By Frank Kamuntu
Pan-African Pyramid (PAP) is a non-governmental organization which was founded in 2015 with a vision to articulate concerted efforts geared towards promoting the true African Awakening among the BLACK people throughout Africa and in the Diaspora, and galvanize inventions and innovations of African people basing on its principles as an intellectual, non-partisan discussion forum, built on the Pillars of PAN AFRICANISM PATRIOTISM and NATIONALISM.
The PAP Idealogy/pre-occupation is to REVIVE intellectual discourse among youth with a bias on re-constructing our lost Pan-Africanism, patriotism and Nationalism Values and spirit.
The organization was founded by the current PAP Speaker and Chairman Andrew Irumba Katusabe, with its social impact and humanitarian programs including
1.Organizing PAP debates every Friday
2.Pan African Pyramid Global Awards every August
3.Collecting and delivery of relief aide to refugees every December
4.Agriculture and livestock farming
5.Pan-African Marathon
6.Establishment of Pan African Pyramid School clubs and debates
7.Small Savings and Investments
8.Tree Planting and Natural Resource Maintenance (Environment Conservation)
Under the above programs, PAP in 2015 started with the mobilization of Shs15m for taking Namaganda Faith, a one-year-old baby to Mulago hospital for heart surgery, although unfortunately she died while in Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
In the same vein, in the same year, Pan-African pyramid launched a car washing exercise at Panamera Bar in Naguru, together with Hon Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (HE Bobi Wine) to raise Shs80m for one-year-old Erimia Muwonge a sickle cell patient who needed an operation in India. PAP collected Shs9m and connected the patient’s family to India Association of Uganda who offered free treatment and catered for other expenses.
Pan-African Pyamid also initiated the first ever PAP Global Awards with an intention of recognizing Africans who have showed their concern and contributions geared towards raising the African flag, whereby several people have received awards, among them;
1.Prof, Kajabago Ka-Rusoke (As African Philosopher)
2.General Elly Tumwiine (As African Art Revolutionary
3.Muyunga Muwanga Amon (as African sports inventor)
4.Hon Alex Ruhunda (As social and Dev’t Entrprenuer)
5.Mr Rwangyenzi Steven (As African Heritage And Cultural Enterprenuer)
6.Ms, Evelyn Bright (As African Young Social and Dev’t Enterprenuer)
However, in August of 2016, PAP awarded three Africans with medals including Ms, Serubiri Namaganda for her selflessness, Amb. Olara Otunu for his Exemplary African Dress Code, Mr. Peter Wankulu as a Pan-African Pioneer and in the same year in November, PAP in conjunction with the Office of Prime Minister launched a campaign of collecting relief aide donations like clothes, dry foods, fresh foods, Money, utensils, scholastic materials etc and delivered them on 23rd December to Kiryandongo refugee camps in Northern Uganda,where many refugees were left smiling and trying to forget the previous situations they suffered before receiving PAP’s donations.
In 2017 PAP started its debates held every Friday, which attracted several youth e specially from various institutions of learning in Uganda and abroad. In the same year in August, PAP under its global Awards awarded 8 recipients with awards and medals, among them;
1.John Komuruyange Kalekezi (General Kale Kayihura’s Father) as a African Revolutionary Life Time Achiever
2.John Garang De Ma Bior- who was awarded as a Revolutionary Leader
3.Partrick Tabaro who was awarded as African Renaissance leader
4.Fagil M. Mande awarded as African Veteran Educationist
5.Arinaitwe Rugyendo who was awarded as African Young Social and Dev’t Entrepreneur
6.Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi awarded as African Musical Activist
7.Grace Andrua Annasio awarded as African Woman Activist and Entrepreneur
8.Dr. Mujisha Geofrrey awarded as African Anti Aids Activist
In the same year, PAP visited the world’s largest refugee settlement, Bidi Bidi, in Yumbe District, where PAP members traveled 533.1 KM to the camp based in northwestern Uganda and changed the lives of refugees through donations which was collected from fellow Africans and companies like Britania Allied Industries Ltd,who contributed 100 boxes of Glucose Biscuits and 300 boxes of Tea Tariata worth Shs5M, among others things.
In April 2017 PAP registered to participate in the FUFA Corporate League crashed each team it played with. The PAP team ended up winning the trophy with Shs1m cash reward and became the first Pan-African Team to win these competitions.
Among the teams that participated was Pan-African Pyramid, Airtel Uganda, KISU, Nile Breweries Limited, Diamond Trust Bank, BIDCO Uganda Limited, NIC Holdings, Red Pepper, Galz Sports Betting, Uganda Batteries Limited, NTV, Hema Water, National Water and Sewage Corporation, Civil Aviation Authority, Uganda Premier League Secretariat, SSL Logistics, Lebanese Community in Uganda, LATO Milk, KCCA FC Club Secretariat, FUFA President’s XI (Curtain Raisers), AAR Insurance and 102.1 FUFA f.m
In the same year, Pan African Pyramid on Thursday 7th December held a peaceful match to the Libyan Embassy in Kampala demonstrating over the alleged modern day ‘slave trade’ of African migrants and refugees, allegedly taking place in various parts of Libya.
