Conversations with my late friend, Pherrie Kim

On the morning of Wednesday, October 11, I received the news of the passing on of Pherrie Kimbugwe, after a battle with brain cancer.

May her soul rest in peace. Over the years, I cultivated a friendship with Pherrie Kimbugwe. On some occasions we talked about her life and on other occasions we discussed my life. We took turns in asking questions for hours on end, almost as if we were conducting job or media interviews. 

Most of the questions and answers were through chats on Facebook with hardly any physical meetings. When she opened a state-of-the-art salon in the parking lot of Guvnor, she asked me to go for a haircut to mark its opening. She was a curious and observant person who took note of the big picture and small details.

She was candid, and did not hesitate to pronounce her privileged background. At the same time, she had an incessant desire to be independent of that privilege and realize her aspiration to explore a life that was far from what she had been exposed to.

Because she could be no holds barred, she sometimes spoke at length about her somewhat turbulent relationships and gave quite a bashing of partners she had parted ways with. I have opted not to include those parts of our conversations here because my aim is to celebrate the life of a departed friend.

I have not edited our texts, to grant her and me poetic license; to write as we felt during those conversational chats.

Me: Where were you born?

Pherrie Kim: Nairobi, Kenya

Some may find that to be quite unusual considering that you and your parents are Ugandan…

My parents lived in Kenya from the late 70s to the lates 80s. They returned to Uganda after President Museveni took power. My childhood and upbringing is all Kenyan.

Okay, so who are your parents?

No, I dont want to drag my parents in the public. They are known but private people. I would rather keep it that way.

How many children were you in the Kimbugwe family?
We are four.

Which position did you hold as a child in the family?

Middle. I also have two other siblings we were raised with. So that makes us six.

What was your impression of your early childhood?

Unforgettable, very memorable. My parents live for us. They gave us the ultimate in everything, the ultimate in parenting; the best schools, social life, clothes, bdays, treats. I had a very full happy childhood. I was raised by both mum and dad under one roof. My father travelled and always returned with suitcases full of foreign candy, watches, shoes, clothes etc for us.

We grew up very modern and very exposed. My father also loved fine cars and fine homes…so we were raised being chauffeured in fine cars and living in fine homes. My brothers all learnt to drive in BMWs…

Great. Which schools did you go to?

My first nursery school was Rusinga in Nairobi Kenya. Then Loreto (girls only) also in Nairobi Kenya. Then Kampala Parents School for my p6 and p7, then Nabisunsa. Then Lesley College Cambridge USA, then North Eastern University in Massachusetts, USA, and finally graduated at Emerson Massachusetts USA.

What course did you study at university college in the US?

Believe it or not, I first majored in childhood psychology and education…. Then changed to international relations, speech and media in my sophomore year. So I am really really good with kids. That’s why u always see me with all these babies and toddlers and people tend to think they are mine and I’m already a mother.

Interesting. Why did you change your course?

For some reason in my sophomore year, I became more aware of who I was as a young lady…really wanted to step up for women, especially black women in the Western world, female activist if you may. I felt like education and childhood psychology wouldn’t give me that forum.

I found myself taking a keen interest in media and journalism, but didn’t want to be a journalist. So, I opted for being a publicist and speaking out on female gender issues. I transferred to a college that specializes directly in the arts…Emerson, and took speech classes, media classes, literature and majored and graduated in International Relations. While in College I took a co-rp where I was a a girl child advocate in the Boston Court House.

I heard that one of your brothers Hassan Kimbugwe was a member of Perfect Generation. Is that true?

True. And that’s all I’m saying abt that. Coz he is also a very private person.

Okay, the reason I brought up that question was to find out whether music and entertainment was also part of your childhood life.

Tooooo much. My parents were a young modern couple who played music in the house, in the cars as we would be chauffeured to en from school…my mum always made us dance…and my dad would dance with us. We also had a weekend routine to go to the movies, and dine out at different hotels and restaurants. So yes, a lot of music and entertainment in my childhood. LOL. I have tons of childhood pix dancing with my siblings…

Did you work when you were studying in the United States?

Yes, I worked while I was in college. I was a sales executive at Lord & Taylor. I also worked with toddlers providing childcare under an organisation called Parents in a Pinch.

Did you make a lot of money at that point of your work life?

The main purpose to take jobs that were more official with less pay was to get exposure, gain experience and have referrals on my cv. Otherwise if I had taken non official jobs, yes I would make more money but I would have hardly any exposure let alone experience or referrals for my cv.

No, the official jobs do not pay much. But I had financial support from my parents. And they also paid my tuition. So, the jobs were merely to gain experience, not to make money.

Did you come back immediately after your course was done?

