Ugandans, where have our manners gone?

As I was in a taxi heading home, I witnessed something that made me question Ugandan’s sense of compassion.

For the foreigners, Ugandan’s concept of a “taxi” is an Omni bus licensed carry 14 people…but the number can go up depending on the location and time of day. For instance, after 7pm, instead of the 3 people per seat, the number can go as high as 5!

Every taxi riding Uganda familiar with the rush hours of 6- 8pm knows the hustle associated with getting a seat!
But on this particular day, the taxi I rode made some miraculous Guinness record breakers!
First of all, it was virtually empty; a rare concurrence at that hour.

It then stopped to pick a man…not just any man but a crippled man. I have witnessed incidents where the driver has left a passenger because they are “crippled, will waste time”. Only for the same driver to stop a meter ahead and wait 5 minutes for a person who is walking lazily up to the road! (SCREAM!!!)

Well, back to the issue at hand. The crippled man with two clutches made of wood struggled to enter the taxi. He first placed the clutches inside and supported himself on one of the torn, dirty brown, cushioned seat as he hosted himself inside.

I was glad that the taxi driver didn’t complain nor did he start the car before the man could sit.

The man was meant occupy the seat behind me. It was located between the window seat and a “movable” one. Now there are two types of seats in these taxis. There are the movable and immovable ones. Immovable seats with the exception of the backseat; are always the first two seats located on the left hand side windows. The “Movable” on the other hand are the seats next to the windows on the right hand side of the taxi. These are the worst because every time someone behind you wants to get out, you are forced to leave this seat so as to pave way for them. It feels like you are sitting in an aisle!

Sorry I got carried away…. Anyway, just as poor “Mr. Clutches” was struggling to enter, a woman let me call her “Brown” who was occupying a movable seat, quickly moved to the immovable seat leaving “Mr. Clutches” man had to occupy “Brown’s” movable seat.

It was not long before someone behind them asked to get out. I watched in dismay as ‘’Mr. Clutches” struggled to get out of his seat and get out and then get in . All this happened in a space of 5 minutes.
And as Mr. Clutches struggled to re-enter the taxi, history repeated itself! A male passenger who was waiting by the road sneaked and quickly occupied the “immovable” seat that the previous passenger who had alighted had been occupying! Once again Mr. Clutches had to occupy the movable seat.

After what seemed like 20meters, another passenger asked to leave. The process repeated itself! I felt so selfish and was just going to ask Mr. Clutches to take my seat when I realised that he was the passenger going out!
This scene really tugged on my heart because it revealed how insensitive and inconsiderate Ugandans including me can mean to be!

I know that disability is not inability but in such a situation, it really does no harm offering the man a seat of convenience so that he is comfortable but can at the same time not be inconvenienced by people moving in and out of the taxi. I hope that when this next happens, I will be prepared to act accordingly.