What A Life

This is s remarkable fast moving tragic story of a young man, Peter Opiyo, dogged by misfortunes after a very successful career rising from a Graduate Teacher to a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education during the military regime in Uganda. The story begins when Peter is already a Permanent Secretary, happily married to Rose, a Matron at Mulago Hospital even though they did not have children as Rose was unable to bear them. Tragedy hits the family when Robert Opiyo, Peter's father is shot to death by robbers in Nairobi where he was the Regional Manager of Trans Ocean, Uganda Limited with its main Headquarters in Kampala, Uganda. Robert Opiyo's murder was planned from Uganda with apparently the involvement of the Government State Research Bureau, the secret service arm of the Government at that time. Robert Opiyo's death sparked off Peter's misfortune. While in Gulu for the burial of his father, Peter's house is burgled and swept clean except for the bookshelf with all the books intact and the house telephone. What surprised Peter and his friends, is that Peter's house is sandwiched between two Senior Army Officers, in Princess Anne Avenue, in Kololo. None of the Peter's neighbours heard any noise of the breakage or noise of the lorry that carried off his whole household items. As if this was not enough misfortune, on their way back from Gulu, Peter and Rose in shock, drove back to Kampala and just as they approached Bombo Town, where a military barracks is located, a military lorry appeared out of nowhere heading towards Gulu and drove straight into the path of their car. To avoid a head on collusion, Peter swerved off the road and the car rolled several times into the valley before bursting into flames. During the fall, Peter was thrown out of the car and sustained multiple fractures but Rose, strapped in her seat belt, was burnt to ashes. After semi recovery, Peter took the remains of Rose and buried her next to his father's grave. Peter was completely broken, constantly thinking and weeping for Rose as they were very close not just as husband and wife but friends.