Jobseeker’s Diary

Like everyone, I’m surprised, if not shocked by the recent riots in England. Things like that happen in Baghdad, Kampala, Nigeria… not in London, Manchester and other cities in the UK, and certainly not for four nights! I’m no racist but the minute I saw those pictures of hooded rioters, my heart sank because a good number of them are black and this will just reinforce people’s prejudices about us. I’m all for freedom of expression and in fact, I have taken part in protests myself. Twice! Makerere University’s riots are well-documented and as students, we just loved the standoff with the police. The masterminds of the riots would block the roads leading to the university, placing large boulders and burning tires along the routes. Most of us weren’t violent and many times, we had genuine reasons for rioting. The very first riot I took part in followed the death of a girl who was shot as she returned to her hall of residence from a night club. What angered most of us at the time was the fact the despite having a police post on the university grounds, no one had intercepted the killer. The girl bled to death because the other students were locked up in their rooms and no one could help. See the policy then was that the custodian would lock the main entrance and go to his or her own home. Later, there were reports that the lone security guard at the hall had heard the gunshots but feared to venture out because all he had for protection was a bow and arrow! By 6.30a.m the next morning, word of the tragic shooting had spread and students from other halls of residence were riled, understandably because honestly, it could have been any of us and we knew our lives were at stake too. It was a legitimate concern and we did get results. Custodians were mandated to sleep with the students, security checkpoints were set up and no one was allowed to enter student quarters after midnight. I wonder if those stipulations are still in place. The second riot came after tuition and accommodation rates were raised. Another legitimate concern and one of the main reasons students continue to strike to this day. In all my engagements however, I was never violent. I just enjoyed the running battles with the anti-riot police. Some students would hurl stones or anything they could get their hands on and the police would retaliate with teargas. We would retreat to our rooms, wash the teargas out of our eyes, drink some water and return to the “action”. The fun stopped when they started firing rubber bullets. I know someone who was hit by one of those and that was the last time I took part in riots. The other thing I hated about them was the hooliganism, the looting and violence. The unscrupulous among us would raid restaurants, supermarkets, phone and appliance shops nearby and take whatever they could get their hands on. Others would smash car and building windows before setting them on fire. There we were, claiming to be fighting injustice and then going ahead and inflicting the same on innocent bystanders. And so when I saw the picture of the Polish woman jumping out of her flat window to escape the fire set to her home by a mob a few days ago, I felt sad. She could have burnt to death or sustained massive injuries as she jumped. And what was her crime? How about those three young men who were killed in an alleged hit and run racial attack? At least the British Government has pledged to compensate all legitimate claims and I hope all the victims get the help they so badly need. Thanks in part to CCTV, some of the culprits have been apprehended and I hope they get the punishment they deserve for terrorizing innocent people. To be continued...