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Museveni's Swearing In
May. 13th, 2006 10:43 amI'm almost incredulous that the week has gone so fast, but really, it's nearly Monday, the 15th, Annie is coming back and I'm practically back in Congo.
Yesterday was a public holiday because Museveni was getting sworn in as president. It was a big deal, and the airport was busy with hubbub from foreign dignitaries flying in and jets preparing their fancy fly-bys.
Honestly, judging by the state of Uganda's navy, I'm amazed that they even have one jet that's approved to be safely airborne.
Come to think of it, since when would a Ugandan not fly a jet just because it wasn't safe? :)
Anyway, there was a huge ceremony party for Museveni at the Kololo airstrip, so Willi and I thought it would be really fun to go. It was an absolute madhouse -- seas of yellow NRM shirts, hats, umbrellas washed over in a stench of hot, sweatiness and banana gin. It had rain a lot during the morning, so the field was slick and muddy, and the grass had gone from a lush green to a smushed, wet brown.
We did have to go through metal detectors, which I thought was rather funny since the main field in the center of the ceremony was full of like, 2000 soldiers and policemen, and, according to Willi, they had just left their guns during lunchtime, lying on the grass, the day before.
I'll admit that this was one of those occasions where it was probably better to watch the event on TV -- but certainly it felt like I was a party of history as I watched the people rush the field as Museveni's big stretch car left. Willi and I bought paper NRM hats to wear, and enjoyed the hot, hot sun. I was even tempted to buy an NRM umbrella -- if only just to keep the sun out of my eyes.
It was surprising, also, considering the amount of booze ingested by most of the people we saw that the rally was so subdued. Most people were just standing around, or sitting, and looking nonplussed. I did also feel really white, since, really, we were the only whiteys there. I guess people were surprised since Museveni isn't really popular internationally, or with the white community. Silly little repercussions of being a dictator and throwing your political rival in jail when it suits you ;)
Annd ohhh the yellow. If I'd thought the bumble bees in Congo were bad, this was worse. I'm not sure why Africans love bright canary yellow -- but certainly seeing it to that extreme was an experience in and of itself.
After the rally, we went and had a soda and watched the successive flows of people, screaming and marching through the streets with their appropriately Engrish banners waving high above their heads.
Some of my favorite slogans: "Movement Moves!"
and, "Congrculattions to Prsident Museveni for His Electoni!!"
Hey, at least they spelled "Museveni" right...
We boda'ed over to Garden City and caught the 4:30 showing of Mission Impossible 3. And wow, it was actually decent. I never really remember the plot of any of these Mission impossible movies, but it was certainly exciting, full of explosions, and made me remember why Tom Cruise is a popular actor as opposed to an alien-baby-spawning-brainwashing-scientologist-weirdo.
And, the Ugandan Requisite -- the movie DID stop RIGHT in the middle of one of the most suspenseful scenes as I watched a little blaze ignite through the reel and heard the "flop flop flop" from the projection room. Oops!
It was remedied quickly, though, and I think we only missed a minute or two of action.
We ate Italian food at Mambo Point -- yummy calzone with ricotta cheese. Amusingly, they sat us right next to the waterfall again, which we did end up moving away from. I pee often enough as it is.
Willi decided that he'd try out the Entebbe night scene with me so we matatu'ed into town, hung out at the Chimp House, and eventually made our way to Turkeys and also to Night Riders.
I do feel like I've developed a posse of friends here, and it's comfortable. I like going out, but I certainly should acknowledge that I've been doing a lot of drinking -- a lot more than I should.
Rosie has introduced me to some fabulous people too -- I've got photos up of our tomfoolery at the Four Turkeys.
I like having Willi as a friend too. He's got a similar sense of adventure, and that's fun.
We'll be flying to Goma together on Friday. I'll of course be staying longer than he will, but I shouldn't be there too long. We're moving the chimps on Saturday.
And that's the news!
Yesterday was a public holiday because Museveni was getting sworn in as president. It was a big deal, and the airport was busy with hubbub from foreign dignitaries flying in and jets preparing their fancy fly-bys.
Honestly, judging by the state of Uganda's navy, I'm amazed that they even have one jet that's approved to be safely airborne.
Come to think of it, since when would a Ugandan not fly a jet just because it wasn't safe? :)
Anyway, there was a huge ceremony party for Museveni at the Kololo airstrip, so Willi and I thought it would be really fun to go. It was an absolute madhouse -- seas of yellow NRM shirts, hats, umbrellas washed over in a stench of hot, sweatiness and banana gin. It had rain a lot during the morning, so the field was slick and muddy, and the grass had gone from a lush green to a smushed, wet brown.
We did have to go through metal detectors, which I thought was rather funny since the main field in the center of the ceremony was full of like, 2000 soldiers and policemen, and, according to Willi, they had just left their guns during lunchtime, lying on the grass, the day before.
I'll admit that this was one of those occasions where it was probably better to watch the event on TV -- but certainly it felt like I was a party of history as I watched the people rush the field as Museveni's big stretch car left. Willi and I bought paper NRM hats to wear, and enjoyed the hot, hot sun. I was even tempted to buy an NRM umbrella -- if only just to keep the sun out of my eyes.
It was surprising, also, considering the amount of booze ingested by most of the people we saw that the rally was so subdued. Most people were just standing around, or sitting, and looking nonplussed. I did also feel really white, since, really, we were the only whiteys there. I guess people were surprised since Museveni isn't really popular internationally, or with the white community. Silly little repercussions of being a dictator and throwing your political rival in jail when it suits you ;)
Annd ohhh the yellow. If I'd thought the bumble bees in Congo were bad, this was worse. I'm not sure why Africans love bright canary yellow -- but certainly seeing it to that extreme was an experience in and of itself.
After the rally, we went and had a soda and watched the successive flows of people, screaming and marching through the streets with their appropriately Engrish banners waving high above their heads.
Some of my favorite slogans: "Movement Moves!"
and, "Congrculattions to Prsident Museveni for His Electoni!!"
Hey, at least they spelled "Museveni" right...
We boda'ed over to Garden City and caught the 4:30 showing of Mission Impossible 3. And wow, it was actually decent. I never really remember the plot of any of these Mission impossible movies, but it was certainly exciting, full of explosions, and made me remember why Tom Cruise is a popular actor as opposed to an alien-baby-spawning-brainwashing-scientologist-weirdo.
And, the Ugandan Requisite -- the movie DID stop RIGHT in the middle of one of the most suspenseful scenes as I watched a little blaze ignite through the reel and heard the "flop flop flop" from the projection room. Oops!
It was remedied quickly, though, and I think we only missed a minute or two of action.
We ate Italian food at Mambo Point -- yummy calzone with ricotta cheese. Amusingly, they sat us right next to the waterfall again, which we did end up moving away from. I pee often enough as it is.
Willi decided that he'd try out the Entebbe night scene with me so we matatu'ed into town, hung out at the Chimp House, and eventually made our way to Turkeys and also to Night Riders.
I do feel like I've developed a posse of friends here, and it's comfortable. I like going out, but I certainly should acknowledge that I've been doing a lot of drinking -- a lot more than I should.
Rosie has introduced me to some fabulous people too -- I've got photos up of our tomfoolery at the Four Turkeys.
I like having Willi as a friend too. He's got a similar sense of adventure, and that's fun.
We'll be flying to Goma together on Friday. I'll of course be staying longer than he will, but I shouldn't be there too long. We're moving the chimps on Saturday.
And that's the news!