I took several breaks in between College. So, it took me 6yrs to be done, instead of the 4yrs. Coz I took 2 years off school… I had lost my closest brother and I honestly couldn’t focus on anything. So, I moved to an altogether new state Seattle, where I hoped I could not be reminded of him by everything that surrounded me.

It took me 2years to heal and get bk on course. Then I returned bk to the East Coast and finished what I started. Graduated and stayed on for another 3yrs, attained my American residential status, came home to visit for a few months but really never went back. I would go back to visit here en there but never to stay or live there.

What is the single difference between Ugandans and Americans in your view?

Aha…Ugandans are just very “special” people. We are very “special” people indeed. And by that…u know what I mean. Americans on the other hand…not so “special”. LOL

What was the first job you did when you came back here to Uganda?

I returned home and everything was sooo rosey. I was reliving my childhood, I was being chauffeured in the BMWs to whereever I needed to be.. I was getting served breakfast in bed, I literally did not have to lift a finger to do anything. Everything however minimal was being done for me.

Like I mentioned before, my parents live for our happiness…so they go way above and beyond to make that happen. They didn’t want me to work, they didn’t see the need for it. LOL. But I got bored with the life of doing nothing all day all night and started contemplating returning to the States.

But Chairman, Gordon Wavamuno, who is very tight pals with my papa, said…. she is not going back to America…I will give her something to do, let her come work at the TV. So I became the Public Relations Officer and Marketing Manager at WBS TV. So that was my first job in Uganda.

I eventually also got very bored with having the same Western amenities that I had been living in the States. I wanted to experience the other side of life. The real local Ugandan life, muchomo off the roadside, local food in those literally falling apart “bufundas” if u may. But there was no family member or friend willing to explore that side with me.

I was sooo obsessed with discovering that side of life that I found myself being reeled into a relationship I had no business being in. And boy, didn’t I get tired of that life real quick. LOL.

LOL. For how long did you work at WBS?

Maybe 2years. I headed and managed the marketing team. I had to ascertain that every marketeer reached their targets, so that the dept always kept its target. Publicity and marketing of the TV. Uniform for staff and making sure that the face of the TV (the anchors) were well groomed, well dressed, and represented the brand.

I also represented the company at events, did interviews and organised and arranged company events, company IDs, adverts and entertainment.

What was your pay like at WBS?

My pay was excellent! That I cannot complain!

Why did you leave WBS?

I went to the States and stayed longer than I had anticipated. So requested for the position to be filled.

When you came back, what did you move on to?

I joined my cousin Isaac Mulindwa at Selas Ltd. And became PR for Pam Awards and also HR/PR for the R&B radio station Hot 100. I enjoyed working there the most. It was very challenging. I learnt a lot with Isaac and grew up career wise and mentally.

Interesting. After working with Isaac what did you do next?

I also represented CBL (Crown Beverages Limited) and did several high school tours for Mountain Dew and Pepsi. This was still under Isaac’s company Selas Ltd. Believe it or not, together with this I also was PR and hostess for Guvnor Uganda. Yes…crazy schedule and work ethic. I was working 24/7 Monday to Sunday. Looking bk now, I don’t know how I did it.

Would I be right to say you brought an American work ethic to your work in Uganda? The 24/7 kind of thing?

Most definitely. American work ethic. No Ugandan can handle that.

How did you get the job at Guvnor?

Big smile. The most amazing person I have ever met in my entire lifetime….believed in me. Simple as that.

Something I have always wondered, Isaac Mulindwa is said to own shares in Club Silk. How did you decide to work for his competition?

Oh gosh…I don’t even know how to answer that question. Because I am family with most of the Club Silk shareholders or who used to be shareholders. I didn’t see it that way. And I got his blessing before I even took the job. I didn’t work for club silk or silk events. I worked for Selas. Selas is not competitor with Ange Noir in anyway. Him being a shareholder, that is his personal business that I am not in any way a part of.

How did you find work at Guvnor?

Working at Guvnor has truly been a very rewarding experience. The Guvnor team has become family. And whenever I’m at work, it feels like I am home…the wife, taking care of her home and her guests. That’s the best way I can describe it.

Were you expected to attend every night?

Yes…every open night. Fridays and Saturdays, I am at Guvnor. Catering to my clients’ every clubbing needs.

Which is your favourite movie of all time?

Thomas Crown Affair – Pierce Bronson
Why do you like it?

In my fantasy life…I would like to be what he was in that movie…a heist professional. The brains and smarts these heist professionals have! Oh God!

If there is anything you would change about your life what would that be?

Oh goodness..let me see…I have lived a pretty much full satisfactory life…so I can’t really say I would have changed any experience, good or bad. But maybe it would have been better to have my kids as soon as I finished College…but if I had…I would have missed out on all the experiences I have enjoyed. So, I guess I wouldn’t change a thing.