4 must-read books from east Africa in 2023: from Tanzanian masters to Ugandan queens

East African literature continues to grow and reshape itself in exciting new ways – and 2023 was no exception. The world really did take notice of …

4 must-read books from east Africa in 2023: from Tanzanian masters to Ugandan queens

Honesty in Ugandan businesses.

The past few weeks have been eye opening. Experienced things I brushed off as mistakes in the past till the realization hit me that they were actually intended actions.

Times are hard economically almost everywhere. Not many people are having it easy. Since the Covid pandemic most economies haven’t recovered, businesses are struggling and entrepreneurs are finding it hard to make ends meet.

I love consistency and as a result try to patronize the same businesses. My belief has always been that this builds a rapport and creates a relationship that benefits both me and the business owner. From the small retail shop owner in my neighborhood to the market lady, to the boda( motorcycle guy) I send on errands to a hardware guy I purchase supplies from if there’s any construction ventured into.

Always been fascinated by the close knit family like bond most foreign owned businesses keep. They make it a point to associate with their own. Happy moments, business or any networking that avails itself. Perhaps this explains the success and longevity of their establishments compared to our locally owned ones.

I stand to be corrected but from my observation Ugandan locally owned businesses are usually run by employees with the actual owners at the sidelines. We invest millions of shillings and leave the businesses to midiocres that have nothing to lose whether it thrives or not provided they earn a salary at the end of the month.

On the long journeys to my farm in the countryside, have always had a particular stop at a fuel station. It’s conveniently located right out of the Kampala chaos with a fairly nice supermarket to get snacks, refuel, stretch and mentally prepare for the bumpy ride. It met the basic standards, clean, chatty staff , fairly priced fuel … so couldn’t complain.

Usually pick just a few items so rarely give the receipt a second look, that’s if it’s issued. Well with the hard times came scrutiny! Even two to three items necessitate confirmation that the price is worth it. On this particular ocassion bought more than five items but was in a rush and never cross checked the receipt. Well at the close of the day, now this is already many miles deep in the village away from my fuel station supermarket it dawned on me that I had several double entries. I was mad but told myself no….. those young ladies couldn’t steal from me. They are always polite and it should have been a mistake. Slept it off and told myself I was reading too much into nothing.

Several months later back to civilization in Kampala city at one of the popular retail chains still on a shopping errand, click….click… and boom bill… payment….then a light bulb goes off. I halt in my tracks. Check my receipt and wow I have multiple entries too. Still in the store so walk back to the store attendant who shyly confirms there was an error. I wonder are they overwhelmed or is this a new trick to make an extra buck off us?

Going forward my guard is up and I watch every transaction I make with a hawk’s eye.

Boom last week am on another trip to the farm, same fuel station stop. Add fuel, stretch, check my tyres then as I start walking to the supermarket my antennas begin to hoist. I tell myself well it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious but there’s nothing to it certainly.

Carefully pick few items that I even mentally count, to the counter……click ….. click and at the end attendant informs me electronic receipt machine can’t print. Politely tell her well then please make me our old fashioned receipt. We don’t have those she asserts now getting agitated at my insistence. I assertively inform her all I need is any form of accountability for my purchase. We finally agree she takes a picture of my transaction off her computer screen. All this while a small queue is forming up so I decide will scrutinize this picture of the transaction later.

Later that evening as I do my day’s accountability, pick my phone to see the picture transaction from earlier in the day. My heart sinks in disbelief, my fears come to reality. I have 2 multiple entries of purchases that never happened. Tired and irate my head is boiling with explicit unpleasantries but then again cool off in an instant and remember I ought to do much better.

Gladly I have a contact of one of the team leaders. It’s not about the amount of money I was cheated out of but rather the implication of this dishonest act. The following day expecting an explanation or in the least an apology I pick up the phone and narrate my ordeal.

Most will say as expected, the team leader is more agitated that I have the nerve to complain without knowing the attendant’s actual name. “We do shifts so there’s no way I can prove what you’re saying madam” “Why didn’t you immediately return when you noticed the discrepancy”

In awe I coil my tail and tell this not very pleasant gentleman he just lost a loyal customer not that it matters to him and hung up the phone.

This left me wondering, as we complain business is bad are we leaving our hard earned investments in the hands of people that have nothing to lose? Do we as a people have a bad work ethic? Are employees not paid enough so they aren’t motivated to work to the best of their ability? Or is the customer service industry just lacking? Well your guess is just as good as mine. We all seek answers to remedy this problem.

THE POWER OF SOCIAL INTERACTION.


 

There is an unexplained power that lies in any form of social interaction.

Social interaction simply put is how we act and react to those around us. This can be in the form of physical movements, conversations, sharing or even playing for children. All this doesn’t necessarily happen with a person we know well, it could be one we are meeting for the first time and still have a lasting impression or bring profound joy while at it.

Different societies attach varying importance to how they interact with strangers. Lots of dos and don’ts but overall lots of rebellious members that over look these instilled norms and act as they wish.

