Certainly, if Uganda was a taxi, its longest serving driver would have spent four decades on the wheels, for all intents and purposes making him a seasoned driver. Under the seasoned driver’s watch, excitement for the takeover would begin to manifest slowly, first as rumours until it becomes something to contend with especially in a few years to come.
Ambivalence would however engulf the passengers regarding the possible replacement of the seasoned driver. As the seasoned driver continues keeping his cards close to his chest and after snarling up at fair play, passengers are left in bewilderment. Discourse around the takeover forcefully begins to be centred on the available options.
Forget the rest of the passengers who once expressed interest in driving the taxi, in fact one who was by far the most promising got defeated in a wrestling match which he claims was unfair. For the second time, he missed the driving permit to take the taxi forward, not sure where he is now. Leaving other factors constant, his mates in the back row seat appear disjointed and disoriented to oust the seasoned driver.
Now speculation on who’s to be the next taxi driver is slowly shifting to two passengers on the first front row seat. The “first passenger” can no longer hide his appetite for the driver’s seat. His supporters seem to be sure that by proximity he knows where the seasoned driver keeps the taxi’s user manual.
Astonishingly, the first passenger’s support base is fully obsessed with his actions, whether right or wrong. On a bad day, you might fetch yourself a barrage of insults for demanding calm and decency from the driver-hopeful. No wonder, one time during a passenger’s meeting the seasoned driver called some of his supporters “self-seekers.”
The other day, when the first passenger threw dirt at some pedestrians, the taxi almost caught fire and whereas it was rational for the different taxi elders to berate him, instead his supporters including one old man were quick to justify his actions. All this happened as other passengers looked on in sheer disbelief.
Sometimes, it’s bemusing to decipher whether some of his supporters wish the first passenger well in his driving ambitions. I think he would by now be spending enough time checking the mechanical condition of the taxi and adjusting the driver’s seat than getting embroiled in endless taxi battles.
Away from the digressing, taxi talk suggests there is a “second passenger” closely linked to the first passenger. This one once sought a certain position in the taxi only for his intentions to be thwarted by the seasoned driver. All passengers thought his ambitions had been deeply cut on arrival, until recently, when claims made it that he is clandestinely preparing for the seasoned driver’s boots.
Almost all passengers would agree that the available options have cushion should the takeover happen now. However, take over from the seasoned driver needs to be carefully crafted so that the next driver is buttressed by the will of the passengers. The next driver has quite some work to do in as far as fixing the broken parts of the taxi is concerned.
Yes, broken parts because the taxi meter was long extracted leaving no guardrails to determine when to start and stop by the current and next taxi driver (s). The need for new spare parts to recourse the taxi is inevitable. Some wheel alignment is also needed for the taxi to stabilize and avoid veering off the road.
A few grey-haired passengers who ideally have locus to engage the seasoned driver and chart a smooth takeover remain tight-lipped. In fact, their silence is deafening, to say the least. They should be forgiven because the taxi management keeps rewarding silent passengers and those with sharp voices are reminded that silence is compulsory.
For now, the taxi passengers should tighten their seat belts, read the traffic lights and wait for who it will be as discussions for the takeover evolve. At least for now it has become almost clear that except the position of conductor, the driver’s seat might never again be subjected to popular competition. Even if competition is to be there, chances are it will remain an internal competition.
The writer Mr. Badru Walusansa is a Political Analyst
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