Sam Tusemerirwe is not exactly a professional driver. But he’s a very good driver. Although he trained as an IT man and works professionally as an IT network manager for a health group in Bugolobi, the Kampala suburb, he uses his free time to drive people who are not comfortable driving, usually to take them places in the countryside and bring them back. The gigs boost his monthly income, which he tracks very closely, even counting coins. That being the case, he is unlikely to refuse an opportunity to drive someone to Mbarara for Shs. 50,000, which is not a large amount, and then return to Kampala by bus.
His interest in driving grew during the COVID-19 pandemic when the company he works for sent him and many others on leave. But drivers who were comfortable in manual cars were needed, and he seized the opportunity. Later he got back his job as an IT man, but his side business is to drive. Driving people he knows, he said, is much easier than driving strangers, because he doesn’t like to sit quietly while driving.
When we first reached out to him about the possibility of sharing his personal diary, the idea appealed to him at once. His diary is written in clear prose, reflecting the clarity of his speech. It also hints at the argumentativeness in him when he encounters people who do things the wrong way, who disturb his peace or appear to step on his toes. His diary shows his struggle with a dishonest mechanic, impatient colleagues, even an estranged girlfriend. But it also shows his Christian faith and his grounding in the community of his friends, with whom he goes to church and other places. Tusemerirwe, who is 26, grew up in Fort Portal, in south-western Uganda, where as a teenager he learned to drive one day when he took his father’s truck without telling him and then got stuck in a ditch.
As always, this diary is presented in the diarist’s own voice. TWR does not edit the diaries, although minor interventions are made here and there when clarity is at stake. The unexpected capital letters have the effect of emphasizing random words. But they also encourage the reader to linger over those lines, hopefully getting an idea of the things that Tusemerirwe holds dear. – TWR
19/01/2025
Today was a frustrating day on the road. I was pulled over by a traffic police officer and issued a ticket for overspeeding. What’s worse is that I was only 300 meters away from the Sign post which was displaying 50 km per hour. To make matters worse, this was my first ticket ever and it really put a dumper on my trip. I felt disappointed and embarrassed and it’s hard not to take it personally when you feel like you’re being unfairly targeted.
What annoys me is that the officer seemed to be more interested in issuing a ticket than in actually understanding the law they’re enforcing. It’s like they are just going through the motions without really considering the Context or the Circumstances.
Rating: 5/10 (one of the worst driving experiences I have had.)
Emotions: Frustrated. Disappointed. Embarrassed
Lesson learned: Always be aware of my Surroundings and never assume I am above the law. Also trying to Stay Calm and Composed even in the face of adversity.
23/01/2025
I had a disturbing encounter with a truck driver near Bugolobi. He was driving erratically, overtaking on the left-hand side of the road, and nearly Collided with my Car. Fortunately, the damage was only a minor Scratch. When I confronted him about his reckless behavior, he became aggressive and hostile. He made derogatory Comments about racism, implying that [people from western Uganda] have privilege and wealth. I tried to Calm him down and asked him to apologize, but he refused. The situation escalated until another driver Intervened, warning him to calm down or face arrest. This experience left a sour taste, highlighting the unfortunate prevalence of racism and regional biases.
25/01/2025
I parked my car across William Street and paid for street parking. After an hour I returned to find my car Clamped. The lady I Spoke to claimed I hadn’t paid but I knew I had. She told me to go to the head office to resolve the issue. At the branch office I explained the Situation but they insisted I owed money from 2022. I requested for printouts to prove my car’s parking history but they only [had] information from September 14th 2022. I checked my car’s tracker and discovered it had been parked in Fort Portal at home [at the time] and I couldn’t understand why I was being fined. The staff seemed uncooperative and I lost patience. I removed the Clamp and drove to the police station to report the Incident.
27/01/2025
I had a Conversation with a new manager at my work place. She has just been hired in the Company. Today I came across a kind genuine person. Shared her thoughts with me. She advised me to ‘’Learn how to swim with Sharks and avoid being eaten by them.” While this phrase can be interpreted in various ways me I took it to mean that you should consider seeking better opportunities outside Current Organization.
29/01/2025
Commute to Work. I started the day by driving to work enjoying some upbeat music on the way. The commute was smooth, and the music helped me get energized and focused for the day ahead.