That was after the CNN report that showed over 20, 000 migrants, refugees and asylum seekers that were allegedly being unlawfully held in detention centers under inhumane conditions with little access to food, water or medical care.
PAP submitted a petition which was read by the Speaker/ Chairman Andrew Irumba Katusabe, in which Pan-Africanists made four (4) demands;
A detailed statement from the Libyan Government on the aforementioned allegations, release all African migrants and refugees from illegal detention centers and end the arbitrary detention of refugees and migrants in Libya, Investigate all allegations of torture and other ill-treatment of refugees and African migrants in Libya,and ensure that the perpetuators are prosecuted, review the migration policy cooperation to prioritize protecting the human rights of refugees and African migrants, instead of trapping them in Libya and formally recognize the UNHCR and allow them to carry out their mandate including protecting asylum seekers and refugees.
In her response, the Libyan Ambassador to Uganda H.E Naima Algihani (minister plenipotentiary) confirmed that the Libyan Government was closely following up the ‘fabricated’ media broadcasts by CNN on Libya.
“Basing on the teachings of our true Islamic religion, values and traditions rooted in our culture and inherited from our forefathers, which urge the honor of the guest and the passerby, and respect for humanity regardless of religion and race, the government of National Reconciliation and its commitment to the principles of the universal declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human Rights and regional and international agreements in this regard, initiated the task of investigating the incident and revealing its truth and to inform the local and international public opinion on the dimensions, and bring those responsible to justice and pledged to prosecute and punish officials, if this practice shall be proved to have occurred from any person who was inside Libyan territory” Libyan Government’s statement read in part.
“The photos being spread by CNN of alleged torture and detention are 2011 photos taken during the war which was sactioned and supervised by NATO and European Union against Libya. They are the same people now recycling them to suit their interests in Libya” added Mr.Salah Gyryani the Embassy’s P.R.O.
After all the above achievements, PAP went ahead to organize more Global awards in August 2018 and awarded various Africans with awards and medals, they included;
1.Winnie Madickzela Mandela as a revolutionary leader of anti apartheid
2.His Excellence Major General Retired Lekoa Solly Mollo ambassador of South Africa to Uganda as a freedom fighter anti- apartheid
3.Dr Patience Bibohere Rwamigisa awarded as African renaissance
4.Uganda Wildlife Authority awarded as African Heritage conservationist
5.Ms Prossy Namwanje aKa Sure deal awarded as African Women Entrepreneur
In the same year of 2018, PAP members mourned the demise of shed Musical Activist and Pan-Africanist Moses Sekibogo Radio who was killed by a bar bouncer in Entebbe.
A few months after, PAP also lost beloved Pan-African Father Seezi Teddy Cheeye, the former director of economic monitoring in the Internal Security Organization, but also got chance to share a moment with HE Gerishom Ambunya Okonda the former World Youth President, Corporate Trainer Award Winner 2016/2017, Effective Youth Mentor and Character Coach, who advised youth to start looking at challenges as opportunities, meaning that they should find solutions for challenges in their communities so as to boost their income. He said this after attending a PAP debate on August 3, 2018 at Fairway Hotel, Kampala.
PAP concluded the year with its December project ‘X-Mas With Refugees’, which was conducted from October and later the items collected were delivered on 21st December to Rwamwanja Refugee Camps, a settlement in Kamwenge District, southwestern Uganda with nearly 70,000 refugees who all received PAP donations
The PAP journey in 2019 was opened by one of the members Frank Kamuntu winning the Guild leadership at Makerere School of Commercial Sudies and Media Training after being nurtured by PAP Chairman Andrew Irumba Katusabe.
In the 2019 Global Awards several Africans were awarded with awards and medals. They included:
1.Former Libyan President Col. Muammar Gaddafi awarded as African Revolutionary Time Achiever
2.King Ndahura 11 Kashagama Imara- Pan-African Renaissance Leader
3.Amirali Karmali (Mukwano)-African Revolutionary Life Time Achiever (Bussiness)
4.Christopher Columbus Sembuya-African Social & Dev’t Entrepreneur
5.Rapa Thomson Ricky-African Young Social & Dev’t Entrepreneur
As a norm of PAP has continued to provide support to fellow Africans living under harsh situations, especially refugees in camps. Previously they offered support to Nakivale Refugee settlement camps located in Isingiro district where over 120000 refugees from over 10 nations received donations, which marked the end of 2019 and entry into 2020, thereby making five years of PAP’s successful existence.
