My agonising journey upcountry

From time to time, I embark on visits upcountry. Many times, these visits are planned for either visiting loved ones or entirely for work. So, recently I travelled to Kumi District, in eastern Uganda for a work assignment.
I opted to get a taxi from Bweyogerere, a suburb located in the outskirts of the City Centre. I was fortunate to find that the taxi conductor was only waiting for one passenger. I sat right next to him before our journey began at around 6am. With me, I had my medium sized black travel bag.

And so the journey began. Whenever I sit in a taxi, I usually take time to look around to see what kind of passengers I am travelling with. On this particular journey, we were a mixture of both men and women of seemingly different age groups. In total, we were 15 including the conductor and driver.

The coughing passenger
Next to me on my right was a man who seemed to be in his 30s. The man kept coughing and sneezing.

This was not the problem though. I understood he was unwell but then again, why didn’t he carry a handkerchief with him? It was for this reason he kept coughing and sneezing in every direction. Sometimes he would sneeze into his hands or even cough on me or his other neighbour.
I was quite shaken to the core because of the experience. In fact, at some point, I told him off about coughing on me. It was then he removed his jacket and began using it as his “handkerchief” instead.

Fuel runs out
And so, the journey continued. Somewhere towards Lugazi Town, the taxi began making beeping sounds. Before I knew it, the vehicle stopped right in the middle of the road. The driver then mentioned that fuel had run out. Everyone lost it. The jeers directed towards the driver by the passengers were a mountain.

“You are unserious. How can you drive without enough fuel in the taxi? Are you mad?” one female passenger loudly uttered from the back. Others joined in hurling more insults.
The driver did not keep quiet. He insulted right back. “If I am mad, you are also mad,” he shouted.

“If you people had a clear conscience, some of you would get out and help me push the taxi from the middle of the road at least to the side rather than wasting time complaining,” he said. “You are fools.”

His response worsened the situation. The exchanges increased (meanwhile, the taxi was still stranded in the middle of the road). The conductor, who had been quiet throughout the ordeal, broke his silence by telling the driver to keep igniting the key with the hope that the taxi would probably start again.

After several attempts, the car started again and the raging man opted to drive the car to the side of the road. Soon afterwards the taxi stopped again. The driver attempted to start it again, in vain. The exchanges continued. The conductor tried to calm everyone down in vain. I was personally quietly observing the whole spectacle. I had enough and told the conductor that
I wanted to get out of the taxi. He opened the door. I went ahead to pay him off and attempted to get another taxi. Some of the other passengers did the same while others remained inside the taxi continuing to exchange insults with the driver.

About 15 minutes later, another taxi going to Mbale arrived. It was already full with four passengers already seated on each row and a number of them were even carrying luggage.

But trust taxi conductors with making a way where there seems to be no way. He told the passengers to create more space so that I and some of the other stranded passengers from the previous taxi could also sit. The passengers became angry and said they were not moving an inch.

“Then, you all get out and find another taxi,” the conductor spoke back.

No one got out. Instead they grumbled and pushed hard against each other until all of us, the stranded five squeezed into the taxi. We must have been like 23 passengers inside that taxi. It was hell inside that taxi. I sat on only one bum.

Another taxi…
I could not bear it anymore so once we had reached Iganga Town, I jumped out and got into another taxi. But just like most other taxis that travel upcountry, the conductor continued adding in a number of passengers along the way and we ended up sitting four on each row.

When this particular taxi reached Mbale, the driver out of the blue notified us that he was not going to continue driving to Kumi because he was simply not feeling like it. What? Unapologetically, he told us to find other taxis that were departing from Mbale to Kumi.

Speak of another inconvenience. I had no choice but get another taxi headed to my final destination. And just like the previous taxis, we were over packed inside the vehicle like logs. It’s probably time I start planning on buying my own car. I can’t take it anymore with these taxi nightmares.