1. Who is Amandla Karungi?
Amanda Karungi holds a LLB (LAW) degree from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society. She is a Legal Associate at Birungyi, Barata & Associates and is currently pursuing a diploma in legal practice at the Institute of Legal Practice and Development in Rwanda.
2. What your occupation?
Lawyer
3. Are you currently doing a job you love or working towards it?
I’m working towards “loving it” but I do like my job.
4. What will that be (if answered working towards it)?
They say you either do a job you love or you love the job you have, which in essence speaks to life in general. Sometimes you find that you are exactly where you are supposed to be.
5. How did you hear about Teakisi?
I read a feature article about an African girl making it in the drama industry on Teakisi in 2013.
6. What does Teakisi mean to you?
It is the first public forum where I have displayed my work. I can come here and write. For me, that’s a lot.
7. Where do you see yourself in five years?
Becoming an established writer and lawyer as well.
8. Name three things you can’t do without?
There are “no three things” you can’t do without. If ever you find that you are without something that you thought you couldn’t do without, and still survive, then, I guess you can do without it in the first place.
9. What’s the one thing you could change about Africa if you had the chance to?
I would change the narrative we have about ourselves, the story of poverty, of victimhood, of a people who have failed to govern themselves, of disease, of war and of low intellect.
10. Name five African women who inspire you.
I met a South African girl during law school, who tutored a few of our courses. She was about a year or two ahead of us and was good at everything: she was academically brilliant, visibly sporty and carried her guitar around school. I presumed she had music classes or performed somewhere all while still managing to look great! Whenever I want to excel academically or feel defeated by minor setbacks, I say to myself, be like Jess. That was her name.
I could say Julia Sebutinde or Rebecca Kadaga because they are women of great power with already well established careers. However, I find myself drawn to everyday people. I can better relate.