War and Fate
Reading “Ssematimba and Kikwabanga” in a twenty-first-century context, several interpreters engage with its topics via the themes of war and fate, applying them to politics and social life.
For example, they speak about how the song advises leaders to make changes in the moment and to avoid harping too much on the past or the future. Jimmy Ssenfuka Kibirige explains “Ssematimba and Kikwabanga” in terms of two interwoven factors, the first being the notion that violence is reciprocal by nature. Whatever cruelty the brothers inflicted would always come back to them. Kibirige notes that the goats, a plunder that they acquired during battle, were ill gotten because they came at the expense of others. In a karmic sense, the brothers were not able to enjoy them, instead receiving a taste of their own medicine:
Ssematimba and Kikwabanga’s goats were plunder from their previous battles. However, because plunder brings about misfortune, the brothers were probably cursed to never enjoy feasting on the goats. People should never celebrate that which has brought others misfortune. The brothers’ feast was meant to be a celebration, but stolen items never bring about anything good. Therefore, it is unwise to celebrate something that is obtained so unscrupulously. Could this be one of the reasons why the brothers died?
1Kibirige interview, December 18, 2019.Kibirige’ second factor here is about living in the moment and appreciating the present. He explains that the brothers lost the chance to enjoy their plunder because they hesitated to do so while they could, instead putting it off under the assumption of a joyful, more resolved future. This decision was ineffective because the brothers never recognized the possibility of death, as a result failing to appreciate the abundance of their living. Kibirige continues:
Additionally, it is unwise to put things off until the future given that there is no guarantee one will be around to see it. Kikwabanga and his brother left behind a feast to go to war. They put it off until the future but never came back. They anticipated a tomorrow that never came. Current political leaders should take heed of this lesson and not rush to think of the future. If they have the opportunity to accomplish something, they should do it then.
2Ibid.Kibirige’s two points act as an interwoven reframing that demonstrates a multilayered understanding of “Ssematimba and Kikwabanga.” Their interconnectedness challenges us to recognize that reciprocity factors into present-mindedness, as one should express gratitude as soon as possible lest some unforeseen event, like a karmic reaction to seizing an enemy’s goats, interrupt it. Indeed, those who inflict violence on others earn punishment in turn.
In Steven Mukasa Kabugo’s interpretation, he expands on Kibirige’s ideas on fate and timing by demonstrating how the song recognizes life’s uncertainty. He extends the point to apply to the idea of security. Specifically, he adds more to our discussion on present-mindedness, highlighting the impulses one may have to predict the unknown and to protect oneself. These tendencies dominate the experiences of many individuals, and Kabugo argues that this pursuit will falter at one point or another, for even those with great power or foresight can fail:
“Ssematimba and Kikwabanga” signifies that even if one does everything in one’s power to prevent misfortunes, they will eventually come to pass. An individual can have personal power, but the time will come when someone else will beat or outsmart him or her.
3Kabugo interview, December 19, 2019.According to Kabugo’s analysis, the first step in affirming life is to accept its cruelty and confusion and to love it anyway. Otherwise, an obsession with security only undermines one’s ability to enjoy life, while providing insufficient power to fully protect one from danger.
Jessy Ssendawula’s interpretation extends the conversation on death and living in the moment by calling to mind examples from popular literature and how they can serve as advice for leaders. Synthesizing the message from “Ssematimba and Kikwabanga” with the content of Chinua Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart (1958), he draws parallels between the story of the two brothers’ deaths and the philosophy of a character in the book known as Unoka. Ssendawula argues that death arrives seamlessly and unexpectedly and that one should, as Unoka put it, eat one’s fill while one can:
The song “Ssematimba and Kikwabanga” reminds me of the philosophy of Unoka, a character from Chinua Achebe’s
Things Fall Apart. Unoka says that whenever he looked at the mouth of a dead man, he realized the folly of people not eating their fill when they had the chance. In this life, what counts more is the present; people never have assurance of tomorrow. Therefore, political leaders should avoid making promises for the future. They should take action now, in the present moment. It is better to accomplish something small in the present than to promise something big in the future. Whenever people have the time to enjoy themselves, they should take advantage of it. They never know if they will be alive tomorrow, regardless of their strength in the past. This song is also a song of disappointment scoffing at saving everything good for the future for which people have no guarantee. It instructs them to use the moment for all they can do, because they never know what tomorrow will bring.
