ARE YOU READY FOR CHOGM
So are you ready for CHOGM? CHOGM is the compressed word for the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. This year will be historic since the OAU summit hosted by the late President Iddi Amin Dada in 1975. By that time, most Ugandans were not born yet, so the memories of the event is with few elder statemen. So come this November and we will be the cetre of the world as CHOGM storms Uganda in full world view.
So are you ready for CHOGM? In most of Northern Uganda and sections of other regions, they have been ready for Sorghum for eternity as it is anticipated on their menu every supper time; and at the local bar every fun time.
The phonetic confusion between CHOGM and sorghum apart, are you ready for the real CHOGM?
That is the most comical and some people say vexious question that greets you in Kampala today. You will find a line in newspapers CHOGM quoting the CHOGM managers here and there. On radio, some satire by one station to another. In daily conversations. And on Billboards. Now the billboard tells you that it is ready for CHOGM and the diversty on it, including Rio Ferdnard, yes the Man U defender; says the obvious. They chorus, “We are ready for CHOGM.
Owing to the personality of the billboard, Ugandans are up in protest. To that later.
But are you ready for CHOGM? One Monday this week, Adrofeni was doing his thing; conveying Ariaka to the city. We encountered a CHOGM challenge at Namungoona. A huge spiralling traffic jam. Naturally, like most Ugandans are wont to do; find a short cut. The short cut would take us on top of Namungoona hill whence thanks to the contagion of Kasubi jam; Namungoona was worse. The rains the previous night was cats and dogs (sic), so the short cut was, well a road in a quagmire. Mud and more mud. Ofcourse complimenting the jam was the stuck and noisy and smelly stalemate.
We are now stuck in a jam. But lo! Adrofeni manuovres through and we circle the hill until. Scare one. On Hoima road facing Kasubi Jam. Now just three kilometres away from city centre we can not be ready for CHOGM; a paltry seven weeks away.
So Adrofeni resolves to endure the jam on tarmac and finally made it to Nakulabye three hours later. To avoid the on coming jam, we sprawl thorugh Kiwunya to Delta petrol station. But another dilemma, a huge crater in the middle of the road at Chez Johnson. A huge crater in the middle of the road in the middle of the city. But Adrofeni is by now an expert at evading potholes, something he acquaints with on Kampala road, Bommo road, Jinja rd, Speke rd, Nile rd. Sir Apolo Kagwa, Gayaza rd, Makerere Hill rd, Kabaka Anjagala rd, Nakasero rd, Lumumba Avenue. Go on and list all the roads in Kampala. The few exception might be Parliament Avenue, Kimathi Avenue or am I mistaken?
Do you notice that we have many CHOGM gaps? Remember Shimoni Dem. School? There is a huge gap where the school once gallantly stood? Plus UBC on Nakasero Hill? ANother huge gap. As for Shimoni, the very demanding investor could not keep his word; so is the case with Aya brothers who abdicated from giving Uganda another CHOGM hotel. So now we have fewer clasy hotels to accomodate and serenade our esteemed guests.
Once in a while, Adrofeni likes to check at the clinic for that routine visit, sometimes take a bath or just lounge. To his dismay recently, he could not find water. At the clinic, he could not find water to cool nor wash his face. He could not take a shower. There was no water and Adrofeni looked like he was out of the thriller movie, THE LOST WORLD or THE JURASIC PARK. He was muddy and muddled.
Now people, if you live in Uganda today, the annual grants from the World meteological stations have been quite generous this year. Half of the country is flooded and the rains are not to go away soon. It is a daily spectacle these days to meet a queue of vehicles plastered with mud. Clearly the services of NWSC is on high demand, but Adrofeni and his ilk can not find water very easily. Quite a contradiction if you sak me for the country has the highest per capita water in a long time. Actually one Daily newspaper suggested recently that the levels of L. Victoria have risen by as much as a metre. Owing to CHOGM I am told, we can not have water; for routine maintenance is ongoing.
So are we ready for CHOGM? It has become a swear word in Kampala today, a way tofind out how you are doing, whether you had a good night’s sleep; above all an excuse for many people. If you do business with many people today and time to pay comes? Blame CHOGM.. We have been told government has scaled down its budget in ministries. Being the largest employer and business given, blame CHOGM if you do not get that deal or that payment.
If you ask me. CHOGM is problem already. No water in Kampala and Wakiso districts becuase CHOGM upgrades are on the way. Load shedding in KIbuli, Munyonyo, Ggaba, Kawuu, Luzira etc like UMEME enjoys letting us know - CHOGM upgrades. Some one once remarked that were are better off without CHOGM. If the price we are paying today in missed services is a pointer, truly we do not need CHOGM.
So are you ready for CHOGM.
