The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
OBITUARY | ANDREW S KAGGWA | He was ever jolly, talkative and cracking jokes, so you could hardly miss his presence at any gathering. This was Andrew Ivan Kirabira who succumbed to a blood clot on September 29th, 2025 and was laid to rest at his ancestral home at Buntaba, Kalagala in Mukono District on October 1, 2025.
Kirabira was born on June 11th, 1965 to the late Eliazar and Betty Lukambuzi. He went to Lutengo Primary School and then went to Mukono Bishop’s Secondary School for his O’Level and later Caltec Academy for his A’Level.
In September 2000, he joyfully married Prisca, with whom he had four children: Lwomwa Harold, Rodney Kagombe, Wrindy Nalwoga and Lynnly Nattabi.
He went to Makerere University where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in arts and later did a master’s degree in development studies at Nkumba University.
At the time of his death, Kirabira was a lecturer at Uganda Martyrs University Nkozi, where he was also pursuing his PhD.
After Makerere University, Kirabira started his career as a teacher at Lubiri Secondary School. He later joined Bukedde newspaper as a sub-editor where he rose to the level of Features Editor.
According Margaret Nankinga, one of his former workmates at Bukedde, Kirabira was instrumental in the starting of one of the most popular columns in the newspaper called Ssenga which covers bedroom matters.
“Even when he left journalism, Kirabira still made a contribution to the Luganda language by being a volunteer contributor to the monthly online publication ‘Yiga Olulimi’ and he wrote in all the 31 editions until his death,” Nankinga says.
Another longtime friend, Steven Ssozi Ssewanonda says in the death of Kirabira he not only lost a friend bot also an icon for the Luganda language.
“When I told Kirabira I was retiring from the CBS Luganda language quiz ‘Entanda ya Buganda, pleaded with me in vain not to leave but when he realized I was determined, Kirabira encouraged to continue contributing to the Yiga Olulimi online publication,” Ssewanonda said at the burial ceremony of Kirabira.
As a Features Editor, Kirabira was instrumental in the coverage of Kabaka Mutebi’s wedding in 1999 and personally had rare meeting with Nnaabagereka Sylvia Nagginda before the historical wedding.
After a fruitful period, Kirabira left Bukedde to be an Editor of Ngoma newspaper under the Daily Monitor publications.
It was at Ngoma that Kirabira pursued his Master’s degree and after its completion went to lecture at INLAK Independent University in Rwanda.
As is the case in Francophone countries, university lecturers are referred to as ‘prof’ a short form for professor. Despite the fact that to be a professor one needs to have authored academic papers, it’s from here that Kirabira adopted the title ‘professor’ and many people knew him by that title.
After more than 10 years in Rwanda, Kirabira returned to Uganda where he had a short stint of lecturing at Uganda Christian University Mukono before joining UMU Nkozi where he was at the timer of his death.
Kirabira is survived by a widow, children and grandchildren.
