Lessons from the African Union Race.

Transition, Transformation and Radical Thinking.

The results are out and from the look of things the Kenyan Candidate Amina Mohammed is not pleased. She has chosen language similar to what American representative to the U.N chose when she cautioned 'allies and foes' alike against taking positions against the U.S saying, "we will be taking notes" or in the case of Amina making references to broken promises (directed at a Ugandan neighbor who did not play ball).
The race for the top position for the AU, was complex and convoluted. From Uganda we presented Specioza Wandera. She was the first Female Vice president. Uganda has done a lot for inclusion and much of this work has been replicated by governments throughout the continent reflecting this response in the composition of their respective parliaments. S. Wandera did not appear to enjoy a large support base when her intention to run for the AU position was revealed. Much later and after quite a lot of push back from some locals and social media she was edged her on and even managed to persuade the government to foot the bill for her bid. Uganda probably borrowed heavily (in terms of ideas) from the Keyans who were rallying behind their pick. But in hind sight it seems as though both countries had ignored the the warning signs. It appears the AU uses a model similar to what is used in Nigeria. The rotation between North and South or Muslim and Christian which determines who rules. If that is applied in this context after the decision of Ndlamini not to renew her term, then it makes sense that the next leader for the AU would have to emerge from the Northern African states (after a reign from a leader from South Africa). That and the other unmentioned idea of gender? But Suggesting that is bound to ruffle a few feathers. We are also not certain why Mrs. Ndlamini Zuma did not seek a second term. The second question has to do with the vastness of the continent and the need for lobbying and the amounts of cash that were splurged into an exercise which as we have hinted was almost already lost given the facts on the ground. The fallout is interesting because the votes are cast by heads of state whose control and leverage rests entirely in the regions of their origin and the influence these respective blocs hold over the governance of the massive continent. So Ms. Amina's veiled attack falls squarely into the lap of the Ugandan president. This also exposes possible political underpinnings that direct seemingly unrelated events and that work internally (within countries ) and externally (within regions). This is a continent that can hold North America and
India and Europe with some space left for others. So governance as it stands now would depend heavily on these blocs which also tend to overlap memberships. What was interesting to watch is how these groups and their influence affected the likelihood of elections for the AU leaders. Also one could almost see a future when say the dreams of a Nkuruma came to pass and all roads were leading to a presidency of Africa. Would we learn any lessons form this race and how well would our leaders perform were they placed against each other. This was strange because the regional stalwarts were instead of standing for these posts themselves were sending their foreign ministers. Notable regions of strength were ECOWAS especially after we saw demonstrated their abilities to harness military strength. But also in the North, Chad probably benefited from previous experience in military matters having managed quite a number of conflicts from Libya, to Egypt, to Tunisia and Sudan. Are we therefore going to see a decreased influence from the Southern parts of Africa? Will be see a shift up North? Is it as some have observed really just a line between English speaking Africa and Francofone Africa? Maybe the African states are beginning to push back against perceived corruption and disdain for constitutions visible both in Eastern Africa and Southern Africa? Successive governments are going to need to find ways of entrenching themselves in power perhaps by use of business or other institutions directly or otherwise through additional methods of influence. Or are there much more complex dynamics. We leave that to you.

Anointing a new leader for the next cycle?

Transition, Transformation and Radical Thinking. 

 

