A few weeks ago, I took a boda boda (motor cycle ‘taxi’) from Mukono town to the University. I was so exhausted and was hoping and praying for a quiet ride but somehow, these boda boda riders seem allergic to a quiet ride 🙂 No sooner had I sat on the motor cycle and given the rider instructions of where to take me than the talking began: “ Naye ebya setiliyiti Uganda wabiwulide?” (But did you hear about Uganda’s satellite launch?) I said, “Yes” and he added, “Omanyi sente z’ amafuta ga setiliyiti gavumenti baziba?” (Are you aware that the government stole money meant to fuel the satellite?) I said no. The Boda boda man went on to narrate how the government of Uganda is so corrupt and can never allow such a big project to get the money it deserves in order to be successful. That government officials stole the satellite’s fuel and it is why it failed to take off and would never take off – let me confirm to you that the satellite launch was successful after a failed attempt occasioned by a fire alarm.
By the time all these words were said, the boda boda ride was moving so fast and the motor cycle was loud. I could hardly hear anything but the man passionately continued that talk. By the time the ride ended, the man was saying, “Uganda ya byewunyiso”(Uganda is a country of wonders).
Anyway, the serious story is that, YES Uganda launched its first satellite (the PearlAfricaSat-1) into orbit on the 7th November 2022 and it was a very exciting moment for many people here in Uganda, even those of us who are still doubting that this was entirely our own doing. “There must have been an unseen hand somewhere that did all this”, says the little voice in my head. My classmates are all excited about this and consider it one of the few milestones our country has reached.
My hope it that because of this satellite, we will have better internet speeds, our GPS will be more accurate (it has ever led me to a bush instead of a training center), we will have better internet connectivity which is useful for learning and have more accurate weather predictions. I have learnt not to trust our weathermen. I hope things will change.
On another note, we recently held guild elections and the same were very exciting. It was exciting to hear all the heavens the young politicians were promising the voters. Some simply unachievable yet their supporters endlessly cheered them on. There was this particular candidate who promised to fix the roads leading to the university, another promised free transport to our hall of residence every day, tuition waivers for all with outstanding balances etc. We voted candidates to hold several positions but the top most (Guild Presidency) was won by one Ddumba Timothy, a student of information technology. Peace, calm and sanity are back to the university after weeks of intense campaigns, enemies are reconciling, losers conceding, winners still enjoying that glory.
by
Precious Asiimwe