Another Day in Paradise

Paradise Is Waiting...For You

Early morning view from Sunrise Hotel, Fort Portal, Uganda

When we think of paradise, what do we think of? A place of peace, tranquility and of course love? Some would think of beautiful scents, fresh air and taking deep satisfying breaths. For others, a cappuccino, yet others, a cup of hot chocolate. A cup of warm milk? A glass of wine with goat muchomo. A family meal around the table. A calm lake in the warm evening. Oft times people have indeed said  ' This is Paradise'.

In many ways, we would like to live in a paradise, we long for it and look forward to it.  Paradise is coming but what about now? For now, we can try and create earthly paradise around us and in the places we live; by not building in the gazetted swamp and forest land even when we have the council, power and money in our hands. By planting more trees and flowers even when the dogs dig them up and only one rose bush out of five survive Kampala's hot sun. By not throwing trash out of moving taxis, not leaving bags of trash on the road! By cleaning our rooms and offices and sitting down to read to our children. By actually talking to our children and spouses and letting them talk... We can make lives better by reducing our plastic trail; buying groceries in one kikapu or two. By Voting with a conscience and as a parliamentarian, setting a law against the burning of plastics and tyres, indiscriminate release of factory waste, hospital wastes and diesel oils. Making sure that we have working government hospitals with well paid doctors  and nurses before making a law to  buy a new SUV and sleeping comfortably knowing that if you are sick you will be flown to Nairobi for care while the rest of the people who voted you die on Mulago's floors after being knocked down by a reckless lawless boda-boda and transported to hospital on the back of a police pick up truck rther than an ambulance.  You create paradise when as a magistrate, newly graduated and promoted,  you refuse to set confessed child defilers free because it is too bothersome to ask some tired and underpaid policeman to do the correct investigations. Maybe this and other cases will come back to haunt you in your ?paradise.
So I would say to all of us, on a given day, prepare yourself a hot katogo* and invite a friend or a relative to share it. Be kind to all those in need of succour, starting with your nearest and dearest; your spouse, children,  mother, father, the lonely and poor...Love does begin at home, it will spill over to the others.

Sunrise In Ntinda, Kampala Uganda

When we consciously make the effort to do some of these things and more similar, we bring a hint of heaven on earth around us. Paradise is waiting, for you.


muchomo; roast meat; tasty , grilled over charcoal in kampala style, can be bought off the road or made at home
katogo; a mix of boiled cassava pieces with beans (commonly), tomatoes (more commonly), or meat (rarely). Cheap and easy to cook.
kikapu; a bag made of  dried palm leaves