Paul was different ~ Alex Niyonzima.

You could tell that he was different. He was special.

Insanely cool, frighteningly bright, intellectually brilliant, laid back, artistic beyond words, . . .  I mean, his paintings almost jumped at you! You just had to take a second look. His artworks were and are still almost incomparable. The way he played about with those colours will forever amaze me. Two or three people tried to match him at the painting, a gentleman that I haven’t seen in years called Mackee, Dr. Roy William Mayega Arch. Golooba Edward P Kayiso these guys were all brilliant at art, and yet again, you could see that Kyegombe’s paintings were. . . different.  

Perhaps this would explain why some of the kids would spend their sports time watching him paint.

The Art class at St. Mary's College Kisubi - SMACK run for about four hours, starting at about 2:15pm to around 6:15pm. Sports time was around 4:30pm to 7pm. 

Every once in a while, we could see a number of the college students, gathered around someone painting, something ordinary like the School main hall. Many times it was Kyegombe they gathered around. But when you saw what he was painting, it could take your breath away! 

He would see things that others were not seeing and paint them. His paintings, so full of life. I think that is why the kids sat there and watched in awe as he did his thing.

After the art class, which happened about once a week, he would dash to his dorm, change into sportswear, pick up his soccer boots and go play with his mates. He loved football.

I first heard of Paul Kyegombe in 1988 when I joined SMACK for my Senior 1. Almost immediately, we all got to learn that there is a student in the school called Kyegombe. He is undoubtable the brightest student at St. Mary’s they told us. He was in Senior 4 at that time. Three classes ahead of us.

I guess it’s one of the things that you think about when you join a top class institution of learning where most of the kids scored perfect scores to get into. Who is the brightest person in this institution of bright ones?

Kyegombe it was. There was no mistake about that. Some came close, but in terms of being an all-round simple and intelligent gentleman, he was in his own class.

When he sat for his O-levels, he scored a 6 in 6. Back then, scoring a 6 in 6 was very rare. These days its appears common. In the 80s, it was near to impossible.

Kyegombe did just that. Then he came back to SMACK to do his A-levels.

And thus his dilemma. At that time, it was strictly a maximum of 4 Principal subjects. He chose to do Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology and French and Art.

That makes it 6 subjects isn’t it? I don’t know how he did it. I heard that he was forced to drop out of the French Class, but he was the best in French at that time. A friend of mine commented that, “Kyegombe would speak French with Mr. Kamanzi, our French teacher as if he was speaking Luganda". Flowing seamlessly!! he had an incredible grasp of the language that was incomprehensible at the time.

He scored four A's in Physics, Chemistry Mathematics and Biology - AAAA!. It was the very first time I heard ever heard of someone scoring perfect scores in such tough subjects. He could have chosen to do medicine. He chose to do Architecture instead and he excelled at it, winning several awards and Founding the Architectural firm ArchTecton Architects in Atlanta USA

I didn’t know him personally that much. But I very much knew that he was a genius. Totally. No question about that. My brother Steven Kwizera knew him much better, and they have kept in touch. He told me that they last communicated about two weeks ago.

And now he rests.

A very sad day for everyone that is only made a little but brighter by the fact that I believe that he did deliver on his promise.

A promise to do awesome things.

Thank you Sir!

The world will miss him dearly.

A football team comprised of mainly Ugandans in Atlanta will miss him. He was their coach and affectionately called him "Coach P" 

The SMACK OBs will miss him dearly.

He did epitomise the school Motto, Duc in Altum, Launch in the Deep.

His family and friends will miss him lots.

Fare thee well Arch. Paul Kyegombe.

One of Uganda's finest

May his soul Rest in Eternal Peace.

Portrait of Obama by Paul Kyegombe

Alex Niyonzima.

Kampala, Uganda