Task: Morning Routine. Checked server logs, monitored network performance, and performed daily backups. Troubleshooting: Resolved Wi-Fi connectivity issue for a user on the 3rd floor. Restarted the access point and updated the firmware. New user setup: Configured a new laptop for a recently hired employee. Meeting: Attended a meeting with the management team to discuss upcoming IT projects. Challenges: Internet timeouts. Just a brief Internet outage due to the fibre cut in the areas across the street due to the road construction. Reflection: Despite the Challenge, it was a productive day and I’m grateful for the opportunity to drive to work and enjoy some music along the way.
30/01/2023
Today was a typical work day, but with an unexpected twist. I drove to work and spent the day attending to my IT duties. However, instead of heading home in the evening I left the car parked at office. I decided to take a bus to Mbarara. The bus ride was eventful to say the least. The bus driver’s Constant honking made the trip tricky but I’m just glad we arrived safely.
31/01/2025
Travel to Kampala. I started the day with an early wake up Call at 5:30 AM feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. After a quick morning routine I met up with my boss and we embarked on our journey to Kampala. The road trip is off to a great start and I’m excited to see what the day has in store. I’m looking forward to the Scenery Conversation and experience that await us on our trip to Kampala. We’ve had some great Conversation so far and I’ve enjoyed sharing stories and laughter with my boss [when we travel]. One of the highlights so far has been our discussion about personal relationships. I opened up to my boss about some of the challenges I have been facing and he offered some valuable advice and insights. What struck me most was his reminder that everyone has their own Story and Struggles. It’s easy to get caught up in our problems and forget that others are facing their own challenges. I am grateful for this opportunity to connect with my boss on a personal level and gain some valuable life lessons.
2/02/2025
Travel to Mbarara. Today was filled with mixed emotions. I drove to the meet-up point and asked my brother to return the car home, but instead he drove to his workplace. I was a bit disappointed in him. However when I returned from Mbarara my brother made up for it by offering to pick me up and we drove home together. What really made my day was that he had taken the initiative to wash the car which was sparkling Clean. Earlier that day I had set off with my boss on the trip to Mbarara as the driver. I appreciated my boss’s reminders to keep an eye on the speed limit and be mindful of the location where I had gotten the speed ticket [previously]. We had a great time chatting and joking around and my boss shared some interesting life experiences with me. I was Thrilled when my boss offered to pay half for my ticket. His Kindness and Generosity really made my day.
7/02/2025
A Joyful Visit at Mulago Hospital. Today was a heart warming day. I visited Mulago Hospital to check on my aunt who had just given birth to twins. It was a beautiful moment and I felt so happy for her and her family. As an added bonus I got to meet up with some of my cousins at the hospital. We had a wonderful time catching up and Chatting. Afterward I drove my Cousin to her house while she rode with her husband. The evening was filled with laughter and love and I Cherished every moment. Later I headed back home with two of my cousins who spent the night at my place. It was a lovely way to cap off a wonderful day surrounded by family and warmth.
9/02/2025
I had a good tym at Church. I went for the mid morning service. I Joined with my friend. I picked her up on my way to Church. After Church the weather was so hot that I instead went for swimming. This was a fun activity that I would have enjoyed every time, more so on weekend. The Challenge is most weekends I am traveling.
13/02/2025
Today was a long day. I had a meeting at the ministry of Health offices. This took so long before I had my presentations. Later in the day we had refreshments that geared me up again. On way back from the ministry I passed by school for my registration. This didn’t take so long as I got a call from my big brother that he was returning to Kampala. Then I proceeded home after the school program and I turned down the dinner with my managers at work because I wasn’t comfortable being with them when they are speaking Dutch yet you are next to them. This didn’t sit well with me the last time we were out for dinner together. My big brother returned home 11:00pm. Unfortunately he returned the Car [with] a big dent and the Scratches on the driver’s side and I asked him what happened to the Car. I was disappointed in his response. ‘’Shit happens. This Car Can’t ever keep as new as you bought It.”
14/02/2025
Today was a happy day. At the same time I had mixed feelings because my girl friend wasn’t talking to me. After work my friends Called me to go out [but] I totally felt weak.
