The female tout

This week I boarded a taxi whose tout was female. She was a strong dark beauty with a flawless skin and sparkling white teeth. She was wearing a black t-shirt, navy blue jeans and black canvass shoes. Her hair was retouched and tied back in a ponytail. Overall she was casually dressed but exceedingly smart. And she went about her job meticulously.

It was a whole new experience for me. It was the same for other passengers judging by their keen interest in and response to her. It was this interest that got me noticing how different this taxi was compared to other taxis with male conductors. 

Firstly it was very clean inside with a measure of freshness that gave the impression of the newness of the taxi yet it was not new. The seat covers were evidently old, but no problem as they were well-scrubbed. No chance for lice or the irritating bedbugs that inhabit most taxis on our roads. The seats were also firmly in place, and very comfortable, not the shaky squeaky seats that make travelling by most of our taxis a gruesome affair. 

This female conductor was also different in that when she was given a big note, she returned the change instantly. She was not like those slippery male touts who when given a big note wait ages before returning your change, and in worst case scenarios shamelessly deny having received any money from the passenger. 

This female tout was practically kind too. She helped a nursing mother by carrying her child until the mother was well-sat.

I learned that doing your job well pays well. This female conductor's diligence attracts favour like a magnet pulls iron. In Wandegeya her taxi filled up quickly while others were left empty fighting for passengers.

Many passengers tipped her in appreciation of her good work and sunny disposition. I also gave her a tip and thanked her for setting the bar high as a conductor. I pray we get many more such female conductors in our taxis.

Keeping hope alive

Hope deferred made my heart sick on Tuesday when that early Muhammed Salah goal dethroned us from the summit of Group E. However being the bustling optimist that I am, I didn't stay little boy blue longer. I shook myself like a leaf and believed anew that all things are still possible.

You see I've cherished the day I'll watch live or through a telecast the Uganda Cranes playing in the Fifa World Cup. The Russia 2018 dream is so close to materializing if you are the optimist, yet so far from being fulfilled if you are the pessimist. But I pray you join me to live by the Yogi Berra mantra that it is never over until it is over. We may have lost in Egypt but we have the potential of winning our two remaining fixtures, but this will only be delightful when Egypt slip up in theirs. Well, let's keep believing for hope never disappoints.

 Qualifying for the 2018 World Cup would be the best thing to happen to a country where everything else is shambolic. For once we would forget about the lackadaisical affairs of this nation. Seeing our boys donning the national jerseys would ignite a fire in us all. We would begin to dream again; really big dreams, and to walk with our chests held out. We would for once unite with pride and watch with joyful hearts as our boys step out on the field to compete with the big boys. 

 We would cease to envy Kenya whose own Victor Wanyama is the engine of the Tottenham Hotspur midfield. Playing at the World Cup would open doors for some of our boys, and oh that would only be the beginning! How wonderful it would be to see Denis Onyango manning the Arsenal goal posts instead of Petr Cech! 

Uganda is a great nation that has been messed up by those with Ph.Ds in the art of mismanaging society -- the politicians. Believe me the turning point for our nation is not going to be orchestrated by a politician but will come from something with the sheer force of unification such as soccer, and featuring in the Fifa World Cup, to be precise. 

Proverbs 13:12 says hope deferred  makes the heart sick but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. I remain optimistic that the Uganda Cranes will qualify for Russia 2018 and we shall devour the fruits that will accrue from that qualification. 

Born a superstar

The big man, Usain Bolt, has finally bowed out of racing but what a man he was! Who can ever forget his lightening dashes on the track! But you know what's amazing? It is that his secret was simple. His secret was his massive self-belief.

"I like to do things people have never done before because it sets you apart from everybody else," he was quoted saying. No one can say such without a deeply-ingrained belief that he carries the DNA of super champions. Once you have that belief the law of attraction concedes with such ferocity; making manifest in the physical what you conceived and believed in your innermost. 

 This is the surpassing secret of all super, superstars. Boxing fans are waiting with bated breath the upcoming contest between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor.  Both men have always seen themselves as the revelation of the boxing game with McGregor saying he has always dreamt so much so clearly, so precisely and so frequently about reigning as a pugilist, whilst Mayweather is persuaded he is the best fighter on any planet and he means every word. 

It assuredly pays huge dividends to believe in yourself. And why not? After all you won the toughest, stiffest race to fertilize the egg leading to the living reality that is you. So why should you shrivel and give up the fight because of a few of life's hard knocks? Why should you become a shrinking violet; settling for less yet you were created to shine more than the stars? 

