Nsibirwa personified feminine power

TRIBUTE | CELEBRATING | LIFE

Allen Nkata Nsibirwa, the deceased wife of John Kigobe Nsibirwa (son of Buganda’s former Katikkiro, Martin Luther Nsibirwa) was a great woman of marvellous attributes. 

She excelled in her career as a banker, entrepreneur and philanthropist. 

She shone even more brightly as an exemplary Christian wife, mother and grandmother. 

The attributes of Allen were highlighted with even greater admiration by her close friend and former workmate, Esther Byarugaba, who spoke highly of her honesty, friendship and great love for people. 

“I worked with Allen at Grindlays Bank in the 1970s and 1980s. She was a lovely woman with a clean heart; faithful and honest. 

Allen Nkata Nsibirwa was born on February 12, 1946 and died on August 8, 2022.

She did not have ill feelings. She wished everybody well and it was her who enticed me into business. After opening a shop, Alma Gowns, at the Grand Imperial Hotel, she called me and told me she had an empty room. 

She then encouraged me to occupy it and do some business in it, so that I could supplement my bank salary. I followed her advice and started a salon. 

“Allen was an influential woman. Even after her retirement and relocation to the US, she was still remembered fondly by many people at the central bank, Grindlays Bank and Standard Bank, where she previously worked. 

She cherished friendship. Even during the last days of her life, she still reached out to her long-time friends on phone,” Byarugaba recalled. 

Victoria Matovu, another close friend, also spoke sweetly about Allen. 

“Allen was my best friend and actually, I was her matron. She was friendly and loved all people. But she loved children in a special way. 

She also had an extraordinary love for her family. She was passionate about work and if she wanted to do something, she would go for it even if it required her meeting President Museveni,” Matovu said.

Christine Birabwa aka Biira echoed the remarks of her two contemporaries. 

“Allen’s love for people was immense. If you lost your parents, she would make you her foster child. She had an incredibly sharp memory. 

She actually never stored the phone numbers of her friends. She would just keep them off-head. She was a workaholic who always came up with interesting business ideas,” Biira said. 

Robert Wagwa Nsibirwa, who spoke on behalf of the family of Martin Luther Nsibirwa (RIP), also spoke highly of Allen. 

Former head of marketing at Vision Group Susan Nsibirwa leading family members in eulogising their mother, Allen Nkata Nsibirwa, during the funeral service Namirembe Cathedral recently. (Credit: Mathias Mazinga)

“The family of Martin Luther Nsibirwa has always been a great one, but when Allen joined it, she gave it more energy. She was a hardworking woman who juggled various trades. Challenges never intimidated her. 

She actually saw every challenge as an opportunity to innovate and advance. She loved her children and dearly loved her husband. To her, everybody was a friend. She never hated anybody,” Wagwa observed. 

The former Katikkiro of Buganda, Daniel Muliika, described Nsibirwa as an exemplary wife and mother. 

“She was a model of a perfect Christian wife, an exemplary mother who exercised responsible parenting. She gave good care and support to her husband John. Actually, John never had to think a lot because Allen always thought and planned for him. 

Allen was a true patriot who believed in mutual existence and consensus as opposed to tribalism and politically-motivated hatred, domination and oppression. Her demise is thus a big blow to the people of Buganda and Uganda,” Muliika said. 

The Rev. Dr. Alex Kasirye, a priest of the Anglican Diocese of New England (in the US), paid glowing tribute to Allen for her sustained love and support to the churches and Christian communities in Boston. 

He said Allen remained supportive even after her return to Uganda. Kasirye later referred to Allen as a peace lover and reconciler.

The assistant bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Kampala, Dr Hannington Mutebi, also spoke sweetly of the deceased. “Allen was a generous Christian. When I fell sick, she raised funds from her friends in Boston towards my treatment. Today, I am alive because of her love and generosity, and the generosity of people like her,” Mutebi said. 

Allen was also eulogised passionately by her children, who all rhymed in their acknowledgement of her hard work, human solidarity and religious devotion. 

hey also acknowledged her great wisdom and a deep sense of good things. 

“Maama always made it clear to us that nothing is received on a silver platter. So, she would put it to us to work hard. She also always cautioned us against vices such as tribalism. She argued that every human being was endowed with gifts and talents, which was why it was important for people to befriend each other and benefit from each other’s talents.

Buganda's Deputy Katikkiro, Robert Waggwa Nsibirwa and his family members lay a wreath on the casket of the late Allen Nkata Nsibirwa during memorial service at Namirembe Cathedral. (Mathias Mazinga)

“Our mother was a hardworking woman. She was always up to something. Even when she was weak, she insisted on working. She was a prayerful woman who also taught us how to pray. 

If it were not for her prayerful disposition, we would not be the Christians we are today. It is my prayer that all people come to the personal knowledge of Jesus as their Lord and savour. If you accept Jesus, your transition from this earthly life to the heavenly one will be peaceful,” Susan Nsibirwa said.

Nsibirwa’s Demise 

Nsibirwa succumbed to heart-related complications on August 8, 2022. She was 76 years old. 

Prior to her burial, she was accorded a glorious memorial service at St Paul’s Cathedral, Namirembe. 

The Rev. Can. Daudi Sserubidde, who was the homilist during the service, asked the Christians, who filled the cathedral, to emulate the Christian commitment of the late Nsibirwa, by serving God with utmost devotion.

Biography 

Allen was born on February 12, 1946, to the late Ibrahim London Nkata of Bulemezi and Sarah Namiiro of Ntinda. 

She began her schooling at Old Kampala Primary School, then went to Buganda Road Primary School. 

She joined Kako Girls Junior School and then went to Kololo Senior Secondary School. She worked at Grindlays and Standard banks. 

She was a business person and owned a groceries store in Mengo. 

She later joined the crafts business and had a shop called Crafts Bazaar at the Grand Imperial Hotel in Kampala.

Allen travelled a lot doing business, where she was involved in the importation and exportation of craft products. Later on, she started a juice-making factory in Ntinda.

She was a jack of all trades and was well-known in the business world. She loved Buganda and her clan of Nsenene (grasshoppers). She was a granddaughter of Muganzi-awongererwa, who brought cotton seeds from Tanzania to Uganda and has a road named after him in Wandegeya. 

Allen also ventured a little into politics and was a mobiliser of the party she was in. 

She was one of the core founding members of Uganda Women’s Entrepreneur’s Association Limited (UWEAL). 

She was a resident of the US for 15 years. She was a loving wife to John Kigobe Nsibirwa for 50 years. 

They made 50 years of marriage on May 6, 2022. She was a mother of many children, biological and non-biological, including Primrose, Harriet, Barbara (RIP), Susan, John, Semu, Sara, Lydia, Judith, Kasirivu, Harriet, Kisaakye, Nakkazi and Namande. 

Allen will be fondly remembered by her many grandchildren, including James, Rachael, Naomi, Eleanor, Jack, Nakato, Babirye, Rosa, Jill, Malaika, Portia, Aretha, Elisha, Jeremiah, Hannah, Eliana, and great-grandchildren: Malachi and Keza.

She was a loving mama and ssenga to many of her nieces and nephews who dearly loved her and cared for her.

Nsibirwa loved music and beauty.