By Kobusiinge Monica
Kampala: Cuba’s Vice president while here for NAM and G-77+ China summits last month, together with the Cuban Ambassador to Uganda, Her Excellency Tania Xingues Perez, recognized and awarded Pan-African Pyramid Founding Speaker and Chairman, Andrew Irumba Katusabe, for his renewed Pan-Africanism and Humanitarian causes he has been championing for the last 10+ years.
Irumba, who is also the president Independent online journalists Association (indoja-U), as well as the CEO of the mighty TheSpy Uganda and Detective-UG, online newspapers was awarded in absentia, because the ceremony was supposed to be a surprise to him, and by the time he was contacted few days to the event, he was out of the country.
For the last 10 years, the Pan-African Pyramid has been at the fore front of promoting Ubuntu/humanitarianism, Pan-Africanism, Patriotism and social well-being of the society for the greater good. It also collects relief aid for Refugees every December in a bid to put a smile on the Refugees.
The award was handed over to him on Monday by the Cuban Ambassador (exponential) to Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, Her Excellence Tania Xingues Perez during a private event at the Embassy in Mbuya, Kampala.
While accepting the award, Irumba expressed gratitude for receiving the 1st award ever for a Pan African cause, especially by a friendly country like Cuba, yet he has been organizing awards to recognize others for the last 6 years.
“This is so significant and important to me, because; since I started the Pan-African Pyramid 10 years ago, I have organized six awards in six yrs so far and people come from across the globe, pick awards and go, no one has ever thought about recognizing me and I can’t recognize myself. That would be blowing your own trumpet. So this is why I appreciate the fact that some one from Cuba is actually seeing my impact and appreciating it,” Irumba said shortly after receiving the award.
Irumba was recognized alongside others in the same category including Hon. Dr. Kisembo Tendo, Mr. Dan Rugarama-Chairman Pan African movement, Hon. Ayume Charles- Chairperson Health Committee of Parliament and Hon. Alyek Judith.
Others recognized include; The National Resistance Movement(NRM), Ugandan National Students Association, Honorable Bigirwa Norah Nyendwoha, Uganda National Culture Centre, Dr. Christine Charity Mwebesa, Think Tank Cuba Solidarity, Dr. Allan Mpamize, Uganda Christian University, Uganda Managment Institute, Uganda Olympic Committee, Dr. Lorenzo López and family among others.
Meanwhile, the government of Cuba also recognized the President of the Republic of Uganda HE Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, First Son Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba who also doubles as the special Presidential advisor, Ministers Kahinda Otafiire and Okello Oryem , Pro. Celestino Obua- Vice Chancellor of Mbarara university of science and technology among others.
HERE IS A FULL LIST OF CONDECORATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS
More About Pan-African Pyramid
Pan-African Pyramid (PAP) is a non-governmental organization that was founded in 2014 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 based on its principles as an intellectual, non-partisan discussion forum, built on the Pillars of PAN AFRICANISM PATRIOTISM and NATIONALISM.
The PAP Ideology/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.
WHAT IS PAN-AFRICANISM?
Pan-Africanism is an ideology and movement that encourages the solidarity of Africans worldwide. It’s based on the belief that unity is vital to economic, social, and political progress and aims to “unify and uplift” people of African descent. The ideology asserts that the fate of all African peoples and countries are intertwined. At its core Pan-Africanism is “a belief that African peoples, both on the continent and in the diaspora, share not merely a common history, but a common destiny”
OUR VISION:
To articulate the concerted efforts geared towards promoting the true African Awaking amongst the BLACK people throughout Africa and in the Diaspora, and galvanize inventions and innovations of the African people.
OUR MISSION:
To REVIVE intellectual discourse among the youths with a bias of re-constructing our lost Pan-Africanism, patriotism and Nationalism Values and spirit.
OUR OBJECTIVES:
(a) To promote a critical understanding and appreciation of Africa as a continent and black people as a formidable race and foster ways to promote togetherness in order to enhance social economic progress of our continent and our race.
