Uganda’s performing drama industry has lost one of its greatest and most talented performers Dick Kitamirike, aka Nadduli. Kitamire, mostly remembered as Nadduli in the popular Bukedde TV series Suubi, passed away on Wednesday Nov 7, due to a stroke, his co-director in Pearl Afric Film Industries Ltd, Dr. Hajj Ashraf Simwogerere told The Sunrise. He was aged 68 years.
Simwogerere hailed the late Kitamirike as the most talented and passionate dramatist he has ever met.
“I have witnessed numerous people receive awards for drama, but I have not met anyone who matched his talent. He was outstanding,” said Dr. Simwogerere.
He hailed the late Kitamirike for his resolve, creativity, passion but also his patience.
Simwogere hailed Kitamirike’s creativity and determination throughout the twenty years he worked with him.
He cited one-unscripted incident to demonstrate Kitamirike’s sheer courage and unreserved character and passion for drama.
“One time we were shooting Mukajanga (a play that depicts the murderous reign of Kabaka Mwanga) around Nakivubo channel and Kitamirike while playing as Balikuddembe, fell into the channel, but rising from the filthy water, he had an earth worm (Ensiringanyi) on his mouth. Almost everyone wanted the shooting to stop so he could remove the thing but he insisted that shooting should continue. It was unscripted and quite shocking but he tolerated it and it ended up enriching the film.”
Simwogerere recalled another incident where they were going to shoot in a hostile territory. In another unscripted incident, the crew came across red aunts, (Ensanafu) which Kitamirike quickly used to add to play.
For his quick thinking, Simwogerere says his company and the entire country has lost a gem.
Simwogerere’s partnership with Kitamirike started twenty years ago while the former was still working with Kato Lubwama in Diamonds Ensemble. When they parted ways with Lubwama, Kitamirike chose to stick with Simwogerere and embraced him as co-director in Pearl Afric Film Industries ltd.
While in Pearl Africa, Simwogerere says they have produced more than 15 stage plays and numerous screen plays. The most popular of the screen plays, perhaps is Suubi, an action-packed thriller where Kitamirike featured as Nadduuli while Simwogerere acted as Abbas.
By the time of his death, the duo had produced more than 300 episodes of Suubi and were doing another production titled Muzukulu wa Wakayima.
Simwogerere says he was most saddened by the fact that Kitamirike passed away just weeks after signing a lucrative deal that would make Kitamirike realise the fruits of his acting sweat and toil.
“What made me cry even more is that we had just signed a contract with SMS One where he was supposed to be paid UGX 300,000 per every 5-minute skit he would produce,” Simwogerere recalls: “After we put pen to paper with SMS One, Kitamirike shook my hand and told me that I have worked for many years in drama but I never dreamt of a moment like this. I think God wants to take me.”
The late Kitamirike will be laid to rest at Namulonge Nabalanga 18km from Kampala on Gayaza Zirobwe rd on Saturday November 10, 2018 at 4pm.
