It was the Sunday after the independence celebrations. There were balloons everywhere. Music blasted from huge black speakers. There were ice cream vans too. Everyone was excited about the day. Can you guess what the event was? If you were in Kampala that day, you would not need to guess because you could see the signs everywhere.
It was the day of the City festival.
Festivals are great because people get to enjoy their city without worrying about bodabodas and fast taxis. You can even be allowed to touch the big elephant on your way to the National Theatre, and take colourful pictures at the Independence Monument. You can also see marabou storks with their chicks with their slow deliberate gait cross from Bombo road to Watoto Church. If one wanted a face painting, it was easy because one could choose to be spiderman or a tiger. You could also get a tattoo on your hand and it could be anything from a bible verse to a face of someone famous.
Everything was going on well until Kakuru and Kwezi saw some children on scooters. Being the last born children of Mr. and Mrs. Musoke, scooters had been on their birthday wishlist since they were 3 years old. At 7 years old now, they didn’t know if their wish for scooters would ever be granted.
‘I know what you are thinking,’ their Mother said, looking at them.
‘Nothing to do!’ Kwezi said.
‘Everything in its time,’ the mother said.
‘But when! patience, patience, every time,’ Kakuru answered.
‘Because patience is a virtue,’ his mother answered.
Their eyes never left the children who rode their scooters on the tarmac.
They walked on past Senana supermarket until they got to the Crafts Village. They were surprised when their mother walked into the Craft village.
‘If you are looking for beautiful necklaces, baskets and other artifacts that make you think about us as Africans, then this is the place to be.’ the mother said.
Kakuru and Kwezi were however, drawn to the paintings.
They were paintings in different shapes. There was a rectangular one of two smiling children. They looked so happy. There was a circular one that Kwezi held and could not take his eyes off it.
‘What are you looking at?
‘Mother, I think this would be great for our dining area. It is a powerful message to start the day.’
‘Really! Why do you think so?’
‘Because each one of us has a lion inside them.’ Kakuru said
‘What do you mean?’ their mother asked.
‘This painting is of a cat that is looking into the mirror but it sees a lion.’
‘I love lions,’ Kwezi said as he pulled the panting from Kakuru.
‘Behave, Kwezi!’ Kakuru shouted.
‘Mother, there is a lion in you too! It doesnot matter what other people think of you.’
‘Awww! Thank you, my son!’
‘Now, can we take it? Kwezi asked, ‘Let me bargain for a good price for it.’
‘You can use your charm and see if we can spare some money for two scooters too,’ their mother said.
‘Hurray!’ they both shouted.
The boys went to the artist and started asking for a bargain.
Do you think they got the bargain?
Compiled by Rosey Ssembatya
