We are tired of thieves, says Kampala

INSIDE OUT. If you think walking the streets of downtown Kampala is the same scenario every time, then you are in for a big surprise, for there is never a dull moment in this mayhem, it is a sea of human activity.

I needed to do some shopping in downtown Kampala. My little walk started from Speke Road, and it was just in front of Speke Hotel that a woman started screaming and pointing to a direction. With closed eyes, I could guess someone had grabbed her phone. Indeed, a few metres ahead, a man was running and the first few pedestrians avoided him, but ultimately, others stopped him, and the rest is known to ones who have seen mob justice on the streets. Well, this time a couple of policemen emerged from somewhere and saved his life. This was after allowing the crowd to give him a wake up beating that will be a reminder for some time. I guess until he goes hungry and needy again.

It was not the best scenario to start my walk and a man who saw me standing there and watching said, “We are tired of thieves in Kampala!” I walked past the Post Office. The street vendors that I always met on the corners of the Post Office, are now banned from selling on the road, but some find their way around the system and still call you to buy from them. A young lady selling airtime was breastfeeding her baby under her MTN yellow uniform, another lady selling bananas was resting on the corner waiting for customers.

I met a friend right on Kampala Road. He stopped and we started catching up on our news. People passed by as if waves in a sea, so many of them. Since when did this city become so crowded? It was not even rush hour, or is there no need to wait for the rush hour to get lost in the Kampala mayhem?

As much as Kampala City Council Authority is trying to fix some roads and sidewalks, I had to focus downwards; there is always an open manhole or a broken tile. There is no room for mistakes, all this while you are trying to watch out for boda bodas.

I continued walking further down towards the taxi park. What I was looking for seemed to be very scarce. I stopped at a shop where there were at least six vendors in a very small space. I asked for my item and they showed me what they had. It was not what I was looking for, but they did not give up. They asked me to sit down while they looked for it. In such bad business times, no one wants to lose clients, so I sat down and they kept bringing me different options from other shops until I got what I wanted. But during my wait, I had a chat with one of the vendors. She was filling in some forms which looked like university forms, the power was off and the lady told me that is the on-going story with Umeme. They were three tenants in the small shop, no one could afford a full shop rent.

Looking at her filling the forms brought a smile to my face, she was operating from this small shop, but she had hopes and dreams of continuing with her studies and moving on. From this dark, sombre shop I saw a light shining outside. What is life without hope? There are some people working hard in this town, while others opt for easier money, other people’s money!
I was now on my way back and the street preacher was shouting trying to guide people to the path of God. He spoke in Luganda, but when he saw me, it changed to English: “The only way is through Jesus,” he said. And I was passing by news vendors, headlines shouting: Theft in Office of Prime Minister! Maybe it is all of Uganda that is now tired of thieves.

nafhamaani@ug.nationmedia.com