Killed and cruelly wrapped in a tarpaulin in a boys’ hostel in Kyambogo three weeks ago, friends, family and former students still mourn the passing of Brother Norbert Mugarura, the former superior general of the Banakarooli brothers of Kiteredde.
Banakarooli brothers of Kiteredde are dedicated to the care of the youth, traditionally through education but also care for children orphaned by HIV/Aids. In his professional and religious life, friends and students knew the priest as a sociable man and a charming disciplinarian, who followed school rules to the latter.
Brother Mugarura was only three months in the job of superior general of the Banakarooli brothers of Kiteredde when he was killed allegedly by Robert Asiimwe, a youth, the priest personally supported. Asiimwe appeared before Grade One Magistrate Fiona Angura last Thursday and was remanded to Luzira prison until July 29.
Asiimwe recorded a police statement admitting culpability in self-defence because the deceased priest was driving him into sexual acts. To most of his former students interviewed, brother Mugarura was a charming disciplinarian. His former students at ST. Charles Lwanga Vocational School Kitabi have very fond memories of him.
“Brother loved his boys very much that at some point, he used his own salary to pay school fees for many students. I remember him on many occasions he used to leave his office and happily join students for a small chat in the compound,” one former student said in a recent interview.
He was that administrator who kept an open door policy. He came to us just like we would go to him. His filial attachment to the students was challenged by no other head teacher I have met in the whole of my secondary school life…” said Jordan Mukundwa, an old student.
Mukundwa was quick to dismiss as false Robert Asiimwe’s allegation of improper sexual conduct on the part of Brother Mugarura.
“As far as I can remember, there are very many students who were very close to brother more than Asiimwe while we were still at school…” says a somber Mukundwa.
John Muhunde, another old student of ST. Charles Lwanga Vocational School Kitabi, was all praises for the man students commonly referred to as the humble servant of God. Just like Mukundwa, Muhunde asserts that brother mugarura was a total educationist.
“Brother was very jolly and charming but he did not tolerate any kind of nonsense. He always wanted to see the best out of us. All the same father was very close to the students,” he said.
At one time the water pump got issues and he said his boys cannot go to the well looking for water. He used his personal money to restore water. Brother Mugarura had a big heart and we shall miss him…” Muhunde said.
Muhunde said Mugarura’s death has raised many questions.
“Asiimwe who is suspected of killing Brother Mugarura was a very normal student just like the others because we were in the same class when we sat for our senior four in 2015. He was even at one point a health minister at school but I am surprised that he was behind this cold murder…” a distressed Muhunde said.
According to Generoza Katerere Bakaishisha, the mother of the deceased, her son “started serving as an altar boy at Katojo Catholic church from the time he was five years old.
“He has been paying school fees for most children of his sister and his late brother even for those whom he is not related to. He has been currently paying school fees for over thirty children in the universities, institutions and secondary school…” said Katerere.
She said her son was planning to celebrate his silver jubilee in religious life in April 2020. Brother Mugarura was born Norbert Emmanuel Mugarura on December 28, 1972 to Essay Bakaishisha and Generoza Katerere Bakaishisha of Buyanja Village Nyakibaare Parish Kabale Diocese in Rukungiri District.
Between 1981 and 1987, Brother Mugarura joined Katojo Primary school for his Primary Level before joining ST. Gerald SS in 1988 and then Sacred Heart Kiteredde in Kyotera in 1990 where he sat for his Uganda Certificate of Education Examinations in 1991.
In 1992, Mugarura joined the Banakarooli Brothers and became a postulant before successfully taking his vows on January 6 1995. In the same year, he was posted to Bukalaji Primary School in Gomba District as a teacher and later joined Masaka Academy in 1997-1998 for his A’level.
He later enrolled at National Teachers College, Nkozi for a grade IV teaching certificate between 1999 -2000. He was appointed as head teacher of ST. Charles Lwanga Mukumu in Kenya between 2001 and 2004.
In 2005, Brother Mugarura returned to Uganda and enrolled for a Bachelor’s Degree in Science majoring in Mathematics and Economics at Uganda Martyrs University, which he eventually completed in 2008.
The same year, Brother Mugarura returned to Sacred Heart Kiteredde in Kyotera his alma mater as a teacher of Mathematics and Economics. He later joined ST. Charles Lwanga Vocational School Kitabi as a Head Teacher in 2013. On 27th January 2019, Brother Mugarura was elected as the new superior general of the Banakarooli brothers of Kiteredde a position he held till his death.
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