Red Means Stop. Green Means Go.

Whenever I drive around with the kids and we stop at traffic lights, they always say, almost in chorus, “Red Means Stop. Green Means Go. Orange means Get Ready!” These are three and five-year-old kids. What did we learn in our days? Did we even know traffic lights? I guess they teach that in preschool these days.

Anyhow, last Saturday, a bit late in the night, probably about 10:00pm, we happened to make a stop at one of the many traffic lights in Kampala (thanks to NRM’s Steady Progress). It so happened that a couple of bodaboda riders, like they usually do, didn’t stop. They just cruised through the lights. Who said men were color blind? I guess he was right.

This prompted the five-year-old to ask,

“Mummy, how comes when the light is red the bodaboda men just drive when they are supposed to stop? (sic)“

I was glad he hadn’t asked me this seemingly innocent but very deep question. I later thought more about it and then it hit me. Adults are guilty of talking and not doing.

Kids learn more by observing, as opposed to doing. We normally tell kids to do this and do that but they observe more than we may know.

That said, what traffic rules will the bodaboda guy who runs red lights teach his son or daughter?

At home, we have a simple rule, no eating while standing or walking around. And guess who catches me when I sometimes think I can get away with it? You guessed it, my son.

“Daddy, why are you eating while standing? We don’t eat while standing.”

The rule must be observed, even for snacks. And my response is always,

“Yes, you are right. We shouldn’t eat while standing.”

And i proceed to sit down. The big question is would I sit down if my son was not watching? I wonder.

Integrity is what we do when no one is watching.

Recently, I drove to Mbarara for a colleague’s wedding. The church service was slated for 1:00pm and we set off from Kampala at 7:30am. Naturally, after going through the hustle and bustle of Ndeeba, Nateete, Busega and Kyengera traffic, there is lighter traffic, a wider road, and obviously a full tank. The temptation to step on the gas is real.

But that’s when Operation Fika Salama kicks in. Every 20 or so kilometers, there is an operation to make sure you slow down and to maintain safety on the roads. Indeed, the number of accidents on Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara road has greatly reduced, mainly because reckless drivers are periodically kept in check. But it is so annoying!

Just when you are beginning to enjoy the ride, you must slow down for random police checks. So painful and yet so necessary. Why do humans hate things that are meant to keep their lives safe?

In stretches where there are no police checks, the temptation is real to step on the gas. But being an unfamiliar road, you don’t know when the next speed gun is so you are forced to slow down and comply with all speed limits.

I must commend the Uganda Police though for this timely intervention. The statistics are crazy!

The Kampala–Masaka Road is the most accident-prone stretch of highway in Uganda, recording between 200 and 300 fatalities annually. Ugandan officials attribute the high accident rate to several factors including (a) speeding (b) failure to observe traffic signs (c) overloading of passenger vehicles (d) overloading of merchandise trucks (e) dilapidated vehicles (f) driving while intoxicated (g) lax laws against traffic offenses (h) a slow justice system.

On the sections of the road without Fika Salaama, I could have gotten away with overspeeding.

But what if?

What if we all stopped at red lights, even if no one was watching?

What if somebody else was rightly driving through their green light and crashed into you who was not supposed to go?

What if we all wore our seat belts, even if there was no one to punish us for not wearing them?

What if all bodaboda riders wore helmets, observed traffic rules and actually attended proper riding school? (for this and more jokes, SMS JOKE to 0772xxxxxx)

What if we actually went to driving school, learned how to properly drive our vehicles and how to observe road signs, as well as safety for everyone on the road?

What if we all observed simple rules, even if no one is watching?

What I stopped asking these questions and started doing instead, even if no one is watching?

What if?

============================================

The hiatus is over. I intend to share my thoughts here more regularly now. This is October 2019 after all. I won’t wait for a new year’s resolution to do this.

MYSTERY ARUA STONE: FINALLY AN ANSWER!

A stone that allegedly smashed an armoured presidential vehicle during a clash between two political camps has threatened to push global warming to second position in significance. What should have been a question of “who” has become a question of “what“.

Consequently, a litany of commentaries has ensued from both the learned and ignorant as they try to wrap their brains around the said stone.

Geologists have initiated an expedition to find out the elements in stones in Arua-Uganda that enables it to drill a bullet proofed windscreen.

Historians have confessed the absence of any records of such a stone.

Physicists are burning the midnight oil in laboratories as they try to calculate the velocity of the stone. But the most defeating question according to them is how the stone managed to manoeuvre the convoy and hit its target. To this enigma, some Chinese drone manufacturer has suggested the possibility of a remote-controlled stone, some kind of a guided missile.

