Ruth Wanyana Njuki was born on 5th May 1927 at Mengo Hospital. She was the seventh daughter and eleventh child out of 14 children of Ezera Kabali and Yuniya Anne Namuli Ngandaziweddeyo buried in the Lugo family cemetery.
Education
Wanyana had her primary and secondary education at Gayaza High School, at the YWCA School of Stenography, Uganda. She later went to Innoxa School of Cosmetology, UK
Marriage and family
In April 1947 she got married to Caxton Mugimba Njuki, son of Semion Katende Njuki and Ethel Samali Nanfuna, at Namirembe Cathedral. They had five children:
- Caroline Namakula Angela Naambi Kabejja Winfred Njuki
- Frank Katende Rex Kyobinga Njuki
- Stella Nabatanzi Nabawanuka Chancelet Njuki
- Ezera Tebuseeke Simwogerere Njuki
- Victor Edward Simwogerere Njuki (RIP)
They also raised, as their son, Patrick Kinene a son of the late Dan Njuki, Caxton’s brother. She also raised as her children two brothers: Dan Kigozi ne Daudi Kimuli.
Health
Wanyana has been sick for a long time and started deteriorating slowly over time especially with age. She has gone at the age of 97 but with her mental faculties still sharp and fully in control of her life and home.
Ruth Wanyana has been the last of the 14 children of Ezera and Yuniya Kabali. She has demonstrated tremendous responsibility looking after her siblings’ children even when she was living outside Uganda.
Hobbies
Mrs. Njuki was an avid traveler and enjoyed seeing new places. She visited many countries in Africa, Europe and the Caribbean Islands. During the time she worked with the tourism office, she enjoyed taking her family with her when on duty and exposing them to the beauty of Uganda’s wild life, the national parks and rivers and lakes. In later years she would take the adult children on long cruises in the Caribbean Sea.
Ruth was an adventurous young woman. Together with her late husband Caxton Njuki, they would ride his motor bike at breakneck speed, sometimes going between Kampala and Masaka in just a few hours. Of course, roads were safer then with little traffic.
Ruth wrecked two of her cars while speeding but escaped without any injury. She passed on the speed gene to her youngest child, the late Victor who was also a biker, and to her eldest son, Frank worried everyone that he would get into an accident due to his breakneck speed. Fortunately, age mellows people. Frank is now a sedentary man.
Love of people
Ruth Wanyana loved children. She could not stand the sound of a crying child. Any time Ruth heard a child cry she would ask someone to go find out why the child was crying so she could resolve the issue. She always did get to the root of the matter, be it child neglect, hunger, sickness or child abuse, and she would intervene.
You can see how much she cared for children by looking after what can be regarded as her second round of motherhood after all her children left. Not only did she take on another set of children but paid school fees for at least 25 children over time. She never bragged but did it quietly in her own unassuming manner. She also cared for many of her siblings’ children, many who have reciprocated with tender loving care during her old age.
Religious life and relationship with the church
Ruth was a very devout Christian. She loved God with all her life. She read the Bible night and day, and prayed for everyone, and everything she thought needed prayer. And she never missed church unless she was sick. She tithed a good amount every year in Uganda and USA. She found joy in Christ.
Together with a few long term residents of Makerere Kikoni she negotiated with the Church of Uganda, Namirembe Diocese to start the Saint Noah Serwaga Church. She said that they needed to start a church of their own in their neighborhood instead of traveling distances to other churches.
She managed to invite the late bishop Dunstan Nsubuga to lay the foundation and to have the Bishop recognize it as a new church in his diocese. In addition to starting the church, she made special contributions to its construction with the purchase of windows, doors etc. and contributed additional resources to it.
Work
Ruth worked at Drapers department store, which was probably the only department store in Uganda at that time. She was also a News Anchor with Uganda Television (UTV), and also worked with the Uganda Ministry of Tourism. She worked for the United States Agency for international development (USAID) and was involved in several business ventures including farming and real estate.
There will be a Funeral Service at St. Nuwa SSerwanga Church Makerere- Kikoni on Friday, 05th July 2024 starting at 02:00pm, followed by vigil at family home in Makerere- Kikoni George Sserwadda road starting at 05:00pm.
Burial will take place at Ezera Kabali burial grounds, Lugo Buwambo-Kyadondo on Saturday, 06th July 2024 starting at 11:00am.
Informed are: Relatives, Friends and In-laws.
MAY HER SOUL REST IN ETERNAL PEACE
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