I encourage us today to believe more in our abilities and capacities because the opportunities and possibilities are endless. Dig new wells if the old ones have been clogged with the earth by the haters, and don't stop digging, don't slow down in your quest, rise above the contentions and continue the fight until you sit on the throne. Here many people will be looking up to you, others will be seeking to knock you down and out. So you must work even harder because there's always room for advancement, in fact we begin to die the moment we think there's nothing left to achieve.

The power of preparation

For soccer lovers there's excitement in the air as the new season of the English Premier League just kicked off. No longer are our weekends going to be slow. Betting companies are also rubbing their hands with glee at the thought of all the money they are going to make from betting freaks looking to get rich quick.

All that ties in well with the principle of success that I'm using football to explore. The principle is preparation. Pre-season matches have been on-going as coaches of big and small clubs test the strength of their squads. But the biggest preparation has been in clubs spending a lot of money buying the most talented players from Europe's best leagues albeit holding on to their own talismans. The league is very, very competitive and punitive, so you ignore the transfer window at your own peril. 

 The diligence and fervency with which clubs prepare for the new season in a bid to be declared champions at the end, has a whole lot to teach us about life. Nothing ought be left to chance. Success has to be prepared for physically, socially, economically, religiously and psychologically. You look at all the rich and successful people and think they are just lucky but the truth is they prepare and work harder than the average people. As someone said, success can only happen when luck meets thorough preparation. 

Preparation is so important because it brings order, purpose and inspires confidence in the pursuit of our dreams. If you have not fulfilled half the resolutions you made at the beginning of this year, it's time to take stock and prepare early for the coming year to achieve prominently. 

 Otherwise I'm excited that the side I love, Arsenal, prepared well for the new season. During preseason several boys in the reserve team got their chance and showed flashes of magic. We also strengthened at the back and upfront with quality signings, so I don't see any side stopping us this time!!

Micho’s optimism

As a soccer fan, I am saddened that Micho was forced by circumstances to terminate his contract with Fufa. He was the most optimistic coach Uganda ever had. With him it would not have surprised me to see Uganda Cranes qualifying for World Cup 2018. It really is true that what you perceive and conceive with all your heart you achieve. At his last press conference he said he was sure Uganda Cranes was going to qualify for World Cup and now that he is out of the picture you can never be sure. 

Nevertheless we can do better by clinging to his optimism; the optimism that surpasses ability; the wave of which the national team rode on to finally qualify for Afcon. The players were won over by the faith Micho had in each one of them and it is with that faith that they ordered the mountain that had for 39 years stood in their way of qualification to be uprooted and hurled into the sea! 

It's also because of Micho's optimism; his belief that wrong things can be fixed that he lasted four years under a shambolic supervisor that Fufa is. But even an eternal optimist will not allow to be taken for granted. Optimists are not afraid to make tough decisions, because they know that life goes on. They are not frightened by the closing of one door because they know somewhere another door is opening. When Rwanda sacked Micho in 2013, a door opened for him in Uganda. Now that Fufa disrespected him by seeking to make him beg for his wages, he had to move on to apply himself where his services will be more valued. 

I wish you all the best, Micho, thank you for the affability that was without spot. And thank you for teaching us about practicable optimism whose sheer power is boundless. Just as you said Ugandans will always have a very, very important suite in your heart, you will always occupy a special place on our heart of hearts.

Somebody is watching

It's 25 years of "Truth Every Day" for DailyMonitor, and as we celebrate the milestone I can't help but share from my heart what distinguishes this publication, and indeed other enterprises that leave a mark on humanity.

 The uniqueness of Daily Monitor is in its optimistic stance; it's ever readiness to give a chance to the 'nobodies' to prove themselves. I was a 'nobody' in my second year at Campus when Daily Monitor gave me a chance. I knew nobody there (no "connections") and honestly had no clue I would one day write for this fabulous publication. I had come all the way from Rwakarungi, a small village in western Uganda, a timid and raw lad who just loved reading. 

 I visited the university library everyday to read newspapers. I was always fascinated by the guts and knowhow of journalists, even more by the ability of some to string together words and phrases in a way that left me dreaming and longing to be like some of them some day. The hunger birthed in me  impelled me to email the Letters' Editor. By the favour of God my letter was  published. I was now a man aflame; I kept writing till another editor summoned me by email and gave me my first 'official' assignment. I still earn my bread from the business of writing! 

I've shared my story to encourage somebody out there. People say you need "connections" to get your breakthrough, but I say you need passion. Find something you are passionate about and channel all your efforts in it because somebody is watching and ready to give you an opportunity just like my passion for reading newspapers and writing opened a door for me at Daily Monitor. 

A happy big 25 to Daily Monitor and the team that was, is, and is to come. Thanks for being merchants of truth, for truth everyday is what empowers and sets free.