Astronomers and cosmologists have theorised that a meteorite from space could have strayed to earth.

The riddle that the above schools of thought have failed to solve is the absence of debris and fragments from the allegedly broken glass.

And this is how Theologians have come in handy: In the book of Daniel Chapter two, there is a prophecy of a stone that seems to join the dots of the mysterious Arua stone:

First, the stone in Daniel Chapter 2 was cut by no human hands. This fits with the Arua stone as long as the thrower of the stone is yet to be identified.

Second, the Scriptures clearly say that after the stone smashed the image, all the debris was carried away by a mighty wind leaving no trace behind!

Third and the punchline is this: the stone grew and filled the whole earth. Compare this with the fact that a mere stone from Arua has become a topic of global discussion and protests.

Bonifresh Muhollo is a Theologian and an Arua Stone Collector.

Personal Decisions for Self-improvement

By Seanice Lojede

I’m taking a leadership course.

At the school of personal decisions for self-improvement.

The fee? A huge amount of time and pain. Yes – PAIN.

You see this course is not one that you can pay a teacher or coach to take you on.

It’s a path you choose when you know in your heart; The time has come to go to the next plane of your journey.

There are many modules of this course that I can share with you, there is the relationship aspect. Relationships with money, family, friends, children, colleagues and spouse.

Then there is the accountability module which is the module I am now studying and going to share with you- this is where your lecturers are the people that have joined your journey at some point, former colleagues, teachers, best friends etc.

This is an important part of your life. This is where you confront yourself with your B.S and ironically empower yourself forever more.

The course requires you to honestly ask these people; WHAT ARE MY WEAKNESSES? HOW CAN I BE BETTER?

You see, to truly realize that YOU are the author of your story, the painter on your canvas – you have to let go of all EXCUSES, excuses, however good, are disempowering, they shift the balance of power away from you- to an external entity.

If you believed that it was your spouse’s job to give your life joy and meaning, that marriage was the solution to loneliness – give that belief up now. Marriage is where you go to serve and serve again until you have grown enough to be WORTHY of this beautiful institution, it’s where you realize that you have to be happy and fulfilled and find ways to make peace and truly meet and know yourself before two become one. I

f a jigsaw puzzle was undefined how would that piece fit in with another? It is wonderful to be complete and in union – but it only works when you are ready to be a compliment to someone else’s completeness and that responsibility lies with you.

Let’s talk about your accountability at work – why do you expect to reap where you have not sowed? Why do you complain and moan about your ‘peanut salary’ when you have taken NO steps to understand the value chain of your business, how you contribute and where you can contribute more because you want to earn more? Why do you expect to earn more if you are equally not investing enough in yourself and picking up new skills?

Everything in life grows and when it stops, it dies – trees, grass and dragonflies- so why do you stop growing and learning once you leave school? Why do you insist on a 9-5 to give you everything? sustenance, inspiration and motivation? sometimes a book is what inspires you, a hobby is what motivates you and a job is what sustains you – why do you stop seeking out different ways to express yourself?

I am not indicting you – we all must be patient with each other for to know better is to do better.

But; if after reading this, you do not take steps to take your own course and be accountable to your own story arch – then I will indict you because we must meet you before you die. Take time to figure out how to bring out the REAL YOU that education squashed, the REAL YOU that socialization conditioned, the REAL YOU that Capitalism tamed. Let us meet the REAL YOU because that is where your greatest potential lies.

So About Bridal Showers…

CHUCKLES AND STRUGGLES.

I’m a 27 year old and what that means is for 3 years now, there has been an everlasting eruption of weddings in my circles. In times like these, what that further means is I unfortunately participate in bridal showers more often than I would like.

I don’t like bridal showers.

I hate having to sit for hours with gritted teeth, listening to married women giving brides ‘counsel’ such as “Mu Bubufumbo okumalako olina okweyisa ng’omusiru!” (For your marriage to be successful, you ought to feign stupidity), “Ebyomunju tebittottolwa” (You should never talk about what’s happening in your home), “Omwami bwasobya togamba bantu bo: gwe ojja kumusonyiwa kubanga omwagala naye bbo bajja kumukyaawa, ate era bambi oyisibwe bubi!” (When your husband does something bad, do not tell people close to you because they will hate him and it will hurt you deeply because the truth is that you love him…

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You should’ve asked

Emma

Here is the english version of my now famous “Fallait demander” !

