Open Letter to President Museveni on the Tondeka Metro from a concerned Muzukkulu

Dear Mr. President

I read with interest your instruction to Minister Matia Kasaijja to support the importation of 980 buses into the country to ease traffic in Kampala. I must say that I was very happy for your decision on your insistence that there should not be liability to the country as company assets will be registered in the name of government until loan is paid off. I also read that they will be an escrow account where we’ll pay so that those running the business don’t avoid their obligations and run away with the money before debt is paid off.

I will be honest Mr. President, I oppose your government as I belong to People Power but on this issue of public transport, I am with you. It is probably the first decision in a long time that I support because it will better this country we love. I was born in 1993 long after you had become president. My grandfather used to brag about efficient public transport in the past. I am happy that with your decision, I will also at least enjoy what my grandfather enjoyed.

When I graduated from Uganda Christian University Mukono about two years ago, I looked for a job and failed to get one. I decided to start a stall in Owino Market. I sell used shoes and clothes. Sometimes I vend them to people in offices. I manage to make some little money to take care of my immediate needs. It isn’t much but at least I survive. To save even more, I decided to continue living with my parents in Mukono. At least for now, they haven’t asked me to pay rent or to buy food. As a responsible son, I however sometimes help pay some bills from the little money that I save.

My biggest cost, however, has been transport. A round trip from Mukono town to Kampala costs Shs6,000 on average. I could actually pay more if I decided to use a boda boda from the stage to my parents’ home but I walk that distance of about two kilometres. So at Shs6,000 per a day, this amount comes to Shs36,000 for a six-day week since I don’t work on Sundays or Shs144,000 a month. That is a lot of money that I spend on transport to work. If I add the transport costs to visit friends, attend to a client who may not be in Kampala Central Business District, it might be Shs300,000 but I will limit myself to transport from home to work even when I know that nobody only goes from home to work.

And that is why I am writing this letter to you. The story I read said that I will be paying Shs50,000 per a month. This means that I will save Shs94,000 every month on transport alone which totals to Shs1,128,000 a year. If I can invest these savings in my business, I would be able to improve myself. I have a girlfriend so one day I hope to start a family of my own. That is why I am writing this letter to thank you for at least for once you thought about us the poor who you refer to as your Bazukkulu. You haven’t yet earned my vote in 2021 but at least as a Christian and honest person, I wanted to say thank you. If you improve other sectors as well, may be you will manage to leave a legacy your real grandchildren, Natasha’s kids, would be proud of.

Talking of other sectors, Mr President, why don’t you use the same model elsewhere? I heard that you are spending a lot of money on Uganda Airlines. Although I have never been on a plane and one day I know I will, I think those who are running it can borrow the money same way Tondeka Metro is doing so that our country isn’t put under so much debt. If Uganda Airlines has a business plan, they should be able to pay off their debt.

Anyway, Mr President, thank you so much for the public buses. I really hope that this isn’t a hoax and we get the buses as soon as possible. I want to start to save the Shs94,000 per a month immediately. I am that serious. I hope you make this my Christmas and new year gift and all the other Bazukkulu would be happy. Maybe some of them come back to you and abandon the other guys. Ensure those close to you and technocrats in your ministries don’t fail you on this. The public transport buses is all you have got to get us back on your side.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew Arinaitwe
Your Muzukkulu,
Mukono