15/02/2025
Trip to Bombo. I got a call from an unknown number requesting for a Van to drive people to Bombo and since the Van was available and am free and it being a weekend I accepted the deal which was profitable and I drove five men to Bombo. Since these were new faces we had nothing to relate about. I drove listening to the radio. There was a broadcast I really enjoyed. The radio presenter [said something] I had to note out of the broadcast. It was the statement ‘’Drink the milk from the cow.” On my way back I drove alone in the car up to Kampala without any issues on the road.
20/02/2025
Workday and School. Today I managed to drive to work safely and I drove with my younger brother to his workplace and I went ahead to my place. I did my morning tasks of which Mondays are always busy for me and I had my last meeting with my team member who was having her last week with the company. During my lunch break I went to the bank to deposit my School fees since I was to start school in the evening. In the evening after work I took a boda to school but I was disappointed. Getting to school, there wasn’t a program for class that evening. Reaching out to the class representative, he tells me that the timetable for Classes isn’t yet out.
22/02/2025
Construction of my house. Today I managed to send Dad money for buying Sand that he managed to pay for 8 trips of Sand and this reminded me of my OB that I asked to develop my plan for the house. This seemed to be a complex task for him. I have been asking him to hand over my work and he failed to meet his deadline. This pushed me to go online and look for someone who could do the same. Luckily enough I got to a website that had house plans already developed. That made it easy for me. I just made a payment and the PDF was sent to my email and I decided to go silent on my OB. Lesson learned to never work with friends.
24/02/2025
A Busy Day with a special Visit. Today was an exciting day at the office. The CEO visited our Ugandan Offices. My day started with a challenging Commute to work as there was a lot of traffic on the roads. However I made it to the office safely and was ready for the day’s events. In the evening I headed to school for two classes which were engaging and informative [and] afterward I drove back home feeling fulfilled. To unwind I made some sapa for dinner and watched an episode of my favorite show. It was a lovely way to relax after a busy day.
25/02/2025
A busy Day with Breakdowns and Breakthroughs. Today was a busy day that started with my usual commute to the office via boda. I arranged with my regular boda guy to pick me up at 8:00pm from the workshop. At the office I had a breakdown of the printer which was frustrating. Fortunately I had an intern who assisted me in repairing it. However it took almost the entire day to fix. After work I headed to school for a class where we had a group presentation. Thankfully it didn’t take us long to prepare and present. After school I stopped by the workshop to check on the progress of my car repairs. The mechanic requested a deposit to continue the work so I paid 200k [shillings]. I’m grateful that my big brother agreed to contribute towards the repairs even though he wasn’t happy about it initially.
26/02/2025
A productive Day at work and a Social Evening. Today I arrived at work a bit earlier than usual as I had a meeting scheduled for 8:30 am. I used the extra time to monitor the printer which had been experiencing issues. I noticed that the paper quality was poor. This helped me identify the error and take corrective action. With the meeting and printer issue resolved I had a productive day at work. Since I didn’t have any classes today I decided to meet up with a friend for coffee. We normally attend Church together and it was great to catch up with her in a different setting. She reminded me of how we met on a rainy day after Church. I was on a video call with another friend waiting for the rain to reduce when my friend pointed out that there was a lady with an umbrella in the background. We ended up sharing the umbrella to the car and I dropped her off since we were heading in the same direction. It was a lovely coincidence that led to our friendship. Although I enjoyed our conversation I have to admit that I felt a bit reserved. I’m not always comfortable sharing personal details with someone I am older than. But it was a pleasant evening nonetheless.
27/02/2025
A Day of Mixed Emotions. Today started early as I traveled to work by boda with my usual guy. We made a stop at the workshop to check on the progress of my car repairs. Unfortunately I was disappointed to find that the work wasn’t completed despite it being the scheduled finish date. The mechanic assured me that the car would be ready by evening. I headed to the office where I had an online meeting with my manager. The meeting itself went well but I felt frustrated because my manager kept asking [to be excused] and answered local calls during our conversation. I felt disrespected by the interruptions. After work I attended school for two classes which helped take my mind off the earlier frustrations. I then headed home via a boda reflecting on the day’s events. Despite the ups and downs, I’m grateful for the opportunities I had today including the meeting with my manager and the classes at school. I’m looking forward to picking up my repaired car in the morning.