Thanks Una from unadtranslation.com for the translation 🙂

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Kayihura Good For The Opposition + LeaseHold Tenure System in Uganda

Kayihura

It is now public news that Kayihura has been given another three-year term as Inspector General of the Uganda Police by President Yoweri Museveni. What is now left is the Appointments Committee of Parliament to vet and rubber stamp his appointment.

If Kayihura completes his term, he will have held the forte for 15 years. That will be a remarkable achievement, seeing that very few security chiefs (ISO, ESO, CMI) have lasted that long in whatever positions they have held.

Predictably, the opposition politicians have vowed to block his vetting. They argue, and rightly so, that the police is an extension of the ruling NRM party. Kayihura is the chief political mobiliser for the incumbent. He (Kayihura) is always beating them up, tear gassing them and jailing them whenever they try to mobilize their supporters. I wonder if they expect him to roll out a red carpet for them.

It is ironic but the opposition needs Kaihura and Kayihura needs the opposition to thrive. This unholy marriage is necessary to ensure both of them survive and appear relevant to their respective supporters.

As long as Kayihura’s police are beating up and jailing regime opponents, they are doing a good job. And as long as the opposition is persecuted and denied political space within which to operate, they remain relevant to those fed up of the status quo.

Just imagine if every time Besigye went to Owino market to consult his supporters there was no incident to create breaking news on social media or mainstream media? Just imagine if the cameras didn’t follow Besigye around during walk-to-work or the police let him walk freely? For how long would he go on with it?

So beating Besigye and other opposition politicians is actually good for them. They appear persecuted and therefore remain relevant to the people they are trying to appeal to, at least in the short term. Besigye’s rise to main opposition leader is because of the beatings he has endured, not his alternative policies.

By unleashing all this terror upon the opposition, Kayihura is making sure his boss remains untouched in State House and therefore has time to strategize and win the next election. Kayihura, therefore, acts not just as Chief Political Mobilizer but also the overall commander of all intelligence services.

It is, therefore, not far-fetched to say that the opposition re-appointed Kayihura by constantly cursing and complaining about him. His boss, Museveni, just knows he is doing a good job as the Chief Architect of regime survival. Museveni is therefore able to kill many birds with one stone.

Kayihura collects intelligence, mobilizes supporters across the country but unfortunately neglects his primary responsibility of ensuring the safety of all Ugandans and their property. I guess that is a small price to pay, at least in the short term. How else would you explain it?

Museveni and Besigye need each other. As long as Besigye is still contesting, Museveni won’t retire and as long as Museveni still wants the life presidency, Besigye won’t rest.

The opposition needs a new strategy.

Buganda Land Board (BLB)

Interestingly, Buganda Kingdom land is less than 2% of the total land in the central region. Only that is it mainly prime land, which makes it very easy to target. Most of it is in fact occupied by the bigwigs in government and business.

BLB have been all over the news lately with their Kyapa mu Ngalo promotion, a fresh campaign following the previous registration of all settlers on land owned or held in trust by Buganda Kingdom and/or the Kabaka of Buganda.

As a result of the registration campaign, many people got Certificates of Occupancy that guarantee them certain legitimacy, protection, and rights as bonafide bibanja owners. There is now less fear of illegal eviction. Busuulu is also easier to collect.

BLB wanted to push this further and encourage interested bibanja owners to convert to the leasehold arrangement and acquire land titles.

The bibanja arrangement is mainly a gentleman’s agreement between a settler and a landlord. It may involve witnesses and/or a written agreement but no land title. Sometimes cash may not necessarily exchange hands especially when the settlement was without the landlord’s knowledge.

By law, a kibanja owner is supposed to pay an annual rental fee to the landlords – ranging from UGX 1,000 to UGX 50,000. The fee varies from place to place based on the decision of the District councils. The fee is regardless of the size and/or location of the land in as much as it can be revised from time to time.

Because it is a small amount, landlords normally don’t collect it. Who would drive 100 kilometers to collect UGX 1,000? Therefore, the leasehold arrangement is a better deal for the landowner. They get more income while retaining perpetual ownership of their land. This is not new and BLB shouldn’t be castigated as if they are the first to pull it off.

By encouraging bibanja owners to process land titles under the leasehold arrangement, BLB is thinking critically and economically.  The lease periods range from 49, 75 to 99 years and the fees are based on the location and value of the land. BLB therefore makes more money this way without losing permanent ownership of their land.

