I was arrested for drink-driving - Vampino

Vampino likes his El Grand because it is spacious and has low fuel consumption. PHOTO by Edgar R Batte

What you need to know:

Elvis Kirya aka Vampino, is a local dancehall and contemporary artiste whose fame is pegged to a number of songs. He spoke to Edgar R Batte about his car.

Which car do you drive?
I drive a Toyota El Grand.

How long have you been driving it?
It is now two years

How much did you buy it?
I bought it at Shs18m. I partly exchanged it with another car I was driving at the time. Initially, I was driving a Noah. I had just bought it six months earlier.

How do you compare the Noah and El Grand?
The El Grand has more space and swag and it just suits my lifestyle because I always have many people around me.

How much did you sell the Noah and how much did you top up to acquire the El Grand?
I sold the Noah at Shs15m and topped up Shs3m to acquire the El Grand

Where do you buy your cars?
I go to the bond. I don’t trust street cars because I have hustled so much with them.
I even lost one to thieves recently.
How was it stolen?
I had dropped my mother at Mulago Main Referral Hospital. When we came back to where we had parked, the car was gone, along with two other cars in the same vicinity. We have never seen it again.

Which type of car was it?
It was a Corsa, and you know people like Corsas because of their low fuel consumption and when we had long journeys, we would sometimes keep the El Grand home and drive the Corsa.
They are not just good fuel-consumers but have fewer mechanical conditions.
The spare parts are available. When the El Grand gets a mechanic issue, we have to call Kampala to get it fixed.

What was your first car?
My first car was a starlet in 2006/7. I bought it at Shs7m from my sister.

How much do you spend on fuel?
I averagely use Shs50,000 for town rounds. If I am not moving around a lot, I use Shs20,000.

Which is your dream car?
A Range Rover Sport, and it has to be black.

What do you like about it?
When I was in the US, it was the car we used to roll in. I liked its comfort and everything. My friend who owned it wanted to sell it to me. It was cheap buying it but shipping it here was very expensive so
I gave up on it and decided to buy it at a bond here. I will hustle and get it.

From which bond do you buy your cars?
It is called Coin, opposite the Pepsi offices. The Asian owner is my friend. He is quite flexible because when I was buying the Noah, I didn’t have all the money but he gave it to me.

Do you ever share your car with anyone?
Yes, with my friends. They always drive my car. I like sitting back. All my friends are drivers, and because of the late-night traffick officers, we keep switching.

Have you ever been arrested for drink-driving?
Oh yes. I spent a night behind bars at Kabalagala Police Station.

How do you find fellow drivers on the road?
There are so many crazy people on the road but I have not crushed my car. It is crushed by people I lend it to.

What is that good act you have extended to a fellow driver?
I always give people in my neighbourhood a lift. There is so much space in my car. Sometimes I find them in the bar or club and I tell them that we can go home together, though I don’t get the favour back that much.