4Ssendawula interview, December 28, 2019.By relating these two stories, Ssendawula uses the image of the mouth of a dead man to express how we should be grateful while we are alive, especially for simple, daily functions like eating.
Adding to the idea that violence is karmically reciprocal, Peter Kinene illustrates the ways that forces tend to feed back on themselves. As he explains, just because one puts one’s action in a particular direction does not mean it will stay that way, as the action could come back to bite one later or may have an indirect consequence. For example, a leader might try to rile up his supporters to criticize an opponent, but those same supporters could, once energized, come back to criticize this very leader. Kinene suggests that one cannot assume that telos (purpose) perfectly translates to its effect. Telos only reflects on intention, and once it has begun, Kinene observes, numerous external factors can intersect with this originating force to override such intention:
Ssematimba and Kikwabanga gained their wealth through war. It is likely the grief and pain of those they killed and robbed contributed to the death of the warrior brothers. They probably died like those they used to attack. The song therefore cautions listeners to be careful, because the sorrows of those they harm may eventually become their own. In politics, for example, politicians may upset and hurt the public or harass one another. Eventually, though, the pain they inflict on others will come back to be inflicted on them.
5Kinene interview, December 16, 2019.Kinene’s reimagination of “Ssematimba and Kikwabanga” shows how the brothers’ actions and subsequent death were connected, intricately woven aspects of a larger story that the song’s text had not yet stated explicitly. His commentary also illuminates the brothers’ death as more than mere randomness. By attributing it to their actions, he frames the events of the song not only as a tragedy but as a cautionary tale.
Edward Ssebunnya Kironde uses “Ssematimba and Kikwabanga” to elaborate on how violence and harm manifest today in Uganda. He specifically claims that it reveals how some leaders overstep their rule. He claims that similar to how the brothers acquired their plunder through force, contemporary national leaders supposedly gain some of their riches through political manipulation and social repression. However, says Kironde, these gains may ultimately be subject to retribution because they are ill-obtained:
Cycles of fighting and looting never end. President Museveni questions why people are calling for him to leave the presidential office when he has discovered oil in Uganda and done other good things for the country. Everything he talks about tends to be in possessive language even when referring to public property: “My country,” etc. He forgets that it is not his oil and that he never created it; it is for the nation. He risks being like Ssematimba and Kikwabanga, both of whom never made it back home and who were perhaps too used to victory. They would fight and take people’s things, but in the end they died. A hero can so easily turn into the villain. Although it is unclear that this will be the case with President Museveni, many people are already thinking that he is a fallen hero. He liberated Ugandans, but right now, things are not good for most of them. His contemporaries and former heroes or liberators who became corrupt, such as Omar al-Bashir of Sudan and Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Libya, came to terrible ends. Many Nigerians, too, are praying for the day their president will die. These examples should be a reminder to President Museveni that a leader should not overstay in power. The longer he stays, the more his faults will accumulate. Soon people will no longer focus on the good politicians did in the past and switch their attention to the harm they are doing in the present.
6Kironde interview, December 19, 2019.Kironde’s statement reveals how the actions of the national leaders and the brothers in “Ssematimba and Kikwabanga” reflect each other and how those of leaders will not go unremembered. Both hopeful and critical, the commentary gives a unique look at the current regime and political situation of Uganda and of Africa at large.
Kironde continues his analysis by remarking that current leaders will eventually have to answer for what they have done, using the image of the two warriors to emphasize that leaders falling from power is inevitable, as their tactics (manipulating the masses to maintain power) are unsustainable:
Some current leaders of Uganda have reached the same point as Ssematimba and Kikwabanga. Therefore, the time for them to leave is approaching. Even though some might win elections now or spout ideology, the time is coming when they will run out of tactics. It is troubling that some people—mainly pastors—have already declared that President Museveni will win the 2021 election. Many people believe that he will rig the election, and this is obvious in part because he has never lost an election since he has been in office. In some areas, especially those where he is unpopular, ballots do not usually arrive until late afternoon. Other times, districts produce votes that outnumber their populations. Eventually, these and other tactics will backfire.