At the end of the lease period, in case of failure to renew, the land and all properties on it revert to the landlord, in this case, Buganda Kingdom. This is the biggest issue raised by critics of this arrangement. What if in 49 years, you or your kids are not able to afford the lease? What will happen? You would obviously lose the land and property since you can’t carry it away.

It is, however, good that a clause is inserted, giving first priority to the sitting tenant before anybody else. But how loyal will the landlords

With a kibanja agreement, you can’t borrow from lending institutions like banks and MDIs. You can not use the land as security in any serious transaction, which you can do under the leasehold arrangement.

Converting from perpetual and transferable/inheritable ownership under kibanja to “temporary” ownership under the leasehold arrangement is where the biggest issue is. Will the land automatically revert to a kibanja as it was before the lease? I doubt that is currently possible under the land laws.

Some people argue that kids will take care of themselves. They will cross that bridge when they get to it. But of course, many people will still be here after 49 years. Imagine a retired you, possibly living off your pension, will you still be able to afford that lease?

The choice is yours. Choose wisely.

Blood Donation: The Politics and The Media

On February 4, 2017, my friends and I at iTiS Well of Worship Fellowship organized a blood donation drive at Mount Zion Hotel in response to the recent press reports about acute shortage of blood in the country. Mulago Hospital, the main referral hospital in the country, publicly announced that they would stop carrying out major surgical procedures that needed blood and will only focus on the critical cases such as delivery and accidents.

Read: Mulago suspends operations over blood shortage (The Daily Monitor, January 21, 2017)

That wasn’t our only motivation, however. You see, one of our own has a daughter who, just a couple of weeks ago, needed blood and she just couldn’t get any. The mom spent four hours running around and making desperate phone calls. And it is only after raising a certain amount of money that she was able to get the much-needed blood for her daughter. It could have been worse, four hours is a long time! What would have happened if she hadn’t raised the money?

We (iTiS Well of Worship Fellowship) decided to be part of the solution and not the problem. Instead of whining, complaining and saying “Tusaba gavumenti etuyambe“, we decided to donate blood to save another life out there. Donating blood can also save your own life. You never know when you will need a transfusion. So donating blood is like keeping money in the bank, at a certain point x, you will need to withdraw it.

So it is against that background that we contacted the Nakasero Blood Bank or Uganda Blood Transfusion Service (UBTS) as they are officially called. They initially gave us a date of Tuesday, February 7, 2017, which was later changed to Saturday, February 4, 2017, our preferred date. We were even given a contact person to help us coordinate our efforts on one condition, mobilize at least 100 people.

On Tuesday, a few days before the event, we called UBTS just to confirm if the program was still on and were assured we had been scheduled into the program for the week. The field team would be on site at midday. Not too bad considering that people usually have a few errands to run on Saturday mornings.

We proceeded with our mobilization drive which was clearly bearing fruits. We were on track to meet and beat the 100 people target. The donation was meant to run from midday to about 5:00pm. That would be enough time for all our donors to drop in at their convenience.

We officially wrote to KCCA Central Division, to request them to allow us to use their parking lot as a donation center. For those who are familiar with the geography of that place, it is a perfect spot because we could talk to some passers-by to come and join the cause. There was no way we were going to fail to raise at least 100 pints of blood.

Come Saturday morning, the contact person’s phones are off. Maybe she had a long night and will be up soon. It was just 9:00am after all. At 10:00am a mini panic sets in, the phones are still off. We are now just two hours away from the start. A few people have in fact arrived on site. What is happening?

At 11:00am, one of us drives to UBTS offices just to find out what is happening. We are now one hour away from the start. Surely we can’t afford to lose time. Being Saturday morning, there is barely anyone in the office. One lady has come in to specifically take blood from two donors who had booked earlier. She can’t help much except give us the phone numbers of the Principal Assigning Officer and the Director.

We call the Director who assures us that she will do something.Surely blood will be donated today. She hands us over to the Principle Assigning Officer who in turn hands us over to the Team Leader of a field team already in Kisugu, after all, they are doing a short donation there after which they will come to Mount Zion Hotel.

We go back to site and wait for the team to arrive. We assure our donors already on site that UBTS has been delayed but they are surely on their way. It is now 1:00pm and we are desperate. We call the Team Leader of the team in Kisugu and guess what, he has no idea where his team is. He confirms that he heads the team but he is not sure “where they worked today“. He was probably at his farm somewhere. What else could explain this incompetence?

3:00pm, no team on site. Contact person’s phones still off. The Team from Kisugu nowhere to be seen. A heavy downpour is now beating down on us. We still wait patiently but desperately. We have to donate blood, whatever it will take.

