30/01/2024
BRO AUGUSTINE MUGABO, THE MAN WHO EXPELLED ME FROM SHACK. THIS IS MY UNTOLD SHACK âKITOVUâ STORY.
By Peter Ateenyi.
My first encounter with Bro. Augustine Mugabo was during my secondary school days at St. Henryâs College Kitovu, in Masaka City, where i had my entire 6 years of secondary school education. Bro Mugabo, at that time was the college estate manager and a senior teacher of English Language and Literature. In Jan 2012, Bro Mugabo was appointed head teacher at SHACK. I cannot forget the day I met my SHACK nightmare following a letter that I had written to Bro Mugabo, the new SHACK head teacher. I took advantage of his new role as head teacher to pen the letter that was asking him to establish a student council at SHACK and I went ahead to tell him how the school could have suspended innocent students who could not defend themselves before the fully teacher-composed disciplinary committee. And that the council would come in to defend these students.
Later that Wednesday morning after morning parade, I was invited by a gentleman that we nick named at Kitovu âSad Newsâ because whenever he looked for you, it was most of the time to give you sad news. When i got to the headteacherâs office, Bro Mugabo had photocopied my letter and he handed me a photocopy which he highlighted, and I remember with a green highlighter the phrase âstudents who were expelled, yet were innocent because they couldnât defend themselves before the disciplinary committeeâ. Mugabo handed me a box of 50 pens and a ream of paper and asked me to sit in the common room (the waiting lobby of the SHACK Administration Building) and write all the students that we are expelled so that he brings them back since he was the new person in charge. I was in senior six at that time in time one, and I remember I was the first student that Mugabo âdismissedâ from school as headteacher. My parents were invited to school to collect me and my belongings as the letter that I had written had landed me in hot soup. He handed over a document to my parents which was the indefinite suspension letter that was showing me the exit in the 2nd week of the 1st term of S6.
I was asked out of his office and my parents engaged in a closed door meeting with the then Deputy Head teacher (Mr. Kabuye Joseph), as well as director of studies, (Mr. John Kamugasha) that lasted over an hour . when they came out, they told me to go see the Headteacher and this time i had a 1 on 1 with him. I remember these words that he spoke to me: âPeter you have a bright and promising future. You are in senior six now, focus on your books because they are the most important at this time, I have forgiven you, go back to class and aim at the best grades.â
I was a common face at college because I was part of the daily morning scouts parade for my six years. In S1 &2, I was junior in scouting ranks and could only match at that morning parade before the whole school. I was promoted in rank and club leadership structures and I now became eligible and senior enough to now command the parade or sometimes being the second in command. But every time I commanded the parade, the drills that the scouts made moved the whole school, and I enjoyed it for the rest of the years. That made me a popular scout. So the news of my dismissal circulated quickly around the school, about how Bro Mugabo, the new head teacher had dismissed me only to later learn that he had given me a second chance.
From that day, I became close to Mugabo as he always called me to counsel me and always asked me how life was going. Sth is actually triggered my nickname that my class mates gave me of âSpokesmanâ. I enjoyed the times after that incident and i indeed went on to be among the best students in my year with my MEG/French combination at SHACK . Bro. Mugabo invited the top three students to go back and serve as tutors during our vacation so that we can assist our little brothers excel like we did . Dr. Herbert Kaboggoza, Eng. Peter Tumuhaise and I were the pioneers of that system during the Mugabo era and we were staying in the most beautiful house of the staff quarters. Itâs currently the Deputy Headteacherâs residence. Yeah, Mugabo wanted his 3 âbaby teachersâ to live in comfort. So just like that, he gave me my 1st job as a teacher at SHACK, 2 months after my final UACE Exam.
In July 2013, Bro. Mugabo invited the President of Uganda to officiate over St. Henryâs Day and that would be his maiden visit to Kitovu. I was part of the first batch of the 635 senior 6 leavers from all over Uganda to be part of the National Patriotism Training program. That man picked the phone and rang me and told me, my son youâre going to be in charge of the students parade that will match before the president and the vips that are always where the president is. So start training your brothers tomorrow. I was teaching while training the presidential parade with my fresh military skills from the patriotism training.
