Who is Apollo Kantinti?
I’m an ex-member of parliament, a married man with three biological children but many others who are adopted. I enjoy reading and golfing. That’s basically me.
Golfing! Where from?
When I have time I go to Entebbe Golf Club, but these days it’s not very conducive especially with the Covid-19 pandemic. [Isn’t golf the most socially-distanced sport, though? Anyway…]
But even my reading these days is affected because there is a lot of negative stories in the newspapers; if it’s not about the pandemic, it’s about the negative things that are happening in the campaign. Life these days is generally depressing.
I agree, but you’re moving so fast… first tell me about your childhood.
My parents are the late Musa Chrysestom Kantinti and Cissy Nabakka. I was born in Nsambya hospital. My father was first a teacher during the colonial times but later he went and studied law and became a judge of the High court of Uganda. He was buried in Nangabo in Kyadondo East.
My mother is still alive. I grew up in a humble family, although we were not doing badly.
Your name doesn’t sound Ganda…too many Ns…
Ooooooh, we are Baganda ddala, tweddira Mpeewo [we are true Baganda from the oribi clan]. My other name is Lubuulwa Gulemye [now Quick Talk nods in recognition of the name Lubuulwa].
Why don’t you use those other names that are more familiar?
These days in politics if you use other names other than those you have on your academic papers, you risk disqualification. Therefore, it’s always very prudent that you use names that won’t cause you problems. So, my academic journey started with Apollo Kantinti.
So, what does Kantinti mean?
It doesn’t have a meaning; it’s just there. A number of people actually think I’m a Musoga. But you know, I come from the family of the late Sir Apollo Kaggwa; he’s very known in the history of Buganda. I’m his great grandson; he’s father to my paternal grandmother. [Kaggwa was a famous Buganda prime minister and regent.]
Tell me about your wife…
[Kantinti seems delighted to hear the question] She’s Shamim Namawa, a Mugisu by tribe. We met a couple of years ago when she was in the entertainment industry. When we met, she hung her boots and decided to pursue other things including becoming my wife. She was a musician; she used to sing.
Where did you meet?
We met at my cousin Sarah Zawedde’s place [Zawedde is a singer]. I liked her because she was down-to-earth. She wasn’t like the girls I met when I had just come back from the USA. They would pretend to be what they are not. For her, if it was time to have a good meal, she would eat without fearing to be embarrassed.
USA? Maybe rewind and tell me about your education…
I went to Kitante primary school, Makerere College School, Makerere High School and then I went to the USA where I studied Real Estate Financing and Sales. I stayed there and worked for 10 years in that industry and then came back to Uganda. I have also got a diploma in Law in Uganda.
Why did you come back?
I had to come back home at some point. I wasn’t one of those cut out to stay in the USA forever. This is where my DNA
was.
Were you disappointed with what you found here?
Definitely, because in the USA, systems are already built and life is a bit smooth but here, everything is at the building stage; it never gets done. You have to wait until tomorrow. You can even hear our president saying, that he’s securing our future, everything is in the future.
But it’s our country; we have to struggle to make things work.
You came back and stood for MP…why?
I was always interested in politics. I was the first secretary for Secondary School Affairs in the Uganda National Student Association. I was involved in student politics even before I left. I was involved in Uganda politics in the diaspora.
I was involved in FDC affairs in Washington DC, I was in the politics of UNAA; so, when I came back, politics was in me. When I came back, our late MP Sam Kalega Njuba told us that he was not going to stand for elective politics again and that prompted me to give it a try.
Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda defeated you in 2010 and when you came back in 2016 after the splitting of the constituency, you won but lost the seat after just eight months.
I tested the unfairness of the Ugandan judicial system. The court faulted the Electoral Commission for whatever went wrong in Wakiso, but when penalizing came, it’s me who paid the price. I was told to go for by-election which I lost to Robert Kyagulanyi and like they say, the rest is history.
I think the country should credit you for inadvertently giving them Kyagulanyi.
Definitely; I think I’m the grandfather of National Unity Platform. If I had not suffered a loss, probably Kyagulanyi wouldn’t be what he is today politically. I think my losing the seat was a blessing in disguise for some people. But they say they are going to console me by sending me back to parliament.
Do you like Kyagulanyi?
Yes, yes; I have no problem with him. I like him. By the way, when I had a problem and I was sent to Luzira civil prison, Kyagulanyi headed a fundraising drive to help me get out of the prison. He had a right to stand in a by-election like our laws say. Nice of him.
Was Luzira your lowest moment?
I think it was, but it gave me time to reflect and appreciate the depth of how far people can go to win, humiliate, disorient. That’s why we see that there are very many people who are not willing to come to elective politics.
Who took you to Luzira, by the way?
There were two cases, one by Stanchart bank and the other was Sitenda Sebalu, [the NRM candidate they contested with] over legal costs. For Stanchart, I had to get Shs 300m for my legal costs – you can see how expensive campaigns can be. The courts asked me to pay Sitenda costs of Shs 158m. I refused to pay and that’s what triggered the Luzira episode.
Have you paid Sitenda?
I will never give Sitenda a penny. The Electoral Commission was faulted; why should it be me paying the costs yet I was respondent number three?
Hmmm… So, how did you come out of prison?
I did four months because those who sent me to Luzira didn’t fulfill their obligations of sending a person to a civil prison. They have to pay for your meals for example; and when they default, prison releases you.
Now you are back to Kyadondo, what are your chances?
They look pretty good; people appreciate who can deliver for them. NUP has got four members in that race and the party is split on who they should vote for. I have ended up enjoying a lot of NUP support. I have been there, I worked for the people and I’m confident they are willing to send me back to finish my term that was interrupted.
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