Another call placed to the Director and she says, “Why don’t you reschedule to Tuesday?“. You are kidding me, right? We couldn’t have gone through this pain for nothing. Besides, who will be available on Tuesday to make sure the exercise is conducted? Some of our donors are students, other live out of town. It is just not possible. We politely decline the Tuesday offer. We must do this today, even if it means finishing late.

4:00pm, the Kisugu team is now done and “they are on their way” to Mount Zion Hotel. OK. At least we’ll do some donation. This can’t be a total waste. We call the nurse who delivers the final blow. “I have been dropped at Kobil (Bombo road) by the driver and I don’t know where he has gone. All the equipment is in the ambulance. Maybe we reschedule. It’s too late now.”

The Director later talked about “issuing an official apology on Monday blah blah blah” if we wanted.

What does all this mean?

I talked to Theologian, Philosopher and Critical Thinker, Pastor Isaiah White Tumwine, who helped me put this whole thing into context and perspective. You see, sometimes you need somebody to help you interpret failure.

Failure is one thing but it is easy to miss the lessons and the bigger picture. So have a mentor or somebody who has walked the path you are trying to walk before you to help you interpret failure. I digress.

You do not fix the system, you fix individuals – Pastor Isaiah White Tumwine

By donating blood, you are trying to fix the broken system. And historically, this has never worked anywhere. Systems, by default, are meant to function that way. It is not how they fail but how they work! Broken systems after all benefit middlemen like UBTS. Oppositions politicians could borrow a leaf from this, instead of wasting time demonstrating on the streets.

There is no shortage of blood in Uganda. UBTS is simply holding on to the blood reserves and, with the help of the media, creating an impression that there is no blood in the country. The same way every December there is a shortage of sugar and fuel in Uganda because of hoarding by dealers and businessmen. Somehow, we have all somehow bought into this narrative.

In a broken system, you don’t give blood, you buy blood – – Pastor Isaiah White Tumwine

No wonder Donald Trump won the US election, despite a deliberate and sustained media campaign against him. The media is never neutral, it wants to shape your opinion and ultimately change how you think. No wonder politicians always do whatever they do in front of media cameras. Media does not portray the reality, far from it.

UBTS and Mulago Hospital are clearly using the media to brainwash the gullible Ugandans into believing that is no blood in the country. And yet all they want is to sell the blood to the highest bidder. Cry my beloved country.

Otherwise, how would you explain a shortage of blood when willing donors like us are treated like trash by the custodians of the blood bank. I thought they would move quickest to collect blood from every corner of this country.

Why would they even insist on 100 donors before they come to your venue? I thought every pint (and drop) counts in a crisis? Bottomline, there is no crisis!

Over to you Uganda Blood Transfusion Service – UBTS.

Girls, Women and Marriage

I asked why girls who are not looking for marriage are stumbling on it while those who are desperate for it can’t find it. Here in so many words is why I think that is the case. Every analogy presented here is from my own observation and every phrase employed is coined by me.

Generally speaking, ladies in our society divide their adult lives into four distinct phases. This is just Joseph Kabuleta theory.

PHASE ONE: Play time (Age 19-22)

This is a period where, as Cyndi Lauper’s famous song says, “girls just wanna have fun”.
When a guy asks her out, she comes along with three of her roomies and wonders why he was frowning throughout the evening and drinking only water. She shares almost all her mischief with her friends and they have a good laugh over it. At this stage of their lives, girls see guys as playthings; as a lamentable, pitiable species of people that must continually prove their worth. During this phase, any suggestion of a serious relationship is dismissed with the contempt reserved for fun-spoilers.

PHASE TWO: Open time (Age 23-28)

In this period, girls still wanna have fun, but not just fun. They want to have fun with a purpose. They are looking to fall in love and get married (in that order). At this stage, her ideal man is no longer a set of qualities written on a piece of paper or a guy on a magazine cover, but a workmate, a churchmate, a gym mate. In other words, someone within her realistic grasp. She knows him, she sees him, she frequents the places he usually goes to and she hopes he makes a move.

As she gets dangerously close to 28 and the guy of her fantasies is not any closer to making a move, she widens her net. The bidding process is now open. She imagines that just because she flung herself open, bidders are going to come flocking in by their tens.
If only life was that straightforward.

Her open bidding process lasts a year without a single bid, then reality hits. She looks back at all the bidders she threw out without as much as a consideration and none of them looks particularly jilted. In fact, most of them are probably happily married or inviting her to their wedding meetings.
Tick, tack, tick, tack….