As an active energetic old boy who was now part of the school system, it was easy for me to link the college administration to the old boys and these old boys eventually elected me as President of the university chapter of kitovu old boys MUSHACKOBA during my early Makerere University days. My bond for Kitovu grew and i havenât turned back since then. Because I was always quick, Mugabo loved my way of work and i have been close to him since that time. Bro. Mugabo turned me from being bad student that he âexpelledâ to a friend, father, and mentor. This story reflects so many stories out there from hundreds if not thousands of people whose lives Mugabo has positively impacted during his kind of service.
During his tenure at SHACK, I have been fortunate to serve with him as MUSHACKOBA President, SHACKOBA Administrator, Public Relations Officer, and now currently Secretary General of the SHACK Old Boys Association, SHACKOBA. If you understand the roles of those positions, you will now appreciate why i was always in constant interaction with the person of the headteacher at Kitovu, Bro. Augustine Mugabo. He has been at SHACK since 2003 and thatâs where he had his teaching school practice. He went through the ranks to later become estates manager, until when he became headteacher in 2012 (after 10yrs) then he has served for 12 years (2012-2024) as headteacher and his 50th birthday is less than 4weeks away. Another important thing is that he retires at 50years with a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) from Makerere University that he is receiving next week during the 74th graduation.
In his tenure at SHACK, SHACK has regained her glory and name in sports. When you talk matters sports in schools, you canât fail to mention SHACK. Our school football team is an academy and âfertile hunting groundâ for Masaza, Bika, and Super League teams. Students are studying at SHACK and at the same time earning from playing for top clubs like URA FC, KCCA FC, others are abroad and are playing for top clubs . Kitovu boys are playing in European leagues because of the football that Mugabo has promoted at Kitovu. Youngster John Paul Ddembe signed a 4 year contract with Swedish top flight side BK Haken, played his FA match a couple of weeks ago.
He has groomed, nurtured and made 12 Headteachers from the staff that he was leading. The skills of management and leadership style that is at Kitovu is no where else in Uganda. He had over 8 deputies because he loved to delegate and empower other people, as that nurtured future leaders. Kitovu is in safe hands even after Bro. Mugabo. He has left strong systems and i have no doubt Bro. Martin Wanambwa was the best pick to replace Mugabo since he has also been part of the system. What can i talk about academics. Kitovu reclaimed its glory in the top 3 spots always countrywide and number 1 always in Masaka region. Arts and sciences, at both levels.
Through his lobbying and smart mobilisation skills, SHACK has the biggest if not the best state of the art fully stocked science lab, look at the modern infrastructure at Kitovu, state of the art classroom environment, the systems put in place, the paved walk ways and by the way partly lobbied for the new road that heads to kitovu. now thatâs a beauty of its own. Kitovu is beautiful indeed. The highligly motivated staff because he minds about their welfare. You ask why they donât want to
leave Kitovu, now you have an answer because he has mastered the art of making sure that his staff are happy before he sleeps. And this explains the results and SHACK good performance.
The students. He is a father figure and disciplinarian. The boys simply love him because he can easily relate with them. He knows what they love and he strives to provide it to them, just like a father would cater for a family that he loves. Mugabo amanyi okusaka! Show me a school on the land with students who are smart and disciplined like Kitovu students. Even after they leave Kitovu, look at the kind of gentlemen that they become! Thereâs something special about Kitovians. We are humble men of class, valour and highly respected in society.
He has marketed SHACK and some even thought he is an OB. That Kitovu love that Mugabo had was out of this league yet omusajja is a proud old boy of st johnâs kabuwokođ. The SHACK Headteacher (read Mugabo) was the President ASSHU (Association of Secondary School Headteachers in Uganda), UNEB Member, Vice President African Confederation of Principals, ndowooza nkome awo. What should i say about the SHACK@100years function of 2022. That man has mastered the art of lobbying friends and support for SHACK.
We need to thank him for a service well rendered to SHACK since he joined, for the innovation and passion with which he led, that makes you think things are so simple. Aa he embarks on his new journey of retirement, we can only be excited for the education system of the country. Service above self was a main guiding principle in the things that he always did.
THANK YOU BRO DR. AUGUSTINE MUGABO đ
