‘I hate driving’
Rwamiti in the Toyota Mark II he nicknamed “Mafia.” Although he can drive, he says he would rather be driven by someone else. PHOTO BY EDGAR BATTE
What you need to know:
The traffic jam made this driver crazy and he started overtaking other cars at a high speed. I do not remember what exactly happened but in the blink of an eye, I was in a hospital in Nkozi.
Please introduce Miles Rwamiti…
I work with NTV as a brands executive in charge of activations. I am also a presenter.
What car are you driving?
A Toyota Mark II and it is my eighth.
What model of Mark II is it?
It is a Beems 2000 4WD model.
What was your dream car as a teenager?
A Land Rover
What did you like about it?
My father used to drive one.
What was it like driving a car for the first time?
I was scared. I went to driving school during my O-level vacation and I was denied a driving permit because I was very young. But I used to drive friends’ cars.
Who taught you how to drive?
Ronald Semakula (Of Rubereto Construction) and Amon Lukwago (singer Juliana Kanyomozi’s ex-boyfriend).
Have you ever caused an accident or been involved in one?
Yes I have.
What exactly happened?
My cousin picked me from Makerere University. It was a weekend and we were going to Bushenyi. We got stuck in traffic around Nateete for about an hour. The traffic jam made this driver crazy and he started overtaking other cars at a high speed. I do not remember what exactly happened but in the blink of an eye, I was in a hospital in Nkozi.
What has been your best experience as a driver?
When I picked Jamaican star Busy Signal from Entebbe. It was fun going through the traffic jam and the many cars and bikers.
What has your worst experience as a driver been?
To be honest with you, I hate driving. In fact ,I always prefer my fiancé driving me. Sometime back, driving was fun as a young man but as you get busy with work, you do not fancy driving at all. Otherwise, I have not got any bad experience other than that accident.
You have driven eight cars so far, what cars were these?
My first car was a Delica followed by a BMW and the rest have been Mark IIs.
What is it that you like about Mark IIs?
They are very comfortable on the road and can be fast if you want them to be. Plus they are cheap and easy to maintain.
How much did you buy your current Mark II?
Shs15m, from a bond, along Jinja Road.
How much do you spend on fuel in a day?
On average I use Shs20,000 in a day.
Have you ever been bullied on the road?
Yes. I ran out of fuel in Old Kampala. The taxi people were on my case hooting and calling me all kind of strange names.
What happened?
I had just bought this car and I drove around and parked it at my former work place. After work, I was rushing to some place only to run out of fuel. It was very embarrassing and I promised myself that would never happen again.
What is the farthest you have driven this car?
I have been to different places and they are really far. I cannot pick out one. I always drive to the village, in Hoima almost twice a month because I have projects I supervise there.
Does your car have a nickname?
Yes it has. I call it Mafia.
Have you ever physically changed the tyres?
No, I haven’t.
Do you have a tool box in your car?
No, I do not have one.
Which garage do you take your car for servicing and how often?
I do not have a particular garage. I know where to get what and how to find anything I need. I always look out for my spare parts at Kisekka Market.
