petrol station and took them as recruits into the rebel ranks. “They kicked open our door thinking we were harbouring government soldiers, wondering how we could have remained behind when all the people had fled the area, and I tactfully confronted them clad in my priestly attire and, on seeing the collar on my neck, they asked us for prayers and went away,” Mukiibi told this reporter, adding;
“They jokingly asked us why we had not told them that it was a reverend inside the house? ‘It’s the reverend who led us into prayers, how then can we harm you, we are very sorry!’ but as they were saying all that, we were already halfway dead because the armed rebels were all over in our sitting room.”
To date he is convinced that they had God’s protection on them when, in yet another incident, a stray bullet narrowly missed hitting him right in the skull and landed on a wall behind him.
Although the retired priest was unwilling to divulge information about their family giving the reason that in Buganda it is taboo to count children, his wife thought otherwise and disclosed that God blessed them with seven biological children between them, while the man had strayed outside marriage and sired two children.
On how they managed to educate, let alone provide for their children, they said that although money was scarce, they planned well and managed to provide education to their children.
“And we were blessed that Christians were generous and loving, because they used to top up our meagre monthly salary of sh60 with food,” he said.
The wife Beatrice said besides the usual human hardships like her personal ill health now and then, things normally moved as planned.
“We were healthy and that is why on retirement in 2000, we were able to continue voluntarily serving in churches in this area, including St. Luke’s Church Nakifuma, Can. Zzimbe Church and Nakiwaate all under Bukoba archdeaconry in Mukono diocese, we continued to serve until three years ago when the reverend’s health weakened,” she narrated.
Mrs. Mukiibi says they have never owned a motorized means of transport and that all along through their ministry, he used to carry her on their bicycle but that because they had spiritual commitment to serve their God, they never complained.
How did they manage to muster so much love among the flocks? For an answer, Rev. Mukiibi had this to say: “During my pastoral rounds, I used to visit, counsel and give guidance to Christians and non-Christians alike, without discrimination”. His words were supplemented by the wife saying, “He never drank alcohol, never quarreled and never for once beat or scolded me in presence of the children. Therefore, we were a living example to the couples we ministered”.
On how they managed to ensure full control of their children even during the notorious teenage years, she said their parents were born-again, and they themselves grew up as born-agains, and bred their children in that manner. “As today’s children go out in night clubs, ours found refuge in Sunday schools and other religious gatherings,” said Mrs. Mukiibi.
In this light, she appealed to Christian parents especially those in ministry to always move around with their children, whereupon Rev. Mukiibi interjected: “During holidays, I used to go around with the children, teaching them issues pertaining to ministry, and to always consult when confronted with a problem.
No wonder one of their granddaughters, Juliet Nabatanzi, is herself a Reverend and Herbert Magala a grandson, is a lay reader who is currently pursuing a divinity degree.
With a feeling of confidence and boldness, Rev. Mukiibi at one point confessed that during the course of their marriage, he had an extra marital relationship where he added two sons to their family, and hastened to add, “I confessed to my wife and we came to terms over that matter”.
In her concluding remarks, the wife said she worked single handedly in the garden with no helping hand, but that she accepted that as part of her life since they had to feed the family.
She also expressed gratitude that her love for her spouse, trust and togetherness have paid off by keeping them still attached to each other as ever before.
And Rev. Mukiibi’s final remarks were appreciating his wife, for being such a loving, calm, hard worker and not quarrelsome.
He also attributes the tranquil type of life and service in ministry to a number of factors including being understanding and accommodative to each other, avoiding as much as possible any form of confrontation and being open to each other in their day-to-day dealings.
“I have never known discrimination of any sort in life, all communities we have worked with have been loving; our children are now grown and provide for all our needs, we are a satisfied couple and in return, we feel indebted to love communities who have loved us”, the ageing man-of-God stated.
Kyaggwe TV talked to some of the couple’s children and grandchildren who spoke highly and in awe of their parents. Rev. Juliet Nabatanzi Kansiime, the Deputy Ndejje University Champlain Kampala Campus grew up under the two, as her biological parents died in her infancy.
A daughter to John Mukiibi and Margaret Nabaseruka, Rev. Kansiime is also the wife to Rev. Johnson Kansiime, the Provincial Chaplain to the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu.
She says the platinum marriage anniversary couple has been loving, unreserved and always true to their word which she avers, has been an example for her in grooming her own children. “I have never seen Dad and Mum in disagreement and so I have no excuse for following in ways they never taught me to”, she said.
And one of their sons, the 61-year-old Benon Ssemakula, a driver with the Ministry of Finance, says he separated with his parents during the 1981-86 war, and grew up in Kawanda. He says the good habits he picked from them have kept him cherished at his place of work.
Harriet Mukiibi, 58, says her parents’ 70 years of marriage have been years of happiness, unity, peace and love for the family. “When we used to visit them at their various work places, communities welcomed us like they were welcoming their own children,” Harriet said.
Fred Nsiko Mukiibi thanks God for their parents’ life. He says his parents have been exemplary to them to love their spouses and breed children that love, respect and fear God. “Theirs has been an exemplary marriage and we have no excuse for beating our wives,” Nsiko said.
And a granddaughter Dianah Najjuma (37) thinks it is by God’s blessing that she has managed to live to see her grandparents’ platinum jubilee.
“Jjajja Mukyala (Grandma) taught me humility and patience. Praying and trusting God which I learnt from her have brought me up as an agreeable woman and a blessing to my own family,” she said.
Another grandson Herbert Magala, a lay reader and pursuing a bachelor’s divinity degree, is happy to be following in his grandfather’s footsteps. “As for me and my family, we shall serve the lord, thanks to my grannies,” he said.
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