Brenda Banura
20 September 2009
book review
Book: Prince Katama
Author: Silvano Borruso
Publisher: Paulines Publications Africa
The author, Silvano Borruso met Prince Silvano Katama in Kenya when he was in exile and instantly liked him; not only because they shared a name, but because he found him funny and charming. Katama easily made friends and this explained the big turn up at his burial in 2006. Borruso was told that unlike other funerals filled with grieving people, Katama's was filled with laughter. Instead of long faces, there were smiling faces.
That is when he decided that this man's life needed to be written about. It was published about one and a half years after Katama's death and is a biography of the prince, who was born in 1926 and passed on in 2006.
The book details the life of a prince who did not live like one, whose aunt made it clear to him that people had to work hard for whatever they earned, and that one got things on merit and not privilege. It made me wonder what life would be like if we all got things on merit rather than because we belong to a certain group or our relatives do. Katama did everyday chores like fetching water and firewood, cleaning, and other domestic chores that royals don't do. Wondering why, his aunt told him he would understand in the future.
As I read about his interesting childhood, the rate at which I turned the pages was so fast, though I slowed down when he the story delved into his involvement in politics after working as an engineer. The political era in Katama's life must have been instigated by his father, who used to ask him, "Which prince does dirty engineering work?"
Katama experienced his share of tragedies like the death of his children, having to go into exile because of insecurity, plus losing his entire fortune and having to start all over again. Times were hard and those around him were left amazed at how well he recovered. I admired the way he handled all these situations - his secret was his faith in God. This explains why he was immensely devoted to Opus Dei, a prelature of the Roman Catholic Church in whose establishment in Uganda he played a vital role. Opus Dei is a way of sanctification in the ordinary duties of a Christian; it upholds the serving of both God and fellow men with joy and simplicity. It teaches that anyone can create an intimate relationship with God.
At the time of his death, Katama was the presidential advisor on cultural affairs and one can say he was a successful man both spiritually and materially. It is hard for one to balance the two without greed taking the better of them and though I'm no judge, I think he tried. Prince Katama is an inspirational book; you will learn something from it. Prince Katama was launched by Adolf Mwesige on August 16 at Hotel Africana, Kampala.
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