A DAY IN UGANDA
Crossing the porous Busia border without much hassle, we drove straight into Uganda and then towards Majanji town, nestled on the serene shores of Lake Nalubale. The journey was marked by picturesque views of banana and cassava plantations that lined the beautifully tarmacked road. We passed by traditional grass-thatched houses and distinctive brick houses that had sharply pointed roofs. My driver joked that you could identify a Ugandan who had relocated to Kenya by the shape of their roof.
I had an urge to stop and capture these moments with my camera, but my counterpart insisted it was prohibited. The presence of military personnel everywhere added to the daunting atmosphere. Along a 27-kilometer stretch, we encountered army motorcades on patrol twice. Security guards at various premises and outlets carried not sticks and clubs as in Kenya but formidable guns resting on their laps.
These observations came within the first few minutes of our drive. At one point, we lost our way and were heading several kilometres straight towards Kampala. Thankfully, road signs alerted us to turn left towards Majanji at a junction where the right turn was marked Tororo, leading to a dusty off-road. We had lost connection on our phones due to roaming issues with local service providers, leaving us without internet or navigational assistance.
Feeling lost and confused, we arrived at the Lwanda roundabout with no clear indication of which road leading to Majanji. Unsure of how close or far we were from our destination, we decided to ask for directions. We parked next to a bystander and greeted him with, “vipi boss.” Without waiting for his response, I continued, “tunaenda Majanji, tuchukue njia gani?” His confused look made me realize that Swahili is not widely spoken in Uganda. Switching to English, I slowly asked, “which road leads us to Majanji?”
The man smiled and replied with a thick Ugandan accent, “you shall head straight. Actually, you are not very far from Majanji.” Relieved, we learned that we were only 20 minutes away. He asked if we were going to Coconut Beach, and when we said yes, he informed us about the right turn in Majanji that led to both Sangalo and Coconut beaches.
Upon reaching Coconut Beach, we were greeted by an inviting scene filled with beachgoers dancing to the lively tunes of Kidandali, swimming, and enjoying boat rides in the lake. The entry fee for non-residents was 2000 UGX per person, roughly equivalent to 70 KSH. The vibrant atmosphere was infectious, and we spent several enjoyable hours soaking in the sun and the local culture.
Around 4 in the afternoon, we decided to head back to Busia. As we crossed the porous border back into Kenya.