By Merinah Mbabazi
Ugandan-Dutch journalist and director Michiel van Oosterhout takes us back to the turbulent 70s through the music documentary film Bwana Jogoo: The Ballad of Jessy Gitta. The major subject of the film like the title suggests is Jessy Gitta Kasirivu, a charismatic musician who was in a love triangle with Idi Amin Dada and Sarah Kyolaba-a queen dancer.
Kasirivu was a member of the prolific band “The Cranes” and his talent shone as he arranged compositions as well as performing them. He meets Sarah who was among other dancers recruited and trained to perform with the band. The two develop a friendship and eventually fall in love which does not go unnoticed by his band members. However, Kasirivu is not the only one enthralled by the queen dancer.
She captures the attention of Idi Amin, Uganda’s infamous dictator who was president of the country from 1971 to 1979. Amin assigns Amani Ratham one of the State Research Centre operatives to keep watch over her until he eventually makes Sarah his fifth wife. The dancer continues visiting Kasirivu while she is still dwelling in Amin’s quarters.
Despite pleas from his friends to stay away from his lover in order to survive the dictator’s terror, Kasirivu is unmoved. He actually leaves the band for some time before returning due to this conflict. Like 1 John 4:18 teaches us, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.”
The film does a tremendous job of capturing different subjects in their various locations as they narrate the ordeal. From his family, to his band mates, fellow musicians and even members of Amin’s State Research Bureau, it is clear that the events leading to his death took a toll on everyone involved. The theme of love is vividly portrayed as they recount the happenings and their different attachments to the late musician.
Suffering is another major theme highlighted in the film, Bwana Jogoo does not shy away from the brutal realities of Idi Amin’s regime. Women were not viewed as humans, but rather objects at the disposal of “The last king of Scotland” and his men. If one rejected their advances they were falsely accused for acts like “defying the state.” The innocent women were then detained or raped and in some instance both. To be a beautiful woman (based on Amin and his men’s standards) between 1971 to 1979, was to hide your beauty to avoid this wrath.
The music accompanying the different scenes is nostalgic as it features sounds that are native to the 70s. Some of the compositions like, “What’s Love,” were actually inspired by the main characters’ love for Sarah, according to Tony Ssenkebejje. He is a singer and guitarist who is one of the founding members of the band. The film’s use of archival footage and photographs add context to the story. It also employs humour through cartoons drawn by John Jones Salongo and Willy Ochaya. These colourful caricatures capture the dramatic music scene.
According to Clyde Mayanja another founding member of the band, Kasirivu was captured on his doorstop in a Peugeot. The victim’s friends were actually in his house with a pregnant Sarah when this happened. They are certain that he was taken and by Amin’s henchmen from the State Research Bureau.
His death according to van Oosterhout is still a mystery. Sarah produced a child that was locked in parental controversy. While the musician’s family and friends was sure that the child was his, Amin was certain that it was his which is another mystery. “Though the story is not finished yet, that does not mean Ugandans do not have an impression of what happened,” the director said as he spoke to the Year 3 journalism class during the screening of the music documentary.
This was on 4th June 2024 during their Drama & Documentary Film Class. He also criticised Amin as a leader, emphasizing that a president should be a good example to his citizens. His hope is that in the future such never happens.
What would have made the film even more insightful is a point of view from Sarah’s family. Unfortunately by the time it was being filmed, she had passed away according to the director. All efforts to reach out to members of her family and interview them were futile. Bwana Jogoo reminds us how imperative it is to preserve our culture and learn from the mistakes of those who came before us.
