I find it startling that thieves in this country keep re-inventing themselves by the second. Last week as I drove back to Kampala from upcountry, I was welcomed by this heavy traffic jam along the Kampala-Jinja highway. It was caused by a very ugly accident.
The long wait was a pain, backed by exaggerated updates from all the drivers on the other lane about the situation to make it seem like we were destined to spend the night at the Namawojjolo market area, some human beings can really discourage, eeish!
Now, in this mix, I heard a voice ordering me to squeeze to the side so that we could create space for his car to fit. Oba this guy thought that I was there to waste time creating space for all those in the wrong lane? Please note that I was too tired to entertain any form of drama so I just ignored him.
He really persisted, so before I knew it, I was preparing my response. As the adrenaline rushed through my body, I turned to deliver my agitated response only to realise that another fellow was trying to open the passenger door with the intention of snatching a thing or two. The two scattered, entered the car and started manoeuvring to get ahead of me and disappear, having noted the shock on my face.
But that was not all, in that same breath, from across the road, I saw a mad man walking confidently to another who was roasting chicken for sale. He snatched himself a fine piece of chicken, which he ate caring less about the fact that it was really hot. The owner of the chicken started to beat up the man singlehandedly, but this mad man was not ready to give up.
Now looking at the other group of people who were collecting fish from the fish truck that had overturned had me wondering if they were mad too huh?
At this rate, I think it is going to be hard for all of us to tell the difference between the mad fellows and those that claim to be sane since a good number of them act the same. Take an example of the two guys claiming to be looking for space while they craftily tried to distract me in order to steal from me.
What is the difference between them and the mad man who stubbornly walked and fetched himself a sizzling hot piece of chicken and the others who picked fish caring less about the possible repercussions?
Is this what we have come to? Having a group of people utilising every little opportunity to fend for their stomachs, just like that? This is unbearable. I guess this is the point where I borrow that popular slang, “Gavumenti Etuyambe.”