Its been a while since the Reagan Presidency. Those who govern the United States tend to be immortal though. The friction between the business man/real estate mogul and the body builder/governor has got me thinking about the possibilities for the next cycle. It was easy to sense the tension in the air when Barack Obama took a few jabs at Donald Trump at the correspondents dinner in response to the birther controversy. But there is a little more or for those who understand the business man and his psychology. Those who have successfully taken him on, like the young lady (in the office of Attorney General) that was shown the door for refusing to adhere to the rules, tend to profit. Others like the democrat leader and activist from the sixties also usually have the benefit of making it big with their books sales after such encounters.
So will this attack on the governor bring about enough ill feeling to cause a call to the highest office in the land? Or is there still a chance to see a sufficient democratic response? The train has already left the station now the challenge for anyone who would seek to change that will struggle and part of DJT drive will be to find a link to those voices that cheered him on as he spoke. Normally the second part of your first term is sent trying to make sure you can get re-elected. You could see the struggle for the previous president as he sought to harness the energy of the crowds and as he dealt with the temptation to return into campaign mode. Governance and the pitfalls in the establishment are tough challenges so He will have to depend heavily on his inner strength for the energy to lead and rule. What will happen for some given DJT's leadership style is that most of the pressure will fall on his vice president and the cabinet. We might see similar moments as we saw right before the final vote when voices began to call for the vice to step up and take the place of his more aggressive boss. This was in response to the tapes that were released right before the people made their choice at the point when they were most vulnerable. The other group that will bear the brunt of this attack might be the Christians who are enjoying a revival of sorts at least in terms of the law which has been perceived as being on the whole against them.It kind of got uncomfortable when it was time to make some phone calls. If you look at the list of calls, each country, was in some way struggling with the question of indigenous natives of the land. Canada is still working on these issues which have made their way into the core of first nations people. Australia was also still healing wounds from its desire to expand its settlements with Aborigines. The Americans themselves are yet to even dream of having a discussion about the possibility of a First Nation's president. But those are the struggles of each power as it seeks to advance itself at the expense of another. The pipeline deal represents the possibility of progress but for another group it stands for the sacred land of the ancestors. Jobs and progress and the hope of investing in a big projects which often are useful in boosting the morale of the people and turning the tide after leaner times. There is also the unfortunate reality that wars often help boost economies around them especially those that take place on foreign soil. Besides we are still living in the shadow of a military industrial complex. Perhaps one of most amazing things about the tweeting head of state is that this kind of transparency has revolutionized the manner in which we think about open governance maybe even sooner or later contributing to the gutting often entire intelligence and diplomatic system.
But like we have seen there are difficulties to come and now the immigrants have to walk the thin line of protesting and expressing themselves while not holding the Country hostage.

League of Former 'Extraordinary' Presidents or precedents?

Transition, Transformation and Radical Thinking.

A leading news provider with a vast global reach recently had an interview with a former president. The interview was prompted by phone calls and a 'back and forth' between a sitting president and a delegation regarding a controversy about a wall between two countries kind of like what happens after the romance ends, and you no longer want to fight over the paying for the meal.
He casually and with a flair of 'french' words explained some of the reasons why the economic 'war talk' was going to be damaging for the U.S. There are three countries that formed the core of his argument. Mexico and China came up both which he said, had an advantage in terms of trade. The third was India which was different in that the advantage was of a different kind-an Import Innovative minds whose numbers form the core of silicon valley. Even if the excitement for BRICS seems to have diminished, i think that another country ought to be added to the mix to make it MBRICS (a term my East African friends will appreciate given the tendency and difficulty some of us experience when confronted with words that start with 'B').
So Mexico, Brazil, Russia, India,China and South Africa. Dealing with next door neighbors will be a challenge and will bring about a mix of feelings. What might be necessary though will be a deliberate decision (strategy) to split between the local experience and post independence ones which split the new liberated country and pitted it against the Spaniards, English and host of other free agents. There is a lot to celebrate about the influence of immigrants on such a core aspect of business in a leading country. What i think frightens some, is the difficulty Americans have in decided what it means to be American and where to place the responsibility of the defense of what it means to be American. Every battle or war has a wide range of recruits. Unfortunately the bigger often end up being foot soldiers while the more intelligent will fight yes, but are more likely to sail through and function in a mental arena. Maybe the same principle works for other less obvious areas especially in the unconventional wars that have been a significant marker for the last two decades. While some will sacrifice for the cause in a physical manner others will engage with as much vigor and patriotism except this time expressing this in an intellectual space. How you deal with a group that is just as radical and authoritative but whose sole purpose it to perpetuate a different way of thinking?
How much time will it take to demonstrate that promises delivered during campaign mode and now within the one hundred days of executive orders form a solid enough demonstration of a 'draining of the swamp'. How should people separate between two distinctively different expressions of an executive? How much will be attributed to the Harvard Law Graduate and his tenure from bailouts to health reform to the confrontation with Wall Street? Maybe the orders which have been a direct response to a more liberal presidency and therefore a reversal of these changes will help in defining the rest of the first term but my guess is that instead it will impede the progress and agenda of the Business man eating into the time he needs to engage with his own agenda.

Of tights, helmets,yards and pig skin balls.

Transition, Transformation and Radical Thinking.