28/02/2025
I started the day with excitement planning to pick up my car from the workshop and drive to the office. However my enthusiasm was short-lived when I arrived at the workshop. I was disappointed to find that my car wouldn’t start. To make matters worse, I discovered that the mechanic had switched my battery. With no time to waste I proceeded to work determined to resolve the issue later. Since I had no classes in the evening I headed straight back to the workshop eager to get to the bottom of the problem. The mechanic claimed that my car’s battery had gone bad which I found laughable since it was a brand-new battery. I remained calm and showed him a picture of the battery when I first brought it to the workshop. I made it clear that I wouldn’t pay the balance owed until the issue was resolved. To resolve the matter, the mechanic returned the original battery to the car and to my relief it started. I drove home feeling frustrated but also satisfied that I had stood my ground and advocated for myself. It’s been a long and trying day, but I’m grateful that the issue is finally resolved & I have my Car back.
01/03/2025
A Productive Day at Home. Today was a domestic day and I spent the entire day doing household chores. However my plans were almost derailed when I encountered an issue with my washing machine. It refused to drain water leaving me frustrated and unsure of what to do. Determined to find a solution I turned to Youtube for guidance. After watching a few videos I felt empowered to tackle the problem myself. I’m thrilled to report that I was able to open and service the drainage pump and now the washing machine is working perfectly. I’m grateful for the resourcefulness and patience I showed today. It’s satisfying to know that I can troubleshoot and fix household issues on my own. The sense of accomplishment is rewarding and I’m proud of myself for persisting and finding a solution.
2/03/2025
A Relaxing Sunday Routine
Today was a typical Sunday for me. I started the day by attending church which was a great way to connect with my community and reflect on my blessings. After the services I stopped by the supermarket to pick up some essentials. I bought some meat and then headed back home looking forward to a relaxing afternoon. It’s nice to have a consistent Sunday routine that involves self-reflection, Community connection and taking care of everyday tasks. It helps me feel grounded and prepared for the work ahead.
3/03/2025
A low-key Monday. Today was a pretty uneventful day. I stuck to my usual Monday routine without any notable excitement or surprises. I went to work focused on my tasks and then left for school afterwards. After attending my classes I headed straight back home, wrapping up the day without any fuss. Some days are just about getting things done and today was one of those days. I’m grateful for the opportunity to stay on track and prepare for the rest of the week.
4/03/2025
A Frustrating Day at work. Today was challenging day at the office. I started the day feeling motivated and ready to tackle my tasks. However things took a turn when I received an email from a team member about an issue that needed to be resolved. I responded promptly but to my surprise, she escalated the matter to my manager and even to the general manager. What followed was a barrage of emails and messages from various people, all asking about the same issue. I felt overwhelmed, disappointed and frustrated. It seemed like no one was willing to give me the time and space to figure out the solution. I realized that this was largely due to poor communication skills within the team. People weren’t patient enough to let me work through the issue and instead chose to escalate it to others. After fixing the challenge I was feeling frustrated and upset. I requested for leave for the rest of the week. I didn’t think it was healthy to be at work while feeling angry.
9/03/2025
A Peaceful Sunday. Today was a day of worship and rest. I attended Church, taking tym to connect with my Community and reflect on my blessings. After the service, I returned home feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. It’s been a quiet and peaceful day allowing me to recharge for the week ahead.
10/03/2025
Challenging Commute. A Productive Day and Rescue mission. Today was a day of unexpected twists and turns. My commute to work was a nightmare with heavy traffic near the office that slowed me down to a crawl. It took almost an hour to cover a short distance but I finally made it to the office gate. After a warm welcome back at the office I settled in and got ready for the rest of the day. Later I headed to class for a presentation which went smoothly. When I got home I received a call from my Van driver who had broken down on the road. Without hesitation I sprung into action driving to Nakasongola to rescue the three clients stranded in the Van. I brought a mechanic along to help with the repairs. After a long drive we finally reached the stranded van and were able to drop the clients off at their home safely. It was a long and tiring day but I’m glad I could help those in need and ensure their safety.
11/03/2025
A low-Energy Day. Today was a struggle from the start. I woke up feeling weak and drained likely due to the long and eventful night before. I didn’t have the energy to drive so I took a boda to work. The ride helped me conserve my energy and I was able to get through the workday without too much strain. After work I headed straight back home looking forward to resting and recharging. It’s been a quiet and low-key day which is exactly what I needed to recover from last night’s adventures.▪