Who are the QIs? How did you meet? What criteria did you use to admit people? Those are the questions I get once in a while on my association with QIs. We are so proud of the branding that when Agaba Bills is on Round Table, a radio programme on Juice FM he introduces himself as a QI. That is priceless. Social capital has taken groups places in the past. And to quote Morrison Rwakakamba, whom we had an engagement(Kitaramo) with, “Crowds never move things, it is small like minded minds that get things done”. And that is the QI philosophy, it centres about harnessing talents and being able to project growth.
How did the name QIs come up?
To give a historical background, these two men had a lot to do with the name Mr. Agaba Rugaba and Bwesigye Bwa Mwesigire. If you have followed Bwesigyes views on social media for the last one year, then I am sure you have read about ‘mimics’ ‘A letter to an African Intellectual’ ‘A rejoinder where he answers a certain Zimbabwean professor. The gentleman’s views can completely strip you and you end up hiding under the table. You see now he has coined another term, for senior mimicks who think that development is applying similar standards from Europe. We had engagements on the issue of African Intellectual and Agaba Rugaba came to the sad realization that we do not fit the description, instead we are quacks. At our last Kitaramo with Mr. Morrison, he asked me , “Why do you call yourselves QIs yet you have brilliant Ideas?” My answer was that being a quack excuses you from being judged as a real intellectual, and it works. So credit for the name QIs entirely goes to Agaba Rugaba the duck farmer in Rwanyamahembe.
How did QIs meet and how do we interact?
Contrary to popular belief that QIs is like a secret group that operates like a carbonari( you need to have read alot on Italian Secret Societies to understand) we are not any of that. A lot of misconceptions were being fronted some were saying we are fronting a certain candidate who was perceived as having political ambitions. And that is all not true. We are just freethinkers, and that is the problem/beauty of it. Society has a way of gathering around similar ideology, thoughts and views and that is how I can talk about our birth it was purely our views on social media.
Facebook and the weekly letters.
We met on facebook as QIs and we love satire, humour and that keeps our growth. So whether it was Kwezi Tabaro writing a weekly letter to 202 friends or Matthew Bagonza writing a letter from Hoima, Agaba Rugaba roaring from Rwanyamahembe it was all laced with humour. Actually Bright Anthony has a way of bringing up humour in very sober analysis and it makes perfect sense.
QI Associates.
Throught the year there are people that have religiously folliwed our posts, we interact with them. Among the many are Maureen Mwagale, Jean Kaunda Bapi, Patience Paula, Lynn Kamugisha, Dan Atuhaire, Asiimwe Kiprotich, Ruyondo Ann,Duncan Abigaba “Chief Spy”,Nyamishana Bongo Gonzalez, The Dutchess of Nyakishenyi Alice Ruhindi, Darlton Kaweesi Espial, Alex Masereka, Ahmed Ayub, Giles Achebe Muhame. The are wonderful people we have met on social media and we continue to interact, that is priceless.
As we end the year, we are doing self evaluation, critical thinking and trying to shape the national narrative. You see we in a way try to do that, Kwezi Tabaro is a regular panelist at KFM on Friday’s Hotseat, Agaba Ronald Bills appears on Round Table at Juice FM, Agaba Rugaba writes nice op-eds in the monitor and independent and so does Silver Kayondo, Edgar Tabaro is regularly on “Face off” at WBS. That is how diverse we are.
So after self reflection we hope next year is great and happy holidays from the QI family. Lest I forget our family is growing bigger, on saturday 27th Bright Anthony is walking down the Aisle with his long time companion. It is a great moment of happiness a journey of love, we are happy he is now ending the year on a high note. Other QIs are getting inspired and soon another announcement shall come through. Feliz Navidad. Happy Sekukulu from the Quack yintelikichos.
Mwene 