So we are at it again. Last year around the same time the Panthers met the Cardinals? This time around the Patriots will face off with the Falcons.
I don't know about you but in my view there was a fat chance that given the state of affairs in the day (with like the black lives matter movement) that the Panthers were going to take it. It did not help that the now Nalongo (Mrs. Baby Bump-Nalongo is a lofty title we give a lady who bears twins, while Salongo is the title we bestow on the groom) was busy exploring some 'creative' themes about race in her amazing videos.

And then they had her perform during the crowd and ratings munching event.
And that in a historic and election defining state of North Carolina.
There was just too much at stake. All loyalties aside if I was in charge, I would have asked the FBI to do something a out it. Maybe put extra psi in the pig skins or some like that.

That said I know a lot of people who would be thrilled to host her in concert in these parts-the gazzilions of dollars necessary for this notwithstanding.
So maybe we had to give it to the Cardinals? A gentle red bird that shares a name with the highest office in the Vatican and that gets to choose who becomes Pope.
That said one hopes that the games are fair and that the energies we would expend in wars can be directed instead on football fields and decided by defense and attack strategy. It has become increasingly difficult to split between the current and often unrelated events with those that are supposed to be just mere sports games.
So what does the outlook feel like this time around. Last time when I saw the possibility of a panthers win I held my peace out of fear of alienating my friends from the land of the free and home of the brave.
But now the question is how do you decide without bias between the falcons and the aptly named patriots. We are less than twenty days into the first one hundred and already the temperature is rising.
Let me ask you first to read about Falcons and what they represent. Then proceed and look up a series which we often used to enjoy-Falcon Crest.
Maybe in a simple game that was played in an arena one year go we were able to divert a tradegy in one sense to prevent a major split in the Nation that would have set black against white at a really tough time.
Will patriotism and the original heart of America States of New England become the center piece of the next few months or years as she navigates her way through this clearly controversial presidency. Falcons were often used as hunting creatures and were raised in mainly middle Eastern nations. But from what we read they were also symbols of ancient Egyptian leadership. So there is a lot at stake. I think you already know that. I think the U.S is more than just a country. Its a pace setting throbbing eye into the workings of the supernatural.
Gosh I hope you enjoy the game, the snacks, the 30 second ads and yes the cheerleaders too!
Maybe the best team win.

Russia and LinkedIn-global governance, corporations and the search for new territories.

In response to Africa Tech Roundup. 

Understanding the Russian Position

The biggest earners for a Nation that is itching to reassert itself on the global stage are oil and gas. But with the current difficulties that she is facing with LinkedIn, we argue that the world may be readying itself for the emergence of a new mover-Data. Yes data is the new oil and rightly so given everything we have spoken about regarding the information age. 

So we expect many fights regarding security, cryptography and intelligence all attempting to deal with the forces of Nationalism on one hand and Globalism on another. 

Corporations realize the need for statehood

This is the dilemma that most of the corporations are having to tackle. How big can get without needing and demanding a space through which you can assign your sovereignty (a la Waterworld with Costner or Elysium with Jodie Foster and Matt Demon-both of which are at least in part set on alternative territories) . Can and should big business groups begin to claim statehood especially in defense of their well earned and growing citizenry. Should they stand by and watch as governments raid their platforms in search for wild geese?

A few months ago, a business man floated the idea of buying an Island and creating a new nation where we could place all those refugees who were struggling to find a country that was willing to take them in. Around the same time this debate was taking place, google and yahoo were working in creating better Internet using untraditional means like floating balloons and non-stop Internet cloud powered solar planes. In addition to this there was a suggestion (by Elon Musk...if memory serves me right) about the need to begin to claim territory that is technically no man's land (in International Waters). 

You can tell that there are frustrations over statehood and data and business and global citizenry. Maybe this is also a weakness that the UN has to deal with especially given the absence of an independent spot on the earth upon which to claim its strength. 

Corporations and the defense of Human Rights

Ideally, the corporation should be able to protect the rights of the user especially because the agreement we sign is with them and not necessarily with our governments. Who should we trust more with our information especially if we should need direct protection from the nations to which we claim citizenship? After all the contributions that have been made by Whistleblowers, it is still very difficult to find a country that will take in Assange or that was willing to take in Snow. We saw a little of this when for example Apple struggled to give out access to its precious code when the security services in the U.S were trying to break into the secure IPhone. Yahoo also has had some difficulty trying to figure out the nature of the threats that it has faced regrading data breaches. It is more imaginable to think of and salute a cartel based and designed in support of oil producers but will we see the emergence of a data cartel? Sponsored or supported in part by hackers and whistleblowers (CC anonymous). What do you as governments do when the CEO of a technology company has more valuation than some countries or states in your own territory? 