Growing up the rule of thumb was stay away from strangers and run as far as your legs can take you at initiation of any sort of communication. Interestingly to some of us that grew up in the 80’s, as soon as  we mastered the art of reading and writing this all fell on deaf ears. Never physically interacted with many strangers but travelled the world through penpal exchange of letters.

Cannot exactly recall how I got interested in the letter exchange habit with total strangers but can vividly remember the thrill that came with being told one had mail. I stand to be corrected but not many homes then had post office addresses so school was the most logical option. It also did not come with a lot of scrutiny and questions. On the flip side the teachers in Primary school actually encouraged any form of writing. Thinking about how the world has evolved and in this case looking at the negative side, glad most penpals had no evil motives.

 A letter had so much meaning that we scanned it with a whole crowd of friends examining the intricate details; from the postage stamp to handwriting style before  eventually opening it. Then we embarked on an imaginary journey into the writer’s world, the reader always pausing to ask for opinions on what the described scenarios purportedly looked like. It was a journey that left my little brain imagining what it felt like to for instance own a pet one dotted on this much, the described high rise buildings, the long summer vacations laced with so much emphasis on the joy rays of sunshine brought! How did the same sunshine I dreaded and had in annoying abundance bring someone else continents far away so much joy I wondered. As such this encouraged me to make an effort when writing back to gloss up my experiences.

One thing I vividly recall are the stories from one particular penpal about their horses that loved apples and carrots. Both apples and carrots were not being grown or commonly seen in Uganda then. However for some reason apples kept me scanning my brain on several occasions. We grow almost all fruits I pondered, have equally cold areas then why didn’t we have this prized fruit? Almost every story book or novel I read mentioned these apples that i had never seen. I kept  imagining the taste, the feel, it got more confusing when I discovered they can even vary in colour. My competitive brain decided well, this person talks highly of their “alien” fruit the apple I know nothing about but guess what I have more fruits at my disposal than the fingers on my hands. Going forward I decided to share the taste, colour, aroma and description of all fruits my country Uganda had blessed me with.

I talked about the numerous mango fruits, how big red, yellow and succulent these tasted. The yellow bananas that were either in a small or big variety. How the little yellow bananas made a delicacy called pancakes that I later discovered was something else in the western world. The tall purple sugarcane that oozed of sweet juices, the avocados, the passion fruits that grew wildly and were not only a fruit but graced our living rooms as part of Christmas décor. Not forgetting thee mighty jackfruit that was so delicious but whose sap was a struggle to clean off the fingers.

Interestingly as soon as I stopped fantasising over all I had never seen and immersed fully in what I was blessed with than the frequency of the letters increased.

Every holiday as a custom especially the long December/ end of year holidays we as a family travelled to the countryside. The social interactions with my relatives upcountry was an experience I craved year long. It was different from the usual routine. The food, sleep arrangements, house chores all differed from what we were accustomed to in an exciting way.

The stories my cousins told would keep you at edge with both fright and anticipation of what’s to come next. Spoiler alert,later learnt as I grew most were laced with exaggeration to counter our glossy town stories. Regardless now in hindsight i believe this tremendously built our imagination and story telling abilities from a young age. The social immersion in what’s different from the usual also built our resilience and adaptability capabilities to any environment.

Even as an adult decades later random conversations bring both fascination and critical thought.

Most African cultures emphasise the bare minimum of always greeting elders. Stories were told growing up of how important it was to always smile, greet people on any journey lest one encounters difficulty ahead and seeks their help later. It became a custom inadvertently. It’s common practice for total strangers to casually greet each other if in close proximity. To date there are numerous people I have shared casual greetings with at church, school functions, village meetings,, neighbourhood malls/ shops, salons name it  but know not of any  personal detail sadly. Some even will casually consider me a friend. It’s African hospitality most will say.

With the advent of social media and advancement in communication technology, most of society has evolved in regard to social interaction. People have increasingly become immobile, thus most physical interaction has tremendously reduced. The recent pandemics especially COVID-19 further exacerbated the situation.

Conferences in the work setting have since evolved to zoom meetings, video conferencing,  letters to emails, smartphones have replaced newspapers, novels, journals, concerts can be watched online too! This drastic shift from personal communication have meant there’s less face to face interactions generally. Less verbal communication has led to increased stress levels, less privacy as people share every detail of their lives on social media to gain likes and portray a particular social stature.

Generally communication and social interaction across the globe has been simplified bridging the distance between continents. We can communicate in real time with anyone regardless of their physical location if there’s mobile data or internet available. The advancements have made communication efficient and more convenient.

Like any other advancements this ease has come with disadvantages; different generations have been labeled certain stereotypes simply because there’s been a gap in transition as regards communication styles. Generations that were born in this technological advancement era specifically millennials and gen z have been exposed to artificial connections that have robbed them of their ability to face head on real life situations. A relationship breakup, getting fired at work, not passing an exam or interview or handling any life problem prepared one for a bigger issue ahead in life. There wasn’t an option of sharing it via text, email or Facebook for virtual support.

