Interview for Kiketha Tadeo – Director, Kyangende Secular Services

by | July 26, 2019

By Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Kiketha Tadeo is the Director of the Kyangende Secular Services.

Here we talk about his life, work, and views.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What was early life like for you e.g. geography, language, religion, or lack thereof, education and family structure and dynamics

Kiketha Tadeo: I was born and brought up in Kibalya village, Nyamisule parish, Mahango sub-county, Kasese, Uganda. I am Mukonzo by tribe. I speak Lukonzo, English, and some Kiswahili languages.

My father is Kimasu Andrea and my mother is Balhubasa yeresi all stay on the hills of kasese town where they perform their peasantry activities. My elders believed in differently for example my grandfather died before the coming of missionaries and used his own way either in African tradition gods, my father is one of those who welcomed and promoted roman catholic church in our village ad encouraged us a lot join Christianity which has not been true and fair to him that some of us don’t follow, however he also failed to fulfill the laws of the church since he found himself with three wives my mother being the third. Being in polygamous family with my children there has been a lot of struggle and many challenges as poverty was the order of the day leading us have low levels of education in the family as the determined child and hardworking would look for his or her part tuition and then the parent would add if possible, I moved long distance to school, stayed hungry at school and all in all I did not give up , I realized that my father had no job and join poor institutions which were the churches that failed to improve his life.

Jacobsen: What level of formal education have been part of life for you?

Tadeo: I finish primary at kibalya primary school, joined o’level at St. Kizito Secondary School and Kyrumba Islamic Center due to lack of tuition led change of schools, later went for certificate in purchasing and supply management at Liberty College Kasese, after a long time stay at home without job I joined diploma in accountancy which I finish recently.

Jacobsen: How you informally self-educated?

Tadeo: Through personal intelligence, reason that help me to find solutions to my problems. I was too much determined and used to seeing things in their real sense and suggest the right measures available with me.

Jacobsen: What organizations are important for the health and wellness and communal activities and activism, of the secular and humanistic communities in Uganda?

Tadeo: Abrimac Secular Services, Kasese Humanist Schools and Pearls Vocational Institute are the institutions that talk about secularism and working for humanistic life.

Jacobsen: What is the state of secularism in Uganda?

Tadeo: Secularism is still being defined and introduced as it facing a lot of religious barriers and much indoctrinations and high levels of superstition and they turn and miss inform the public by announcing us evil people in order to create fear however the due to the efforts evidenced by doing in communities in looked as good pavement and bring good change.

Jacobsen: What are some important parts of secular activism there? Some old news and some new activisms with import to an international audience.

Tadeo: Secular activism is done in areas of education ,promoting culture, supporting good politics, improving health of the people, supporting good economic systems that can transform people’s lives including capacity building like I form the Kyangende secular community and I started helping people with food, mosquito nets and drugs , give clothes to children, Activism was previously done by recognized professionals like lawyer who would take the cases in court against certain issues, human right activists organizations in Uganda and many of which operated in big towns, currently activism all about reaching the grass root and identify the real situation faced by the locals in their communities explaining the reason and giving strategies having turning local communities better homes for all people to live joyfully.

Jacobsen: Who are some interesting public intellectuals speaking for free thought and secular community in Uganda?

Tadeo: We have Kato Mukasa who is a lawyer, Bwambale Robert, and Masereka Solomon, Director Abrimac Secular Services.

Jacobsen: How can people become involved through the donation of time, the addition of membership, links to professional and personal networks giving monetarily, exposure in interview or writing articles and so on with the Uganda free thought communities and organizations?

Tadeo: People can participate in our activities by volunteering in our community activities, coordinating us to international partners and organizations that work toward promoting goo humanity through our Kyangende secular services Facebook pages, groups and Abrimac page or website.

Communicating to friends and organizing fundraiser for items that can help to keep our activities moving.

Writing good and publishing articles about our secular activities on Facebook and other sites that can help people identify our motives.

Mobilizing for international reorganization and respect and security of individual’s organizations that work toward promoting secularism.

Lobbying for stable.

Individual or organizations that are assured of for the provision facilities and support secular programs in order to capture trust in the public and build a strong bases.

Jacobsen: Any final feelings or thought based on the conversation today?

Tadeo: I am glad to share with you and have my aids about my activities as I am the Director Kyangende Secular Services. I wish that all organizations and individuals doing secularism work in Uganda be trustworthy and be good examples to the public so that we shouldn’t be regard as evil people and this will enable all communities understand our vision.

Jacobsen: Thank you for the opportunity and your time, Kiketha.

Tadeo: Thank you for your time and the interview, regards, Kiketha Baluku Tadeo.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen is the Founder of In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal and In-Sight Publishing. He authored/co-authored some e-books, free or low-cost. If you want to contact Scott: Scott.D.Jacobsen@Gmail.com.

Do not forget to look into our associates: Godless Mom, Nice Mangoes, Sandwalk, Brainstorm Podcast, Left at the Valley, Life, the Universe & Everything Else, The Reality Check, Bad Science Watch, British Columbia Humanist Association, Dying With Dignity Canada, Canadian Secular Alliance, and Centre for Inquiry Canada.

Other Resources: Recovering From Religion.

Photo by Matthew Essman on Unsplash

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