Maybe what the Russians have done is to realize and to claim rights over data that LinkedIn is responsible for exploring and extracting and now want to be able to claim access to the pipeline? 

We leave that to you. 

African Tech Roundup.

Who did more to make Donald Trump the First Citizen of America? Julian Assange and his not so subtle disdain for Hillary Clinton or Facebook and it's algorithms (with the claim of filtering content to suit the subscribers)? 

Wow great question. 

I think to understand the question you need to go back to 2008 and the message of change and hope that was introduced and harnessed by Barrack Hussein Obama. Then you need to step back a little further to the Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher and Mickail Gorbachev. 

All three were important transitional figures who were dealing with forces beyond the control of their traditional governments. The needs of business and the globe were coming to the surface and it was becoming increasingly clear that the Colonial Powers would have to fade in the background. The cold war and almost over and possibilities for business were going to begin to come to the fore. The British were facing an exhaustion that was draining their traditional revenue sources and soon they were about to engage a foreign force on a long disputed Island. The Americans were over extended and were still reeling after the pressure of Vietnam and a loss of confidence driven in part by President Nixon and the Watergate Scandal. You could argue that this was the start of a trend that would favor Journalists and whistleblowers and in a sense place patriots on one end of a skirmish in a direct confrontation with traditional politicians. 

The world was also becoming much smaller and the control that governments had over Information and the monopoly long enjoyed over truth and education was ending. Kingmakers were vanishing and becoming less important and spin doctors were beginning to feel less relevant. The idea that one man however brilliant was in charge of Foreign policy in U.S-China Relations for so long should have Troubled us but we instead preferred the experts fighting on our behalf an someone else taking the blame. Which is really what democracy is about. We do everything we can to place one man in office and then go crazy when he or she makes an error. 

So this is what in my view the FBs of this world represent. It is an attempt to use media and business and data as a filters and to regain the older monopolies around Information. By use of algorithms these spaces can give users the illusion that they have a voice while harvesting tonnes of personal private pieces of information about them which can be dished out an internals in psychological damaging ways. So we can let the machines do the work that educators and propagandists were doing ages ago. It is much more simple now to watch and participate in an engagement and feel as though you area making a difference when really all you are doing is being dulled over. Those of the faith used to complain about the need of followers to get access to the word of God. These days though you do not need to burn the book you need only create a migraine of versions through which you can conceal the truth. In a sense it is the saturation of information that could be the curse of this age. 

Assange in my view has been placed in a corner and finds himself stuck in a fight between powers that are feeling increasingly less significant in an time of reduced Nationalism. His views are probably skewed because he is under attack. It is also important to realize that if the Americans want you they can get you. There are bound to be several losers in this fight. Larger economies were still going to win even if the forces of globalization were asserting themselves because many of these economies already has massive presence globally with some of their multinational companies and the massive investments they had in education. Sometimes it has proven useful to release certain bits of information at appointed periods of time to 'test the waters' not in order to make any significant changes but to further develop and create more intrusive systems. The furor has died down and the world has moved on to the next news item. 

Some have made changes but we were all probably silly to trust the Internet in the first place even when we knew that it was created by the Defense Department in the U.S. 

So there was really nothing impartial about FB. The democrats knew that they needed the youth to win the W.H. They knew that they needed Silicon Valley and it's revenue to and enthusiasm to progress. They knew that the dynamics around popular votes and electoral colleges would still matter and more importantly the need to draw out of hiding disillusioned voters. Then there was the issue of the Undocumented not so much in the power of their votes but in their effect on business by providing cheap labor. The election process and the tyranny of numbers and the troubling facts that favor immigrants were challenges for another day. 

What Trump has attempted to do is use the same vein of change and align himself with an agenda that favors business. What he will Ty and do with the business Obama has done with the Law. 

We saw a few conflicts between traditional giants like FB, Google and Yahoo and Apple as they attempted to push back against the intelligence community but that is a space that is still in contention. 

Now here is a question for you. 

How would you feel as an American (John Stuart) when one of your most popular Saturday night shows was replaced by a South African mixed race host whose first jokes include references to Nazi Germany and Apartheid? 

