GEORGEViLLE

I used to always be left speechless whenever I spent time with my nephews on visits to their home or the countless times I was left to babysit them whenever their mother’s schedule kept her away for longer hours than usual. These boys’ reading culture always worried me. In a bid not to sound hypocritical, I don’t expect a child to be citing Okot p’Bitek or Desmond Bagley at that tender stage but to want nothing at all to do with non-academic reading is a terrible seed to sow for our children and future generations. As African parents, we have to set aside the western parenting techniques and direct our children in the direction we want if they are to cope with the day to day problems in our world. Our problems as Africa are not the same as their (the West) problems. My Torts professor likes to joke that the West lives in the Disney channel mode where angrily barking at one’s child could attract a law suit while we are set in the hard less more real National Geographic mode. The rate at

Black, beautiful, talented,diva.These were all characteristics of American award-winning music legend and superstar Whitney Elizabeth Houston in the years spanning from the late 1980s to around 1998.At the time, the star enjoyed a large army of multi-racial fans who loved and supported her. She was the star that made Arista Records and has been their most profitable musician to date.Then the perfect image the world had known came crushing and tumbling in what later became the world’s most popular self-destructive tale way worse than Elvis Presley’s and Michael Jackson’s. “The voice” as she was fondly referred to by her fans and the scandal hungry media became a symbol of drugs, bankruptcy and loss. This week when the untimely passing of 22 year old Bobbi Kristina Brown, daughter and heiress of Whitney Houston, I could not help muttering ‘what a waste’ in utter disappointment. No one deserves such a terrible end. Most especially when you’re the ‘only’ surviving carrier of a big legacy l

This week on Wednesday 19th somewhere in the fully packed Entebbe town courtroom the press was amok. They hastily rushed to take shots of a large light complexioned woman who seemed to be eager to reach in time so as not to anger the judge by arriving late. This was not one of the high profile murder cases or abuse of office trials that have sold headlines for our dailies and tabloids. The woman was Nu Eagles Band singer Catherine Kusasira who was answering to fraud charges among others. She appeared before the court and pledged total cooperation with the law and its agents. She also begged to be given more time to find someone whose name has kept showing up everywhere in this scandal….Little Boss. Depending on the highly needed outcome of the case, singer and songwriter Lyto Boss could become the hero that won back the dignity, acknowledgement, reward and recognition for the hard work of songwriters or the example who will be remembered to have tried to battle two of Uganda’s most kno

One of the traits majority of Ugandans have persisted to carry from time immemorial is the impressive ability to ignore the serious element of any law. If anything when laws are passed in Uganda, some folks look for the trivial or comic part of  the legislation, laugh it off and then cast bets on how long this would survive. So this is the attitude we flung to the ‘Helmets are mandatory’ and the ‘Wearing seat belts is compulsory’ legislation. And for years we lived in our easy law mockery life with all these rules and laws not existing for long. Then alas Mzee Museveni our President made an appointment. I know Ugandans who laughed at this too and thought this was the same old story…same people in different clothes. This iron lady from the Revenue Authority was a no nonsense lawyer who had come to clean up the city as its new Executive Director. It is still thanks to Jeniffer Musisi that most Ugandans had learnt that when the law states something, doing the reverse has repercussions an

I happen to be one of those Ugandans who grow up in reverse mode when it comes to  things the majority tag as trendy for instance as most Ugandans are making the move from ardent radio fanfare to addictive television viewership am doing the reverse. This could be mainly because I watched way too much television as a child. From hours of priceless fun and adventure on Cartoon Network, the defunct Madvani owned Channel Television at the time, now inexistent Sanyu television/TV Africa among other things. We never had the luxury of Disney or Nickelodeon in Uganda at the time and the rich kids made go with the then KTV or Kid’s Television or something that always aired in the mornings at the then three channeled DStv that consisted of M Net, Movie Magic and SuperSport. So yes children’s entertainment has changed drastically from the time when I was a child. However it’s not that am pointing an accusatory finger to the broadcasters for the change or the consequences this has fostered, I s

At dawn, smart corporates politely whoosh   past you a vibrant smile from your local news vendor car   radios filled with beautiful voices of   breakfast show   presenters security personnel everywhere comforting you and giving you confidence organised disciplined   traffic, clean fresh   ambience with beautiful structures complimenting the people At dusk, alas…when the sun   has gone down My city embraces night’s dark evil veil and the danger she brings Standing as an imposing threat to all All folks seem to have this fear in their eyes   routinely turning   to check if they are being   followed As they cling and clutch on tightly to their bags and purses Everyone you meet sends cold shivers down your spine You shriek, say a silent prayer and   hope that when you reach home, you will be alive KIWANUKA GEORGE WILLIAM

Old glares torch me on my proud   loud   love declaration for her bitter sweet Kampala and   her diametrically opposite sides She’s a bolting splash of gold and rust flung and scattered among her hills like broken ceramic on the brown earth A side of hers bears they that are fortunate luxury and abundance beyond   imagination heaven-like serenity, ambience, neat green well kempt gardens large plush mansions, palace like magnificent hotels skyscrapers carrying a glittering sparkle, clean sidewalks Streets recollect trips to the best auto showrooms Only the best commercial kind wheels are parked punctuated with trendy teenagers walking dogs, flashing gadgets and smart corporates rushing to beat the rush hour Yards away is the ‘other’ side of Kampala thuds are heard as depressed lads rush about and jump to their deaths in suicide Congested streets with filthy stench of rotting sewerage rubbing shoulders with murderers, drunkards, pedophiles,