(b) To promote critical thinking, analysis and constructive debates among the youth as a foundation of nurturing young leaders for a better Africa.
(c) To organize public debates in primary, secondary, Tertiary and University schools to train, discuss and enable the young generation understand their African history and encourage them to support the best ways to cause social economic development in an African context.
(d) To organize and manage Annual Global Pan-African Pyramid Awards aimed at recognizing and appreciating the unforgettable struggles and sacrifices of our ancestors across all generations who unreservedly fought and defended the Rights and existence of the Black race across the world.
(e) To offer a platform in which civic Education is dispensed through which, members appreciate and understand their role in nation building in particular and the development of Africa as a whole.
(f) To promote Regional and African integration as a means of enabling Africans work together in harmony with each other and cause a holistic development.
(g) To organize reading and study tours and competitions among the youth and adults that will inculcate a culture of reading and research among members and guide them to prioritize specific books with African aspirations which are critical for the awakening and development of Africa.
(h) To establish a knowledge searching platform that will help create a think tank that will Progressively address the challenges facing the African continent.
(i) To engage in charitable activities that are intended at empowering the vulnerable such as raising money for poor children in need of heart surgery and other chronic diseases, building homes for the homeless, paying fees for teens and young mothers and doing such activities that empower the poor live in dignity.
(j) To engage in social economic activities like Agriculture, livestock farming, group savings and investments that will lift our members from poverty and make them economically independent.
(k) To mobilize resources from internal and external partners and the general public for the purposes of uplifting the general living conditions of our people and members and in order to meet the objectives of our organization.
(l) To organize membership visits and trainings that will improve on solidarity but also empower our members financially.
(m) To establish and build Pan-African schools, libraries and research centers aimed at equipping our members with enough African related history.
(n) To contract with any organization private or governmental at any level dealing in public awareness campaigns for the greater good of society.
OUR TARGET AUDIENCE:
THE PAN-AFRICAN PYRAMID has the most influential and circular Audience with majority being youth. Our pioneer/ regular members include Law students from Law Development Centre (LDC), Makerere University,MUBS,KIU,Kyambogo,St.Lawrence Univ.,Busitema Univ., St.Lawrence Univ., Ndejje Univ. and the general distinguished pan-African members of the public.
We have so far opened up PAN-AFRICAN PYRAMID chapters in universities and other tertiary institutions, and supervised them to elect their own leaders to keep networking with the main headquarters from time to time. These include; MUK,Kyambogo, KIU, Ndejje, and UMCAT. We are still looking forward to opening more and more.
We believe that the youth, especially university and Tertiary students are the key change agents, because they have the capacity to analyze/understand and influence.
The Pan-African Pyramid, in collaboration with various partners and well wishers has been actively executing annual relief aid initiatives during the Christmas season, targeting refugee camps across Uganda. The organization has successfully undertaken missions to Kiryandongo, Bidibidi, Rwamwanja, Nakivale and Kyaka II refugee camps over the years, extending assistance to those grappling with diverse challenges.
The organization has carried out annual awards commonly known as Global Pan-African Pyramid Awards(PAP Global Awards) since 2016 and has so far recognized and awarded prominent leaders and great pan Africanists globally including Cuba’s late President Fidel Alejandro Castro, Martin Luther King Jr, Ambassador Paul Flynn (renowned African environmental Philanthropist), Bishop Maponga Joshua 111 Marara (Internationally acclaimed Pan-Africanist and Bishop of the Seventh-day Adventist Church) (Zimbabwean), Hon.Thomas Tayebwa (Deputy Speaker of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda) , Libya’s former President Con. Muammar Gaddafi.
Others awardees include; Winnie Mandela (South African anti-apartheid activist and politician, and the second wife of Nelson Mandela), Dr. John Garang de Mabior (Sudanese politician and revolutionary leader), Anita Annet Among ( Ugandan politician and Speaker of the 11th Parliament of Uganda) Prof.Lekoa Solly Mollo, (former South African ambassador to Uganda) among others.
