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| Aluta Continua! Viva Uganda!!!! (Loosely translated as, tujya kumalako!!!) |
Sometimes, I want to be an American, in the land of the free, then I could own a gun and it would be perfectly alright….
Other times, I want to be an Indian, then I could cook superbly and having been born frugal, save shilling by shilling and one day be a millionaire…
Then, I want to be a Kenyan so I could be aggressive and loud and my nationality would be enough to explain it away
On random days I want to be a Saudi Arabian, then, despite having to deal with sharing my husband with three other women, I would bask in oil riches untold
There are days I wish I was Swiss and all that rich chocolate they’re famous for was available to me cheaply at the little corner store near my home…
Then, when the boda boda guy almost kills me riding like a mad man and making me ‘eat dust’, I wish I was German and a nice air conditioned car was accessible to me at a pittance compared to what I have to pay for one in Uganda…
But then…I always wake up from my reverie and am mighty glad I am Ugandan. Because, not only is it true that East to West, Home is best, I have also come to acknowledge that there are no people like my own; people who are kind and friendly, who are concerned about their neighbor, who have rallied together so quickly in the wake of the tragic bomb blasts.
My mother told me once of a time she witnessed a woman giving birth in the bus park. The minute it was clear that her water had broken; five or six women materialized out of nowhere and surrounded her, giving her the shield of privacy she needed to bring a child into the world. They were saying to her, ‘you are not alone!’…
Yes, I am blessed to be Ugandan.
Proudly, Ugandan.
No matter what!
A couple of bombs are not going to change that, I assure you!!
Other times, I want to be an Indian, then I could cook superbly and having been born frugal, save shilling by shilling and one day be a millionaire…
Then, I want to be a Kenyan so I could be aggressive and loud and my nationality would be enough to explain it away
On random days I want to be a Saudi Arabian, then, despite having to deal with sharing my husband with three other women, I would bask in oil riches untold
There are days I wish I was Swiss and all that rich chocolate they’re famous for was available to me cheaply at the little corner store near my home…
Then, when the boda boda guy almost kills me riding like a mad man and making me ‘eat dust’, I wish I was German and a nice air conditioned car was accessible to me at a pittance compared to what I have to pay for one in Uganda…
But then…I always wake up from my reverie and am mighty glad I am Ugandan. Because, not only is it true that East to West, Home is best, I have also come to acknowledge that there are no people like my own; people who are kind and friendly, who are concerned about their neighbor, who have rallied together so quickly in the wake of the tragic bomb blasts.
My mother told me once of a time she witnessed a woman giving birth in the bus park. The minute it was clear that her water had broken; five or six women materialized out of nowhere and surrounded her, giving her the shield of privacy she needed to bring a child into the world. They were saying to her, ‘you are not alone!’…
Yes, I am blessed to be Ugandan.
Proudly, Ugandan.
No matter what!
A couple of bombs are not going to change that, I assure you!!
Thank you for posting this...I hope you don't mind if I borrow your photo. You make you even more proud to be Ugandan...Peace.
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