By Badru Walusansa
Africa-Press – Uganda. If Uganda were a taxi, its longest-serving driver would have spent four decades behind the wheel. By all intents and purposes, that would make him a seasoned driver. Under his watch, excitement about a possible takeover would not erupt suddenly; it would creep in slowly, first as whispers and rumours, until it becomes a matter to contend with in the years ahead.
Ambivalence would, however, engulf the passengers over the prospect of replacing the seasoned driver. As he continues to keep his cards close to his chest and snarls at the idea of fair play, passengers are left in a state of bewilderment. Discourse around the takeover inevitably shifts toward the available options.
Forget the rest of the passengers who once expressed interest in driving the taxi. One, who by far appeared the most promising, was defeated in a wrestling match he insists was unfair. For the second time, he missed the driving permit needed to take the taxi forward. Where he stands now remains unclear. Meanwhile, his colleagues seated at the back appear disjointed and disoriented, incapable of ousting the seasoned driver.
Speculation over who might take over the wheel has now narrowed to two passengers seated in the front row. The first can no longer hide his appetite for the driver’s seat. His supporters are convinced that by virtue of proximity, he knows exactly where the seasoned driver keeps the taxi’s user manual.
Astonishingly, this first passenger’s support base is utterly obsessed with his actions, whether right or wrong. On a bad day, demanding calm and decency from the driver-hopeful earns you a barrage of insults. It is little wonder that at one point, during a passengers’ meeting, the seasoned driver described some of his supporters as “self-seekers.”
More recently, when the first passenger hurled dirt at pedestrians, the taxi nearly caught fire. Instead of sober rebuke from taxi elders, his supporters — including one elderly figure — rushed to justify his conduct. Other passengers could only watch in disbelief.
At times, it is difficult to tell whether these supporters genuinely wish him well. By now, he ought to be inspecting the taxi’s mechanical condition and adjusting the driver’s seat, rather than getting entangled in endless taxi battles.
Away from this digression, taxi talk suggests the presence of a second passenger closely linked to the first. This individual once sought a key position in the taxi, only for his ambitions to be thwarted by the seasoned driver. Many assumed his hopes had been extinguished on arrival, until recent claims emerged that he may be quietly preparing to step into the seasoned driver’s boots.
Most passengers would agree that the current options offer some cushion should a takeover occur now. However, any transition must be carefully crafted so that the next driver is firmly buttressed by the will of the passengers. The task ahead is immense, especially in repairing the taxi’s broken parts.
Broken parts indeed, because the taxi meter was removed long ago, leaving no guardrails to determine when to start or stop — whether for the current driver or the next. New spare parts are inevitable if the taxi is to be restored. Wheel alignment is also long overdue if the vehicle is to remain stable and avoid veering off the road.
A few grey-haired passengers who possess the moral authority to engage the seasoned driver and chart a smooth transition have chosen silence. Their quiet is deafening. Perhaps they deserve forgiveness, for the taxi management rewards silence handsomely, while those with sharp voices are constantly reminded that silence is compulsory.
For now, passengers can only tighten their seat belts, read the traffic lights, and wait as discussions around the takeover evolve. One thing is becoming increasingly clear: except for the position of conductor, the driver’s seat may never again be subjected to open competition. And even if competition does occur, it is likely to remain strictly internal.
Mr Badru Walusansa is a political analyst.
Source: Nilepost News
