Aaron Mpireyenki, 23, a Makerere University graduand who emerged the best in the Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) confessed that his father died and his mother, who has no radio or TV could not make it to his graduation ceremony.
Mpireyenki also emerged the best in the College of Business and Management Sciences with a cumulative grade point average of 4.84.
While narrating his education journey, the fresh graduate revealed that his academics took a major hit during his third year when his father committed suicide after failing to pay a shs700,000 loan.
In my third year first semester, two weeks to examinations, my father had a loan which he thought he will never pay so he decided to take poison and took his life, thankfully I was not affected that time because I had people around who were comforting me, I actually got 4.84 CGPA.” Mpireyenki said.
“But in my third year last semester, I failed to read because I kept on thinking about my father’s death and I did not have people around me to counsel me because most of them thought I had moved on yet I was hurting,” Mpireyenki added.
Mpireyenki reportedly cried when they called him to pick his plaque because he could not come with his parents. He explained that his mother could not afford the transport from his home village to Kampala.
“I cried when they called me to pick my plaque because as best students we were given an opportunity to come with our parents, but I had no one to come with, my father died and my mother could not afford the transport from Rukiga district to Kampala. She is not even on television or radio because we do not have those things at home,” Mpireyenki emotionally said.
During the Makerere University 71st graduation ceremony, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) which Certifies Public Accountants of Uganda awarded him with a plaque and sh1million as start-up capital.