In conclusion we can embrace the new social interaction modes in unison with the old. Nothing beats a good book, a jog in the cold breeze, reading a newspaper on a Sunday morning over a hot cup of coffee, or meeting my girlfriends after months and laughing about old memories.

We can build a positive online reputation, keep personal information personal, take breaks off social media and most importantly remember what’s posted remains posted!

The best is yet to come and we should evolve and positivity embrace it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A fresh perspective to life.

What started as a way of keeping myself busy after I decided a 9 to 5pm job wasn’t for me, eventually grew onto me. 

After years of going through the education system most of our brains are tuned to desire for a white collar job. Most of us yearn and constantly have mental pictures of what our supposed fancy offices will look like. The aircon, swinging leather cushioned black chairs, the wall hangings…….but rarely do we stop to question our hearts desires if this is actually what suits the ultimate end goals. Do we even know this early what these goals are or should be?

Many professionals when interviewed seem to have had at least a hint of what their aspirations were at an early age. However another group of successful professionals, entrepreneurs, philanthropists,……you name it also are honest enough to say either they ended up where they are by circumstances and their career eventually grew of course with lots of hardwork. Others will also say it was a try and error and after other failed ventures this particular one succeeded.

This brings me to an important question. How does intentional career guidance at an early age impact eventual life goals and aspirations?

Can we as parents identify or be open enough to ask what the children desire and guide accordingly?

The first 10 years or there about of my personal life after graduating from university was a cocktail of events. Between mastering being an independent young adult away from home, came getting my first job, getting married and starting a family, getting used to the idea of being responsible for another little human being(read baby). And all the other details that entail actual growing up.

As simple as this seems to the outside world it’s quite complex.

Well, after all the above initial stages of adult life I thought it would be a great idea to further my studies. Master’s degree in my pocket I felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. True to it a lot of value beyond the academic gain was added to me as a person. I saw the world with a keener lense, understood issues deeply and asked more questions.

Worked for a short while in my line of expertise and decided otherwise.

Opened up my mind and asserted to myself I can use this knowledge in any way I choose not necessarily in an office setting.

To hit a balance I needed to do something flexible enough to meet my needs at the time.

Agriprenuership it was. 

Did research on various ventures and zeroed on Cattle farming, Banana(Matooke) farming ,Cocoa/Coffee farming and the rest is a beautiful farming journey am still walking to date at Valour Acres Farm.

Initially this was mainly to keep me occupied beyond nurturing my growing family. Earn an extra income of course and plan for eventually retirement(this goal was added along the way.)

Nothing prepares you for the raw experiences one encounters once fully immersed into any given society.

There is more depth into the kind of lives people endure beyond the beautiful tarmac highways in places that are blessed to have them. 

A few meters away from supposed semi urban civilization lies a mammoth of issues that plague the places that hold most of our roots.

These people feel hopeless and forgotten. Who is to blame? Well your guess is as good as mine. We can argue all we want but I strongly believe we all bear a responsibility to impact on our societies. Yeah, I know some one right now is pointing an accussing finger at government. Have you stopped to think that government doesn’t work as an island but rather through different levels headed by leaders you and me( that’s if you exercise your voting right)elect into office?

Strongly believe our leaders are a representation of our choices. 

If you are wondering are things perfect where I hail from, well they aren’t but am in many ways showing those around me complaining doesn’t change anything. Working as a team(read community) instead of infighting does. Empowering our residents does, keeping our children emphasizing both boys and girls in school does, making our grassroots leaders accountable does. Not there yet but making progress.

Never in a million years would I have imagined myself understanding the various details of village life like I do today. Being born and raised in an urban setting brings an “annoying sense of entitlement” for lack of a better way to express it.

The fact that basic needs are readily available from birth most of the urban folk take these for granted. The traditional list of basic needs includes mainly food(which also encompasses water), shelter and clothing. These in most cases are met to the bare minimum in the rural setting. When we look at the updated list according to various agencies the main additions are sanitation, education and healthcare. 

Now here is where the biggest portion of rural life problems stem.

Most of the village communities have not had the luxury of choice when it comes to these necessities. They grow up fetching water from the various water streams most often these are shared with the animals. The lucky few have come together and dug wells. All these are in most cases contaminated.

Water, proper sanitation and eventually hygiene greatly impact on the overall health of any community. The time and resources spent dealing with issues that stem from poor sanitation like diseases cripple what would have otherwise been a very productive society.

All we can do as individuals in whichever community we live is chip in. Immerse ourselves into our communities, advise on development ventures when we can. Share our knowledge and most importantly teach those around us their rights and responsibilities as well meaning citizens. Only you can change one small positive effort at a time the face of your community.

“Empathy begins with understanding life from another person’s perspective. Nobody has an objective experience of reality. It’s all through our own prisms.” Sterling K. Brown