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The last column I wrote here drew both praise and ire.
In the piece, I described the hardships workers in the Ugandan
hotel industry endure; that industry which is supposed to
be for hospitality!
What I did not know was that this is a disease afflicting
many managers in this business. It is not only hotels, it
is in many of the businesses where profit is more important
than the lives of the people who make it.
I hear the banks are equally guilty. A graduate working
donkey days has a gross salary of Shs 800,000. After removing
taxes, they end up with a paltry Shs 500,000. Yet these
are the same people we expect to be honest and look after
our deposits. So next time you go into these banks and shout
at the teller behind that inhuman glass keeping you away
from your money, do remember that some of them do not like
what they are doing; they are there to survive.
And it does not matter whether the manager is of Asian
origin or not. It just matters that our national labour
laws and their implementers are fast asleep as Ugandans
are turned into donkeys by the so-called investors.
I recently over heard a landlord complaining that he had
stopped renting his houses to the so-called ‘corporate
employees’. His argument was that these high-flying
individuals working mainly for the big name companies live
on the edge. Their rent arrears are in direct contrast with
the aplomb that we witness on our streets or in their offices.
They hide from the landlord when time to pay up comes. They
fake reasons of being upcountry and being busy but end up
sneaking into the house late at night. By dusk, they will
have left.
So yes, this country needs to review its labour laws and
make sure they are implemented to the letter. Otherwise
the pseudo good life that we think is the joy of our toiling
Ugandans is indeed an illusion.
Back to my column and responses thereto! One person identifying
himself as an Indian laboured to answer me. The language
not withstanding, the insults that he harbours for blacks
make for classic reading.
A reader I shared the note with was so incensed that he
wanted this Asian person deported for using racist, abusive
language. Yet this person claims to be married to a Ugandan
woman!
Below is the letter from one ‘Dalwadi Jiten’.
As you read, pay close attention to the “monkey”
references if this helps you the reader understand the mindset
of someone apparently married to a woman from the “monkey
country”. Enjoy!
dear anchima(Monkey),
i am indian and married to ugandan lady. i proud of my
wife but which u wrote artical in observer about that indian
which i do not agree with you. i stayd 14years in uganda
and i know who is ugandan. I discribe your ugandan tribe
by born U ppeople are Big Lier, Big cheater, ugandan dont
know what is honesty. my wife if the one who run my hotel
business. she always telling that U dont know my Monkey
People. u can not manage them. so i always stay away from
my hotel business. U did not ask indian about your people.
if you want proof of your monkey people i have bunch of
criminal file in 14 years. ugandan people still trust indian.
they kept luggage with me because they knows that indian
is there our luggage is safe. if you want to see phisicaly
let me know. i will take you my hotel. but stop negetive
writing against indian. we dont like to shout on you people
but when u work with indian u sleep, u lie, ex saturday
comes and tell us my mother died can i go home. do you know
every month died somebody. do u think can happen all the
time. u should see first your people tell them to learn
little honesty. you will not find any indian in your monkey
country. all ugandan like to write negetive u never write
positive things against indian. god given u people black
color. crow can never fly like flamingos. my advise see
the both side then u write. u use your brain in right direction.
we all indian knows that we are in jungle between Animals.
as a indian what do we aspect from Monkey. hope u think
before u write again. be always positive in life u will
get reward from God. all five fingers are in one hand
but not same.
I hope u will understand if u................. regards
and god bless u in future
yours Muko
from kampala
End of missive!
Dismas Nkunda The author is a human rights
expert and specialist on refugee issues
nkundad13@yahoo.co.uk
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