Battles, Beats, Bars and Rhymes.

Break Dancing and an import of culture (early eighties).

My Interaction with the one small aspect of the hip hop stream began in the early eighties and was due in part with a craze for dance that was generated by personalities such as Shaba Doo, Shrimp and Lucinda Dickey. Some of their dance moves and burn outs were simple enough to replicate and so many of us began to use the same and build on what else we heard. Soon we would engage other children in the neighborhood for competitions in which we would often call out older kids where we would share a stage on which even if we had the disadvantage of much smaller frames we were equals on the large pieces of cardboard upon which we danced. 

The birth of this movement in of dance also brought about an additional drive to use and change the manner in which we also dressed. 

Dance and Discipleship (2001-2003)

Fast forward a few years and add on to that a new location and we came across the same effect except this time around the team that I met with was using it as a method of reconnecting with youth and directing their energies into what Christians call Discipleship. 

Discipleship is the deliberate decision to connect directly with new converts into an experience that is designed to help develop them deeper into personal and public faith with the purpose of sending them out a leaders armed with an ability to do the same. Perhaps one of the advantages of this system was the manner in which we could resolve conflict on eight by eight stages where nothing but dance and rhyme and rhythm and skill would be used arbitrate between two individuals.

Interpreting African Expressions of similar effects (2005-present)

My first attempt to interpret the African expression of this effect in Uganda was started about six months ago. In it i sought to find the most prominent personalities in the 'game' on the local scene in an effort to try to see where this movement was going and those who we would need to watch in the future. I use the simplest method in which I simply classified it in terms of language. The two most prominent personalities in this were arguably Babaluku and Navio of NavCorp. Some of the local history differentiates between Ugaflow. A term coined by local movers and shakers to define the use of rhyme and rhythm and rap in Uganda. Which is also connected to what they define as lugaflow. Which is derived from the term Luga which would be a Swahili term for language or as I used to think Luga for Gandaflow. But as these things normally go and develop and broaden. 

East African expressions.

If you take time to study the manner in which artistic expression is taught globally you will notice the Importance of History in defining personalities and their contribution to the larger narrative. 

In Tanzania for example, you will see a deliberate effort to connect and interpret the same broader hip hop culture and the emergence of local personalities who either joined the broader river or created dams upon which they were in time able to harness the massive waters to create industries and economies of their own. Tanzania is different from Uganda in that they have at least found a unique voice and sound that we call Bongo flavor. The Kenyan community too has had similar effects by emerging with a sound referred to as genge (which in Ganda means leprous!). 

Music and the need for social change.

What you will find with both Kenyan and Tanzanian expression is that both have lose but necessary links with 'common' people especially as we have seen an increase poverty levels. So much of our music has become an drive to interpret and engage with the changes in our societies that are drawing many into previously unknown and unheard of levels of poverty. 

So in some respects, the graduate is no longer defining want you learn the Ghetto is! 

The rise of additional voices.

A visit with the destiny crew.

In the Ganda language we call it 'Katemba Atali Musasulile'. Or free shows or just drama. Funny and interesting stuff you come across as part of your day that helps put a smile on your face as long as you are not part of it. My day began at about midday after a night spent catching up on American Politics and Fox Entertainment and a good mix of inspiration. 

I walked to Mengo Hospital where there is taxi stage that get you to the city at a reasonable cost. The trip was punctuated by a crew of men in yellow (the use NRM colors for city enforcement is not going well) who decided to 'move' some business people along Namirembe Rd. right at the junction that takes you into the New Taxi park. 

The enforcers were not subtle in the execution of their tasks and soon the taxi conductor decided to drop us of at the nearest gas station using our fears about men in yellow to support his impromptu decision. 

Then we walked up along the stretch took a right up onto old taxi park where we crossed the street onto Standard Supermarket (Yamaha Center). The taxis to Namasuba are found along the street at the entrance of shoprite. An exit right after Freedom City, a phone call and a Boda Boda ride later and there it is a blue gate with some graffiti-Destiny Central! 

The place sits at about 1/4 of an acre. There is a group of about three young people talking. It's been very busy (a season of visits from 'outside' countries). There is a set of drums and some fruit as well as a few young people having a hearty meal. The scent of well made Ganda food is evident in the air. The balcony is peppered with a few faces possibly foreign although this term is probably not useful in Makindye (where the Muzungu has become a mainstay). In this case I am clearly the foreigner. 