7Kironde interview, December 19, 2019.Kironde projects the two brothers as skilled and renowned warriors while projecting politicians as crafty and manipulative. His presentation of these two related yet differing traits reminds us that great leaders might fall badly when their actions continue to hurt those they lead. In particular, the people in power will eventually have to answer for what they have done, much in the same way the two warriors did.
Affirming the importance of mutuality in lending quality to life, Ssendawula offers an insight about interdependence and why it is crucial for maintaining well-being. He suggests that one’s existence is only possible through one’s interaction with the surrounding world—with friends, family, and larger social groups. Such interdependence nourishes us, as life is not just a physiological concept or any material marker of individual prowess and achievement (such as rearing and accumulating goats) but a celebration of joyful living with those who are important to us. As he points out,
People should always have access to some form of entertainment or revelry to celebrate their labors. Celebration and festivities are some of the things that give human lives meaning. Without them, people are little more than clay, set to break and crumble to dust when they die. Again, it is what friends and family share that nourishes them in this world. When death comes, we go with nothing.
8Ssendawula personal communication, April 8, 2020.Through this analysis, “Ssematimba and Kikwabanga” delivers a philosophy of what constitutes life. If one lives resentfully, enforcing harm for material gain, it is not only one’s moral standing that suffers but the fabric of one’s being. By rejecting mutual care, living against (instead of for) others, one damages one’s own spirit.
In another reading, Kinene criticizes attempts to subdue and predict the future, rejecting common attitudes that attempt to confirm existence as holding a codifiable essence. Instead, he affirms an appreciation of life as it occurs (thus, changes) and embraces both the joy and the suffering associated with it. As he observes,
Regardless of personal wealth, everyone leaves the same, taking nothing with him or her. Even when someone has a lot of wealth, it cannot provide any security over death. Furthermore, no one is ever certain of when their time will come. For both those reasons, it is important to appreciate the good things in life as they come, as opposed to waiting for some eventual period of total bliss that may never come. This also applies to sharing one’s success or rewards with family and friends. People need to do honorable deeds in the present rather than pushing them to the future, which, once more, is inherently uncertain.
9Kinene interview, December 16, 2019.As Kinene suggests, no one can achieve transcendent beauty or joy, as that would be a refusal of the existence that we face—a world that can be so cruel, yet so beautiful and worldly. In this way, it is important to appreciate life as it comes. From this perspective, rearing goats comes to represent an over-obsession with maximizing value, of achieving “total bliss.” He also seems to imply that if we focus less on accumulating wealth (tethering goats) and more on appreciating family and friends, we will experience less friction at the time of death. In other words, when we embrace, value, and share what we have in the present moment, we might not become like the singer who lamented his isolation, lonesomeness, and loss.
According to Ssendawula, death’s inevitability is what makes human life so valuable, and he advises that politicians treat it as such:
The song reminds leaders that death is a universal force. It comes to the commoner just as it comes to warriors and dignitaries. This inevitability of death, this finite nature, is what defines the preciousness of human life. Leaders should therefore focus their efforts not on engaging in violence or war, but on investing in the health and lives of their people. They should do this both by investing in healthcare and by working to reduce violence and crime, so that as many people as possible can lead long and healthy lives.
10Ssendawula personal communication, April 8, 2020.Ssendawula’s alternate reading of “Ssematimba and Kikwabanga” suggests that the profundity of death, and thus of life, informs political decision-making. With a mindset that embraces this ultimate truth, politicians may be able to enable the joys of existence across a greater swath of their population. Doing so will benefit them, since they will abandon their own exacerbated preoccupations with preserving themselves and encourage those who keep them in power to support and fondly engage with them.