The fire in Star’s belly

When I was still a little boy my best friend was "Star." Star was a black cat that had been donated by Uncle Emmy to help deal with the menace of rats in our home. One day Star scratched me, drawing blood, and in anger I grabbed it by its little back and threw it high in the air hoping it would fall badly and learn never to scratch me again. I watched as Star came tumbling er somersaulting and landed poetically on its paws. I grabbed it and hurled it again with all my strength. Still, it landed on its paws. I did this till it became evident that no matter how high I threw Star, even doing so with an element of surprise, it would never fall on its back, or badly enough to get hurt.

Thus I nicknamed it Star and my fascination grew when I learned that Star could see through the dark! I discovered this when I was awoken in the middle of the night by some ruckus going on in my room. I switched on my torch only to find Star playing games with a gigantic mouse. It would pull its whiskers with its unfurled claws; tossing it here and there until the poor mouse looked spent and helpless. Then Star would seemingly lose interest and move away. The mouse would attempt its escape but in a microsecond Star would pounce again and the game would go on till the poor mouse ended in Star's belly. 

 I've since seen many fat cats but no matter how many mice Star devoured, and no matter how much milk I served it in the morning it remained a lean little cat I guess because of the endless cat-and-mice games it starred in, and the fire in its belly and in its eyes that drove it on and made it prevail against the biggest and most treacherous creatures including snakes. 

I learned from Star the cat that no one can stop someone who knows who he is and what he's capable of.

Head, heart, legs

"Testa, Cuore e Gambe" is the title of Antonio Conte's book that means head, heart and legs. Apparently that's the secret behind the Chelsea manager's success. It was also his mantra at Juventus where he won three consecutive Serie A titles between 2012-2014. Basically the Italian believes in players that play with intelligence (head), zeal (heart) and motion (legs).

Based on that simple formulae he has assembled a team that has been quite a revelation in this season's English Premier League. No wonder that at the writing of this, Chelsea is sitting proudly at the top of the table with 81 points while my beloved Arsenal that has for over 20 years finished in the top four, is in sixth position, a whopping 21 points behind Chelsea with only four games remaining. 

It's been an exciting cruise for Conte's team. While pundits have watched every match with bated breath; waiting for slip ups that would see Chelsea's main rival Tottenham catch up, the blues have continued to grow stronger because they play as a unit; each one of them giving 100 percent. Those who thought talent and pedigree alone was enough such as Oscar were sold to China and Conte gave the chance to 'underdogs' like Victor Moses who grasped his mantra and played to its tune.  

With just 245 days remaining to the end of the year, I couldn't help thinking that maybe Conte's formulae is all we need to fulfill our resolutions and succeed wholesomely. For most people using their heads is not a problem. They come up with fantastic plans and even intelligent ways of executing them but their hearts are tested when they meet challenges. That's when those without the zeal, hunger and fire of champions are exposed. They blow cold at the first sign of resistance forgetting that there's no warrior, no winner without the attributes of persistence and perseverance. 

So while Conte's team live up to his head, heart and legs style, let's also apply it in the game of life for indeed it's in exerting ourselves intelligently, zealously and forwardly in all our endeavours that we shall achieve exponentially.

The resurrection

A friend of mine said, "To leave a mark on this world you must not only refuse to conform to the status quo but you must also upset it." My mind raced to Jesus Christ who refused to bow down to the dictates of his times and literally turned the world upside down! 

As a young boy He sneaked away from his parents to attend to matters of more importance in church where He debated with elders and left them in awe of His knowledge and reasoning. As a minister He beat people up for turning a church into a marketplace. Those capitalists thought it was okay to conduct business anywhere but Jesus whipped them and overturned their merchandise for turning His Father's house into a den of thieves. 

Much, much later the Pharasees thought they had finished Jesus off by nailing Him on the cross but He bounced back with swag when He rose three days later after singlehandedly rolling away the gigantic stone they had covered the mouth of His grave with. "Why are you looking for the living among the dead," the angel of the Lord rhetorically asked those who were still believing death had finished Jesus. 

For me that's the most beautiful, the most significant line ever written: why are you looking for the living among the dead? It's a line that perfectly captures the resurrection life that ought to be the portion of every person. Life can sometimes pummel us; we are cast down, our families may abandon us in the hour of need and our best friends may deny and betray us as Peter and Judas Iscariot denied and betrayed Jesus. But listen; that's not the end. Being cast down is not tantamount to being destroyed, it is not being out! Jesus triumphed so that we could triumph too. As He told His disciples, in this world we shall suffer many tribulations, but when we hold on to courage; when we don't give up, when we keep pushing we shall not only overcome but we will as well leave a mark that will never be wiped away.