PHASE THREE: Desperation time (Age 29-33)

She is now 29, which means 30 is just 365 days away. So many things have to happen before the fourth decade of her life begins. As the days go by, she forgets that marriage involves two people. She tries to take the bull by the horns, so to speak. Now she can only date ‘serious’ people. Anyone deemed to be unserious is not granted half an audience.
That creates three discernible dangers for her.

1. Her definition of a serious man is one who is willing to have the second date at her parent’s home, and the third date at their wedding reception. Any man who can be rushed like that is either a very old man or a conman. So her definition of a serious man inadvertently excludes all serious men.
2. At this stage, a girl has lost the ability to fall in love, all she wants is to fall in marriage. Men notice this attitude from a distance and take off. Men want to be the star in their own movie, not to be enrolled as support cast in a woman’s movie.
3. The third problem is; desperation doesn’t sell. And it doesn’t hide either. The harder you try to suppress it the more it sticks out, like a cockroach on a wedding cake. Like a wet stain on the fry of a trouser, desperation can never be hidden.

PHASE FOUR: Single motherhood (Ages 33 –)

When the prospect of marriage seems to be vanishing with the horizon, it’s time to look for a prospective baby papa. He must be responsible (not the kind who will switch off the phone when school fees time arrives). Good looks are an added advantage.

Remember those distinct phases; Play time, Open time, Desperation time and Single motherhood.

Anyone who has been through campus knows all about the nightmare of registration. You get to the faculty and there is a queue of students waiting to enlist. Exams are around the corner and you must complete the process in time or you miss out. But the lady in charge of the registration process looks tired, bored, demotivated and desperate to milk that moment for self-importance.

Hanging above her desk is a notice that reads: “A delay on your part does not constitute an emergency on ours.” And so she remains oblivious to the haste around her. Yet, in spite of her apparent callousness, she has a point. The office was open throughout the semester but no one showed up to register until the final few days. And now we expected her to jump up and down at our whims.

Back to the subject of marriage.

From my observation, girls who end up in stable marriages are those who use their Open Time wisely. But so many girls tend to abuse their Open Time in one of the following ways.

1. The dream man

In every grouping or confluence of bachelors and spinsters (church, club, workplace etc) there is often one suave, smooth, seemingly accomplished guy who is seen as the ideal husband for most girls. He is the man of their fantasies. The trouble is; that prize man is being eyed by twenty girls; all of whom are hoping to win the race. If only the dude would make his choice early enough and free the girls from the prison of their fantasies, but such guys are never in a hurry. He plays ‘good friend’ to all the girls and keeps them hanging on the cross of hope. When he eventually proposes to one, he leaves nineteen others flat on their faces. By the time they get over the disappointment, and try to look elsewhere, their Open Time is coming to an end and Desperation Time is knocking on the door.

2. Ideal vs Available

Then they wake up to the realisation that they wasted their Open Time eyeing that prize man. While they were at it, other guys came and expressed interest but they were roundly rejected because the belle was determined to land the trophy guy. So when she wakes up from her disappointment, all the guys who were interested in her, the guys whose proposals she threw out, have moved on and they seem happy. Many of them are dating or married. If only one of them would come back she would gladly take him in, but none of them returns.

3. Extended Play Time

Many belles choose to prolong their Play Time and eat up all their Open Time. So they move straight from Play Time to Desperation Time. One day they are singing “girls just wanna have fun”, the next day they are desperate for a proposal. A few of them might get away with it, but most don’t.

4. A delay on your part…

Like those women at campus would say, a delay on your part doesn’t constitute an emergency elsewhere. Just because you are running late doesn’t mean menfolk are going to change their behaviour. Guys don’t want to talk about marriage or the ideal family size on the first or fourth date. They don’t want to meet your parents before they are well acquainted with you. Don’t expect the world to align itself to your desperation. There are certain things you cannot push; the only pushing you will do is pushing prospective husbands away from you.

Now for some advice:

• Even if you have entered desperation age, never act desperate. It can only work against you.
• Don’t waste your open time pursuing a so-called dream guy. He is probably not worth it. A dream guy today might turn out to be a loser tomorrow. That’s usually the case. Remember those guys whom we celebrated in Secondary School? Where are they now? Don’t be surprised to find them riding boda bodas. The guy you turn down today because he doesn’t meet your lofty aspirations might turn out as the dream guy tomorrow. If you cannot catch a buffalo, settle for an antelope.
• Don’t put the necessity for marriage ahead of the person you are marrying; that is a classic case of putting the cart before the horse.
• Remember, the people who are desperate did not end up that way because they didn’t have opportunities; they ended up that way because they spurned their opportunities.
• God doesn’t see us for what we are, He sees us for what we can be. How I wish girls held the same attitude when considering prospective husbands.

