Joanita Kawalya

Last updated

Joanita Kawalya
Born (1967-05-01) 1 May 1967 (age 57)
NationalityUgandan
EducationLubiri Secondary School
Alma materKyambogo University
OccupationMusician
SpouseChristopher Muganga

Joanita Kawalya is a Ugandan musician and activist. [1] She is a member of the Afrigo Band [ citation needed ], the longest-lasting musical band in Uganda, which has been in continuous existence since 1975. [2] [3]

Contents

Early life and education

Kawalya was born to the late singer Eclaus Kawalya on 5 January 1967. [4] She worked as a teacher at Lubiri Senior Secondary School between 1989 and 1993. [5]

Music career

Kawalya started singing at an early age. She went on to sing in choir in school and later as a part time member of "The Wrens", courtesy of her father's guest performances with the band. He would take the whole family with him. She joined Afrigo Band [ citation needed ] in 1986 when she was nineteen-year-old, replacing her sister, Margaret, also a vocalist who was leaving for Germany. She did music as she did a teaching course at Kyambogo University In 1993, she quit teaching and concentrated on music and mothering her two children. [6]

Other responsibilities

She has served as a community advisory member on the National Aids project, the Walter Reed project [7] and the Makerere Johns Hopkins joint project. She has also been involved in grass root campaigns for HIV/AIDS and her face is now recognizable as one of the facilitators for the Nabagereka's annual cultural fete, the Kisakaate. Kawalya is also involved in mentorship of talent. [6]

In 2020, Kawalya participated in the gender identity week organized by Makerere University School of Women and Gender Studies [8]

Family

Joanita Kawalya is a married mother of two children. [4]

See also

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References

  1. Mulumba, Abu-Baker (7 March 2010). "Joanita Kawalya Reckons Women Can Do It Better Than Men". The Observer . Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  2. Musinguzi, Bamuturaki (12 September 2013). "Kampala's Most Resilient Band Afrigo Plays On". The EastAfrican (Nairobi). Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  3. Zziwa, Hassan Badru (17 February 2013). "Afrigo: 38 And Still Counting". The Observer . Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Hits That Made Them: Moses Matovu And Afrigo Band". Hipipo.com. 26 August 2011. Archived from the original on 25 December 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  5. Lutwama, Samuel (26 September 2010). "Joanita Kawalya: Afrigo Band Musician". New Vision (Kampala). Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  6. 1 2 Wanjiru Wanjala, Christine (19 May 2012). "Joanita Kawalya: Afrigo's First Lady". Daily Monitor (Kampala). Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  7. "Makerere University Walter Reed Project". muwrp.org. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  8. "Gender Identity Week: Cultural, religious leaders believe positive cultural aspects play a big role in empowering women". Watchdog Uganda. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.