Are You Living in Uganda? Are You A Mukoowu (Tired One)?

Hi there! Thank you for visiting our blog. It has been a long time since I posted something so here we go.

A Harvest of Mangoes. Definitely not tired of Mangoes!

 I hope those of you living in Kampala have eaten quite enough of the mangos since the season is really on. You may also have heard the Song Bakoowu by Walukagga.  If you haven't eaten more than seven mangos would you just do yourself a favor and buy/pick  some these last two weeks of June?
There is nothing as sweet as a Uganda mango, or guava...and dont get me started on the pineapples. Those living outside Uganda will one day have a taste of the delicious Ugandan mango.  I am definitely not  mukoowu (tired) of the mangos. I hope that you are not mukoowu (tired) of them too.

 Recently there has been a lot in Kampala society, in the media and news about Kukoowa (to get tired), Bakoowu (tired people) and Mukoowu ( a tired person)  which all in Lugandan slang would mean that the person(s) are; fed up, tired, exhausted,fatigued in one word.  Truly that guy Walukagga is an artist with his hand on the pulse of Kampala society in the same line as Paulo Kafeero, Bobbie Wine (when he is original), Basudde and may even come close to Elly Wamala. He does hit the nail on the head with this 'Bakoowu' song.   His song is echoed by an article in the New Vision newspaper the week of the 18th June written by a psychiatrist;  Dr Odokonyero about the tiredness (bukoowu) of working parents and school-going-rote-learning children in Kampala and I agreed. I even cheered.  We all need to rest and get off the foolish road of the rat race. Right now. Easier said than done but necessary.

 I wish that popular bakoowu song had mentioned something about the suffering group of children in especially boarding and 'top' Ugandan schools who are likely to become bakoowu soon because of this but may be that will be Walukagga's next song. He sang a great song anyway. Right on the point and he did not have that terrible  |diggidiggi|  |diggidiggi| beat that is the template for all luganda songs lately especially of the whining songs sung by every so called 'celeb' or 'announcer' who thinks that because they are comedians,  good speakers and can make people laugh, it also means they can also sing/ make music for a living.   Philly Lutaaya must be turning in his grave at the bakoowu songs spouting out of  all Luwum street's unlighted arcades and have clogged  Kampalan ears lately. All music lovers unite against this |diggidiggi|  |diggidiggi|  none-music. Wagikoowa?

I dont agree entirely with some people's  conclusion about the cause of the ' bukoowu' in this new song; I truly think  it goes beyond the political. 

Work of a Mukoowu; Trash in drainage in Kisaasi Ntinda.

 The government is not responsible for all the rude people you meet at every turn (where did they all come from?), for all the bakoowu people who dump their trash on the roadside...in the drainage that is supposed to keep the roads more useful longer... or for the foul smell you bump into near Kalerwe market round about. They have their bit too, you could say, but so do you and I.



Oh! definitely the marabou storks near Kalerwe market must be 'bikoowu' because I mean,  how can you not be if you are a scavenger bird and you have all that work to do to clean up the mess and the causes of the foul smell at Kalerwe market? The water at the side of that Kalerwe-Bypass junction must be full of a gazillion bacteria. Some new species may even be discovered there. Definitely the  marabou storks at Kalerwe market are 'bikoowu'. Not from politics.
There is a lot that could try to kukooya (tire ) you anywhere in the world. My opinion is that less of these 'bikooya' are found in some parts of Ntinda and the rural areas but they are starting to creep in.  In the shape of loud discos and loudspeakers, kaveera with trash dropped at a neighbours house,  narrow roads and the red pepper newspaper sold at the bus/taxi stops in full view of  children as they get on and off public transport. Dont let the 'bukoowu'  creep into your village or your life. Get up. Smile. Work hard. Dont Give Up. I met some cheerful guys selling the lovely pineapples in Wobulenzi Town on Luwero Road.

Ali and his friends (below) allowed me to take a picture of them when i told them I was writing this article about 'bakoowu' and wanted to show a picture of people in Uganda who i thought are definitely not bakoowu. They obliged.

Ali and Friends: Pineapple traders at Wobulenzi. 'Not bakoowu'.

Hallo from Wobulenzi. Lovely Sweet Ugandan Pineapple

Please make sure that you are not a 'mukoowu' and that you do not 'kukooya' others. Bye for now. Nkooye:)   Drop us a line with suggestions on how to deal with this 'bukoowu' at noonyabooks@gmail.com.
Please visit us our little shop at Noonya Books Ntinda Capital Shoppers City Shop 32.