A few quick introductions and then a release to do my work. 

The notice boards are full of cultural events and happening from Uganda to Joburg and beyond. 

I spot 'looks' as I will call him. Dressed in his characteristic black much bigger than I expected.  

I spend an unusual amount of time having a look at a 'hip hop constitution' that describes some of the major dos and don'ts of the movement at its core. It has some of the historicals in the history of hip hop and I spend a few minutes trying to see if I can pass the test. I can identify Latifah, Tupac, The Ice Brothers (cube and tea), the young lady from the Fugees, Run D MC? Or at least Rev Runs brother (the entrepreneur and business person), Biggie Smalls. The list of rules and practices and ethics is intensely rich, complex and thorough. I have no time to absorb or take in the full extent of the stuff in front of me. So like the visitor of a gallery I simply stand back and take it in. 

The table is full of gadgets of all sorts processing experiences that have quickly faded into history but that one is certain will remain firmly etched in the hearts of of those who have had the chance to engage with the young people from all over the world that have graced these culturally driven events. 

I love kitchens and the magic that takes place in them. Some of the lovely young women are busying themselves. The kitchen too has its house rules. This is clearly much more than just a cultural gathering it is designed with a philosophy in mind it is a family. Unscripted and unhindered. 

There are a few very important events slated for the day. Some video shoots and recordings. There is a track in the Garage where the young MCs in training are putting final touches in the rhymes that will accompany the track. About eight young men will contribute. The broader theme-building. 

I cannot help but wonder what the possibilities would be if each one were given a chance to interpret the same track and left alone with the entire piece of music. 

But this time they will each lay their lyrics on the same thread. 

I meet Spyder, he catches you by surprise. He is very difficult to place he approaches me as people who are dressed with beanies and 'supposed' to be approached with fist clenched. Fist to fist to heart. He asked me a few questions my geeky glasses are a dead giveaway. I respond with the best kiyaye that I can muster. In a moment he switches to impeccable Queens English. He is comfortable and in his element. 

There are a few more faces writing and creating. Most of them tall and with dreadlocks. The Colors are rich and varied and so are the clothes. I love the ceiling in the garage that has been decorated with the colors of rich African design. The dress style of the young men is also distinctive. You will find it very hard to find two similarly dressed young people here. A seam re-done on a pair of jeans with the same colorful material. 

There are a few members of the aviary clan strutting their stuff. Maybe some of them are aware that they will grace the plates of the inhabitants in a strange partnership between unequals. Munsaka y'enva gyebalinsanga. 

In a smaller room, the recording is taking place. A super good quality mike has been placed in front of a thick absorbent material Square shaped (mattress) that will serve the purpose of insulation to prevent the loss of sound. In the next room, the PC is playing the track which is on repeat (possibly using cakewalk). 

I also get to meet Shemy B. dressed in a Cardinals shirt (an import from the U.S and suitable reminder of just how small the world is). We talk extensively about a range of subjects. I do most of the talking. He helps shed some light on hip hop in Uganda. He is interested in and has started a group that takes events to communities where the whole mix of services is provided. Sales for cultural merchandise and much more. He has his sheet for the studio and is ready for the exam. We trade contacts. 

I trace my steps back. A few more members of the team are back. From what I gather the day was full. There is a sense of liberty here that is unusual. The kitchen is clear until the next meal. The table is full of more equipment. Laptops uploading and trading pictures. 

Still rather cloistered and unimposing. I exchange a few smiles, contacts but approach the troop of Vanilla Belles with caution. 

Trade some notes with a young lady dressed in a pair of jeans and black high healed modern creations similar to high tops of old. We will end up sharing a ride to the main road. 

There is a bubbly young lady with an English Accent. I call her Letto. Short for stiletto. She is talking about a conversation we probably shared or listened to describing the liberating effects of the famous shoes. 

The day is almost complete. There is a lot to process. The street is full of people going about their business. I had the impression that Namasuba would be a catholic city. But that is probably naive. The station is peopled with a large group many of whom have also come out in full muslim regalia. Beautiful gowns accentuated with frilly white hair dos or patterns and scarfs. 

The trip back to Mengo will be a little long considering we are driving right back into the traffic filled city centre. 

I have no idea that it will take me about three days to pen these experiences.