MARACHA MAN WHO DESIGNED THE UGANDA NATIONAL FLAG DESERVES RECOGNITION AND PAYMENT OF HIS ROYALTIES.

Who Designed the UG flag Back Ground Information:

 

Uhuru Day 1962:

As the designated Chief of Staff and the second highest official in the Uganda Armed Forces under the then  designated Army Commander  Major  Shaban Opolot  ; Captain Idi Amin Dada actually was handed the new Ugandan Flag with Major Owen as part of the Colour Party which on Uhuru day was to be hoisted up.

It is immaterial to argue that he did not hoist it up personally for that is the duty of his direct reports Non Commissioned Officers NCOs not the chief of Staff.

In return the Old British “Union Jack” was handed back to Idi Amin Dada in exchange for the new flag which was actually designed by  a West Nile Lugbara Native called  Nyai and not Ibingira Grace.

The circumstances surrounding the design competition and eventual winner of the design contest came out in the article quoted from the New Vision verbatim below:

 

New Vision article by Fred Ouma on 9th Oct 2005:

Quote:    Whenever the national flag is flying, pride comes to the minds of many people as the reflect on their national independence. But a few bother to know who was the architect.

He six horizontal bands of black(top),yellow, red, black ,yellow, red with a crested crane facing the hoist side encircled in a white disk and superimposed at the centre; is a catchy artistry. And the simple fabric-doodle is popular. But whose artwork is it?

Prior to independence the office of Internal affairs put up an announcement on Radio Uganda and newspapers at the time for people to design the National flag. This was to replace the British Union Jack.

The announcement called for original designs.

Ugandans encouraged to submit pieces.

“They had to be beautiful original, solemn, praising and reflecting the country’s past and the future. Copies were to be sent to the Internal Affairs in Kampala where the best would be sorted 

“Says Semei Matia Nyai, whose own creation is today the national pride, recognized Internationally. 

Many participated in the design competition. “nevertheless, the office of Internal affairs was not satisfied with the first designs” recalls Nyai. “in may 1961, there was another announcement on radio Uganda that the office had received a number of designs, but none was satisfactory. Therefore re-designs were required and it was promised that the best designer in the final competitions would be paid.

“I deeply thought about what to offer. Equipped with water colours and oil paint. I decided to double each colour band and encircled the crested crane as the National symbol in the centre. I chose these colours because they are beautiful with a lot of symbolic significance to Uganda’ say Nyai.

“They have pleased people all over Uganda and I should not suggest any change.

Black for African,Yellow for the Equator(Sunlight),Red for Bloody freedom struggle and the bird, “Crested Crane standing on one foot,was used as a national symbol for Peace and Progress(Movement)”

In the morning .Nyai posted his re-designed copy to Kampala

“For a long time there were no announcements about the competition results. The deadly silence compelled me to write many letters of inquiry to Internal Affairs without provoking any response from the Officers in Charge.

It was not until  9th October 1962, that he realized that his design was the best.”I could recall my own design. It  was pleasing  to the eye and too good to be true.”

Radio Uganda announced the colours of the new flag that had been hoisted as all newspapers also ran the same news item the4 next day, but its designer was not mentioned.

Nyai says Grace Ibingira , the then Internal affairs minister has been Historically mistaken to be the Father of the Ugandan Flag. He says Inbingira made the three Colours of Red (Top) Blue and then Black then for the Uganda national Congress (UNC) which were later adopted by the Uganda People’s congress (UPC).

“Initially ,the design I made had only three colours without the Bird until I re-designed it it as it stands to-date, during th4e final designing of the National flag Competition  ” says  Nyai.

This was between 1961 and 1962, while I was the headmaster at madhivani African primary School) Jinja” he recalls. Nyai remembers that he was not acquainted with kampala. “I didn’t know where the office of the internal affairs was located and the Officer to make my appeal to .

I would have pursued my royalties to the end. But there was a lot of confusion in the new government. The situation even worsened during Idi Amin and Milton OboteI regimes. When everyone feared for his life. I couldn’t make such a claim.

“Still under the Movement I have reached district local authorities, including the offices of the LC chairman, resident district commissioners and the district internal security officers and I have not been helped at all” he adds.

The former Arua Municipality Mp Joram Ajeani, says Nyai  has ever contacted him on the matter including many other people. But he faced a lot of difficulty pursuing it.

“he came to me  five years ago when I was in parliament. Says Ajeani who claims to have known Nyai for a long time.”I found it difficult because I didn’t know who to approach”

Nyai who is not certain of his date of birth . claims he was born around the early 1930s  . although he is not certain of the exact date and year of birth, the dark skinned old man is sure of his place of birth.

“I was born in Koi Village.Baria Sub-County;Arua District. My father is Semei Matia. A world war I veteran and one of the founders of Bombo barracks. The Current head Quarters of Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).” He says.

He went to Mvara boys primary school (now Mwara Demonstration primary School). Where he qualified to join the now defunct junior school in Gulu in 1944. However Nyai could not be admitted to Gulu. The bitter politics of the time was that bright students from West Nile  should be isolated. Lest the scoop all overseas scholarships that were offered by colonial government.

Frustrated. Nyai was transferred to lira teachers training college, where he qualified as a Grade I teacher in 1945.

He was posted to Otravu primary school before he upgraded to grade III at Arua Teachers training College, where he was one of the Pioneers in 1948.

Between 1960 and 1964 Nyai was the headmaster of Madhivani African primary School (in Kakira Busoga sic).

Where he responded to the designing of the country’s flag announcement .Nyai a graduate of the Muni national teachers College.

Nsamizi Institute of Social development and Russia is a retired teacher.

He lives in a ramshackled house. He has no income-generating activity and looks after 25 orphans.

As if haunted by his own name  “Nyai” (which means leave it there in Lugbara). The six – foot volunteer teacher has never been rewarded for his effort.

“My Royalties have been infringed upon for 43 years now. Many Governments have come and gone. But none has ever bothered to consider my work” says frustrated Nyai clad in a checkered coat with blue jeans shirt and black open shoes.

‘I appeal to the President to consider my creations and help me set up a business for self-Sustenance in the evening of my life”

Designer of the Ugandan National Flag 1962

Semei Matia Nyai

Teacher Retired

Telephone +256 782 109 058  or +256 772 440 418