If you have read this to the end it means you have enjoyed it. Now share it with your friends (especially young ladies). It might just make a big difference in their lives.

Shamelessly copied and pasted from Joseph Kabuleta’s Facebook wall.

‘There is no difference between you and Dr. Besigye’, Henry Mutebe tells Andrew Mwenda

One of the best responses to Andrew Mwenda’s shenanigans

Friday's Thoughts

Dear Andrew Mwenda

My letter to you is in Dr. Martin Luther king’s spirit who once said that ‘a time comes when silence is betrayal.’ You have spoken; I have read, listened and heard. In your submissions, you raised very important issues which in all fairness deserve a response.
I will try my best, not to attack your character or person, because that is not the ethic of a civilized debate although, I will not shy away from pointing at examples of your own pieces, submissions and words well recorded in history that may be a good mirror for you to do your own self-appraisal on the way you put your ideas forward.

You are no doubt a man of great potential but like all elements of great potential, they can all in the same manner be elements of great danger. The beauty and burden of your gifts is that…

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A review of Hope Nabukenya’s maiden charity concert

I previously reblogged this promo for my sister Hope Nabukenya’s maiden charity concert. If you didn’t read it, now is a good time to check it out.

Hope Nabukenya is passionate about two things; music and children. That is one of the reasons she chose to return home after her Master’s degree in Germany. She could have sought employment there instead, like many people from Africa do.

When she came back home, she hit the studio and recorded a 10 track album. She also got her charity registered and kicked off working with the underprivileged children in many schools.

The show was, therefore, a good occasion to highlight her passions and bring attention to the children’s charity that she started. I commend her for being brave and following her passions. So many people can only dream of the heights she has achieved at her young age.

Here are my observations from the show, held at Silver Springs Hotel in Bugolobi on Sunday, November 20, 2016.

The Attendance

The show was well attended. The hall was filled to capacity and clearly, Hope will need a bigger venue for her next concert. She underestimated her abilities and popularity, considering she had been away in Germany for a few years. She just wasn’t sure how people would respond.

The Crowd at Hope Nabukenya Live

The Crowd at Hope Nabukenya Live

The Venue

It was a bit too small for the crowd. Eventually, more seats had to be brought in to accommodate the swelling crowd. I guess it was because of the low ticket sales on the days prior to the concert that such a small venue was chosen. Most people, i would say almost 95%, bought their tickets at the entrance. This can be hard while planning for a show like this. You just can’t be sure f the numbers.

The Tickets

There were three categories of tickets, Ordinary at 15,000/=, VIP at 50,000/= and VVIP at 100,000/=. However, in the sitting arrangement, there was a thin line between VIP and VVIP. In fact, most were intermingled due to the limited space. The only advantage both VIP groups had was they were seated at the front so they had a good view of the stage. And of course a drink on the house. 🙂

While getting into the hall, I wondered how the organizers balanced their books. Each ticket was simply signed and given back to the guest. How did they count the number of guests who attended? How did they know how many VIPs, VVIPs attended? Ticket sales are not enough. Isn’t it common practice to tear off and keep a piece of the ticket, at least for the arithmetic while balancing the books later? Anyhow, I saw a loophole that could easily have been exploited but well, maybe am not well schooled in these things.

Time Keeping

This was a challenge throughout. The show was supposed to kick off at 4:30pm but it kicked off way past 5:30pm. Never mind that i arrived late but I only missed one or two curtain raisers.

Also, many people were forced to leave early. The next day being a Monday (read working day) could have been a factor as well as running away from the mini-fundraiser for the children’s charity.

The Mcs

The MCs, a lady (Sandra) and a gentleman, were very good. They easily connected with the crowd and kept the program flowing. The gentleman’s humor especially kept the crowd laughing, and engaged during breaks in performances. Some of the time keeping challenges were clearly beyond their control.

The Stage

The stage was well constructed. It was easy for the artists and performers to get on and off easily. It didn’t have to be so big because of the hall but also the number of artists.Everyone in the audience had a good view, regardless of where they sat.

The lighting was good, most times it flowed with the music and performances. Again, for the budget and size of the show. It was acceptable.

The Sound

Victor Uringtho was in charge of the sound so most of it was well balanced. I was seated at the front, in front of the speakers but my eardrums came out unscathed and I could have a decent conversation with my neighbor. Victor has a lot of experience as a sound engineer for most of the concerts that take place in this town.

