My grandfather’s lovers

What the report says

The Observer published a first-person commentary that blends memoir, village recollection and satire around a family story in Mukono North, Uganda. The writer opens by recalling a radio nostalgia segment on CBS FM’s Kalisoliso programme, then shifts to memories of life in Mulunji-omu, including his grandfather, Jaja Bumbakali, a former parish chief and village chairman who was described as a prosperous cattle keeper and coffee farmer.

The central anecdote concerns the grandfather’s repeated bouts of illness, which the writer says seemed to worsen after time spent in the countryside. According to the account, family members later realized that some of his caregivers, including maids and even a nurse, were also his sexual partners. The article presents this as a humorous and morally ambiguous family tale, with the grandfather portrayed as enjoying attention and the attendants reportedly benefiting from the arrangement.

The piece then says the children reacted angrily and dismissed the female helpers, while their mother defended her husband and suggested he was still active despite his age. The story continues that the grandfather later became ill again after a new younger female relative began spending time with him and helping around the home. Beyond the family anecdote, the article offers a wider reflection on aging, desire, power and the social dynamics of care in a rural Ugandan setting. Because the text is presented as commentary, readers should treat the episode as the author’s narrative rather than independently verified reporting.