On Friday afternoon, I was heading to an office in one of the buildings in the city center. I was with one of my friends, and the office we were headed to had a staircase. As we started climbing up, there was a couple of guys coming down and one of them was saying {with gestures}, “give way, give way”. I told him off! I was like “come on! Why are you being rude!! How can you ask us to give way, keep on your side and we will do the same, you cannot just order us around…”
So he sort of stood and I passed him, and in that moment, I looked up and I saw Hon. Edward Sekandi, the vice president of Uganda! Hahahahahaha!! Ok.. obviously I felt embarrassed as I was now face to face with him. I reached my hand and went something like..”hullo!!! I’m so sorry!! I had no idea it was you they were trying to make way for…I’m so sorry sir”. I think he is quite a humble guy {at least that is what he portrayed to me in that moment}, and he kept saying that it’s ok. I stressed to him that the guys that “make” way for people like him are quite rude. I said that to him twice, kind of making sure he doesn’t miss my point. I also thanked him for the good work he is doing for this country {i was sounding like a journalist trying to get an appointment for an interview with a politician}.
In total it was like 60seconds and a lot was running through my mind! From wanting to tell him that I’m a journalist, to pulling out the camera in my purse and asking my friend to take a picture of me and him {I don’t think the body guards would let me…to telling him that I have not had any luck {yet} with finding a job in my profession, and ask him if he could help {hmmm}. But I did not. I hope that his guards saw how humble he was with me, and next time {if ever there’s one}, they will know that I’m quite hard to ‘give way’, even to the vice president.
My friend and I couldn’t stop laughing about it for like 30minutes. Oh how I wish I had the opportunity there and then to talk to him about what I really feel about things in Uganda, like leadership, roads, riots and more! To just talk to him even if it was off record so I could get his opinion{s}. Well, well, I’m sure he got to see a bit of my aggressive side. I wonder if he will remember me in case I get a job in the media and I got a chance to meet him again in my line of work. I will remind him and see if he does.
YesWeDid.... 