Every instrument and voice could clearly be heard. There were a couple of times when things went haywire but were easily brought under control. For example when The Harmonics came on stage and there were fewer microphones than they needed. They were forced to improvise. Good sound overall.

The Crowd

The crowd was composed of 99% Seventh-day Adventists which easily explains their tastes in music and reception to genres and artists they had never listened to such as Baroness. There were times I felt the crowd should be on their feet singing and dancing along but they were all glued to their seats, as if in a typical SDA church service.

The Music

The Curtain Raisers:

I missed the first performance(s) by Danielle Puleng, @Bond, and The Blended Live Band, as I was still outside trying to find my way in, but I caught the following:

The Heralds Choir – They did some of their new songs which were well received by the crowd, the highlight being the Halleluiah Chorus. It was well executed. They also sang live music, which was a plus, considering that many choirs sing over CD music while pretending to “perform”.

The Canaan Gents – They put in a good vocal performance. Their last song especially got the crowd on their feet. They had a way of beatboxing local drum beats and it sounded very good. Great performance overall.

The Harmonics – Great and dynamic group of gentlemen who connected very well with the crowd. They had a way of interchanging the lead vocals amongst themselves without losing the crowd. Their last song Munsi Y’abanunule was a crowd favorite. Great performance.

Ssozi Moses – He gave the coldest performance of the night. The crowd only applauded him at the end out of politeness. Otherwise, he gave a half-hearted performance sang over a CD track. The MC didn’t spare him afterward.

Baroness – It was my first time to listen to her but I loved her. She told us the inspiration behind each song before she sang it. She taught the crowd the chorus of her first song before she sang it. She then sang a couple of other songs as well as the crowd favorite, One by One. I later found out she is a Watoto Church-based vocalist, singer, and songwriter. It explains why she is such a great worship leader and knew how to connect with the audience. Wonderful performance.

The Lady Herself

After the curtain raisers, it was time for lady Hope Nabukenya to step onto the stage. And she came on with a thunderous applause from the crowd. The curtain-raisers had done their fair share to get us in the mood already and we were eager to receive her.

She was very smart in her dress, done by Peponi Clothings and she got straight down to business. The band was great and accompanied her on four songs, done back to back.

It was a performance worth waiting for. The crowd loved every bit of it. They cheered and screamed after every song. The rendition of Alabaster Box was particularly wonderful.

The Interlude

Hope had to take a break, get refreshed and changed. But, David Pragmo N’saiga and Michael Kitanda almost stole the show!

David Pragmo N’saiga – This brother has a way with keys. My God! He is a star performer. And he knows how to connect with the crowd. A legend in the making. He was later joined by Julius Sewava for Great is thy Faithfulness. What a song! Julius has a perfect voice and blended into the performance seamlessly. The crowd loved it.

Michael Kitanda – I had always heard of this guy but had never seen him perform live. What a performance he put up! The comparisons with Isaiah Katumwa are not far-fetched after all. It just shows how good he is. He has a way with the saxophone that only he can pull off. Yet another legend in the making.

The audience loved watching these guys so much that they emptied their pockets tipping them for every song they did. No wonder the pockets were slightly dry during the mini fundraising.

The Launch and Fundraiser

After the Interlude, it was time for Hope to take the stage again. Of course, she came out all looking good and changed in her little black dress, again by Peponi Clothings.

But before she sang, the CD had to be officially launched, so the guest of honor, Mr. Jonathan Muwonge, came on stage, together with Mr. Andrew Kavuma who led the fundraising which raised 9 million Uganda shillings in pledges and almost a million shillings in cash.

This particular segment took a lot of time and many people left. Others just walked out to avoid the spotlight.

Session 2

Hope then picked up the microphone and did the own charity song and composition, For the Children. She then did her final songs. Her renditions of When Jesus Say Yes and I Know Who I am were wonderful. The remaining crowd was on their feet at this time and it was a wonderful way to close the show.

But not before she thanked everyone for showing up and supporting her.

Backup Singers

Made up of two ladies. It felt like they had not practiced with Hope at all. They didn’t blend in with her one bit and were totally off. Thank God they only did a few songs with her. She was good enough alone.

Overall

It was a very good first show. I have listened to the whole album and it’s lovely. I just wished Hope had sung more of the songs off the album.

But I am sure by the time the next one comes around in 2018 as Hope Nabukenya promised us, a lot will be improved.

A great musical evening.