“When you try and do disruptive innovation in any established institution, the immune system of the institution will come and attack you.” …….. Salim Ismail
Any serious attempt by the government to reverse the city’s obvious decline and descent into shine has always met strident criticism and fault finding!
An internationally respected investor in Agro-industry travelled from Dubai to Entebbe and planned to stay in the country for 7 adays. It took him shockingly 5.5 hours to travel from Entebbe to serena hotel courtesy of traffic jam. He promptly checked out of the hotel the following day, never to return!
Not surprisingly, the very same critics of modernity will be the very first to virulently criticize government for not doing enough! Shamelessly, they will do this on social media and other outlets. That is why these critics must be presented with a fait accompli of a modern Greater Kampala Metropolitan mass transit bus system.
Ugandans desperately and urgently need relief from among others- traffic jam, congestion, pollution, chaos and disorders.
In addition, Ugandans are crying out for a comfortable, convenient, affordable and efficient transport service.
On the other hand, the same critics referred to above enjoy complaining! And when a viable solution like TONDEKA METRO is offered, they complain even more!
They will fault government and conceal their well cultivated cynicism in procedures other than substance. The legalistic hair-splitting is their forte!
They are merchants and beneficiaries of profit from chaos; deriving fame from confusion, obscuring the real issues, concerns and needs of the people by playing righteous, lacking a blinkered view and lop sided of what BUBU (Buy Uganda-Build Uganda) is all about.
The very same cynics travel abroad and experience best in class urban standards of intermodal transport and then come back here to tell stories of progress and modernity elsewhere!
- I don’t buy the argument that Ugandans will lose jobs!! They won’t! Many more jobs are being created. 20,000 new jobs to be created directly and over 30,000 new jobs to be created Indirectly. I don’t buy the argument that Tondeka is simply a bus project; it is a transport infrastructure project.
- I don’t buy the argument that because other companies failed, then Tondeka should fail as well.
- I don’t buy the argument that there aren’t enough passengers!! Greater Kampala has a population of 4 million people who need a minimum of 3000 buses to move them.
- I don’t buy the argument that other bus companies can’t join the Tondeka Initiative! They all can, why not? The challenge is to match Tondeka’s Value Propositions.
In conclusion, as patriots lets avoid the trap of maintaining studious silence when the City is sinking into slime and then rant endlessly when a solution is introduced, tested and validated.
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
