{UAH} *Uganda: A Broken Society

*Uganda: A Broken Society* 

 *By Solome Nakaweesi (Pan-African Feminist &  The Great African Housewife)* 

Uganda! The Pearl of Africa… indeed we are a mixed bag of everything! Many suns, rains and moons ago; a friend of mine told me: *"Broken People Break Others"* and how this came true watching a video of some young people attending an audition in Kampala; how they were practically abused, undignified, self-esteem ripped and undermined by 3 adults in the media and creative industry. This programe isn't funny at all, actually for GoTV and BBS Terefayina or whoever they are auditioning for, it affects your brand and questions the values espoused by yourselves, the judges or even that of the talent show. There is no excuse whatsoever to support a program that promotes bullying, classism, ageism, body-shaming and abuse in the name of mentorship and talent promotion! There in no excuse to abuse others on TV  in the name of teaching them how to groom.

This video gets one to reflect deeper on who we are as a people esp. the Adults in Uganda and questions whether we are broken or not! While I don't condone poor hygiene, smelly people and work day and night to ensure I am part of promoting adolescent health & choices in its broadness and work towards hygiene for adolescents and young people (even some adults!) it's unacceptable for adults laughing at young people – who among other things are struggling with a lot around their bodies, still have to learn to manage puberty body-odor, have identity & self-esteem crises and are trying to break through such rough social, political & economic times. There is no excuse whatsoever to body shame someone else and it's inexcusable if you are an adult doing that to a young person – You break their self esteem and body image at a critical time of their development. You break the basic principle of Ubuntu that is espoused across Africa!

Undoubtedly, most of us in Uganda are a product of a broken society due to: war, conflict, unfulfilled expectations, poverty, the grind of our daily hustle, sexism, racism, capitalism, systemic inequality, career stagnation, dictatorships, toxic intimate relations & marital unions, divorce & separation, bereavement, loans & debt, impersonation, corruption, exclusion, name it! And this has been our reality in the last 20, 30, 40, 50 years…

Since broken people break others, then it's the only way one can comprehend an adult that interfaces with a young person with offensive body odor associated with puberty, instead of mentoring them and supporting them to walk through all the aspects of adolescent health including hygiene abuses, laughs, body shames and looks at them in contempt & disgust! It's only broken adults that instead of mentoring young people, they patronize and matronize them! It's only broken adults in Uganda that will be reminded that they indeed sired children and need to pay school fees, meals, and other necessities or even provide love and emotional support… It's only broken adults that sire so many children & don't use the available free family planning services then the next day they say "gavumenti etuyambe"… Its only broken adults that don't relate their hate for sexuality education with the fact that many young people don't know about the changes in their bodies and can't care for them.... It's only a broken Ugandan adult that will see it befitting to steal from the sick, run off with immunisation money, not invest in teaching our young people about puberty, chop money meant for educating our children, have ghost teachers and healthworkers all in the name of corruption and aggrandizement... It's only a broken Ugandan adult that spends the day reading and sharing pornographic and sexualised content on social media but won't talk to young people about changes in their bodies... It's only a broken Ugandan adult that will eat fleshy pieces of chicken and chunks of fat-laden pork at their local pub, wash it down with beer or waragi then complain when they are reminded that at home there is no salt, paraffin has run out in the tadooba or the baby has no milk... It's only a broken Ugandan adult that indulges their culinary skills by eating all the niceties outside the home not caring whatsoever whether there is a decent meal at home for the children there….It's only a broken Ugandan adult that will go to the salon to change their hair and nails many times a month but finds it cumbersome to buy sanitary towels for their daughter or young women in their care once a month… It's only a broken Ugandan that will make their house help cook matooke & that meat-on-bones for hours-on-end but expects the maid to eat the posho and beans…. It's only a broken Ugandan adult that will complain about state oppression and violence yet they use their status and age to oppress young people and whenever they hoot at their home gate or its known you are back home; everyone takes cover and keeps quiet till tomorrow! It's only a broken Ugandan adult that can even find it funny that another adult is disempowering and playing with the self esteem of a young person who is struggling with a lot at that age! It's only a broken Ugandan adult who is also struggling with their personal lives finds it convenient to deflect their own pain, wahalla & brokenness by exercising abusive power-over a group of young boys and adults who are trying to break through in the media and entertainment industry… It's only broken Ugandan adults that will find every excuse to become the oppressors they claim to have fought! It's only us Uganda's broken adults that instead of keeping our children safe at home and within communities we defiled & indecently assaulted them during COVID-19 lockdown! And of course, it's only broken adults that are offended by my honest opinion, would love to attack and lash at me… because the truth is so bitter to contend with that You are a Broken Nation!  

As I pen off, bambi I salute these poor boys, even after being abused and disempowered by people they deeply respected in the industry; they had the humility to bow down their heads in respect of their abusers… So, guess me and you know who among the jury and the boys has Obugunjufu!

*Oooooh Our Brokenness as Adults is Breaking Uganda's Young People!!*

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