"Julie, something terrible has happened." Patrick told me. He
showed me his brand new, expensive phone. It had just fallen on the
ground and was looking worse for the wear.
"Do you know who is responsible for this?" He asked me very seriously.
"Museveni?" I asked.
"Yes." he nodded, as a chorus of giggles burst out all around the office.
Uganda has had the same president for decades. Many citizens are quite tired of him and do not believe he is an effective leader for their country anymore.
Some fear to speak out against him, others are just a bit too jaded about politics to complain openly about him. But they still find ways to undermine him.
A popular joke among the clinic staff was to blame him for any absurd thing that went wrong in their lives. Premature balding, a stolen bike, a missed bus, a cough. Who was to blame? Museveni. The explanations for how he arranged for these annoyances were quite creative and varied.
It may not be the most effective form of resistance. But an interesting coping mechanism all the same. And a fun way to let of steam, if nothing else.
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