In her additional comments on “Ssematimba and Kikwabanga,” Harriet Kisuule reminds us that leaders must fulfill their social responsibilities to their people, just as parents must do for their children. In this sense, responding to duty plays a key role in achieving a fulfilling life. By refusing to compromise their values for greed, people will uplift themselves and those around them. Applying this idea to leaders, citizens, and warriors, Kisuule reimagines duty as serving to satisfy one’s sense of care and presence in the world. These qualities far outweigh the significance of any amount of money or power, as Kisuule explains:
Ssematimba and Kikwabanga, great warrior brothers who protected their lands, should inspire and teach modern Ugandans to fight with determination. Many need to stand up and protect not only their land, as was the case with the brothers, but their right to truth and fairness. They should do so as the brothers did, being willing to do whatever is necessary to fulfill their role, in this case not as warriors but as active citizens. The same should also apply to leaders. They need to be able to demonstrate that they are committed to fulfilling their role as protectors of the people, rather than succumbing to corruption and damaging the country instead of improving it. So it is important to execute one’s duties, regardless of external factors.
11Kisuule interview, December 21, 2019.Kisuule puts a spin on “Ssematimba and Kikwabanga” that reconciles the disjunction between the roles of leaders and the reality of their actions. She reminds us how death serves as a prerequisite to life. At the moment of death, all that remains is the value in one’s life, one’s duty, joy, appreciation, and excitement. If one lives a life where one often forgoes such pursuits, always rejecting them in favor of security, safety, uniformity, and stagnation, then one might be surprised to find a particular sensation of emptiness in one’s final moments.
Pivoting from other commentators’ positions, Kisuule further argues that self-preservation, though often taken to anxious levels, is important given the increasing danger of the world. Drawing on the idea that Ssematimba and Kikwabanga could have avoided death if they had been more careful about which conflicts they were involved in, she suggests that pursuing conflict can unnecessarily lead to death. Even if life is unpredictable, there are still ways to mitigate danger without becoming consumed by concerns for security. Everyone still needs to eat and drink to survive, and in today’s world, money is often necessary to acquire sustenance, Kisuule points out:
It is important for leaders to listen to and respect other people’s views; they do not have to make decisions like despots. Instead, it is better for them to engage with the community to determine what is best for them. Also, the average person should not try to engage in battles that do not benefit him or her. For example, if the government arrests Bobi Wine, as much as one might believe in him as a leader, it is simply not worth it for ordinary citizens to put their livelihoods at risk by protesting Wine’s imprisonment. These people have to work every day for their food and sustenance. In other words, the majority of other people’s battles do not and should not concern those not directly involved. Though this may seem callous or uncompassionate, it is necessary to have these sorts of principles and strong will for self-preservation in an increasingly uncertain world.
12Ibid.Kisuule provides a sobering perspective that self-preservation sometimes ought to come before preserving an ideal. The crucial thing, then, is deciding when to save oneself or save another. To this point, she stresses that it is not wise for people to impose their presence onto situations they need not be involved in (like war), as such an action might be risky, arrogant, and self-fulfilling.
Ssendawula draws on his prior discussion of death’s inevitability to underscore the importance of cultivating a legacy to persevere after one’s death, encouraging politicians to prioritize more humanitarian policies. He argues that if there is something to achieve, then pursuing a sound legacy will constructively impact communities; as in death, people will memorialize someone on the basis of what they leave behind. If one has caused suffering in one’s lifetime, one is also likely to dwell on that in one’s final moments, just as Ssematimba and Kikwabanga faced their own emotional discomfort. Ssendawula notes:
Cultivating a legacy that will continue on long past their death should be a goal for all leaders. By serving their people well, their deeds can eclipse their death when it eventually comes, and society will revere them for their leadership the way figures such as Nelson Mandela and Julius Nyerere are.
13Ssendawula personal communication, April 8, 2020.Ssendawula’s meditation on the legacies of twenty-first-century leaders reminds us that only a proud legacy can ward off total annihilation, as it will carry one’s memory into generations to come.