How Uganda Forgot Its Citizens: A Nation’s Resignation to Dysfunction

The Culture of Laughter Amidst Governance Failures

By Gertrude Kamya Othieno — There is a peculiar comfort in how Ugandans discuss their country’s struggles. Pothole-ridden roads, stalled government projects, and questionable public expenditures are often recounted not with anger, but with humor. This isn’t ignorance—it’s a survival mechanism. Beneath the laughter lies a deeper reality: resignation.

A Historical Legacy of Detachment

This civic disengagement didn’t start in the 1970s. It traces back to colonial rule and worsened through decades of post-independence instability. The 1970s “economic war,” framed as nationalist self-reliance, left behind chaos rather than structure. As institutions crumbled, a new lexicon emerged—mafuta mingi (the well-connected), describing those who thrived while others struggled.

The Symbolism of Ekikapo and Economic Collapse

Inflation grew so severe that Ugandans carried cash in woven baskets (ekikapo). This image—citizens hauling worthless money—became emblematic of a state detached from dignity and planning. Over time, survival instincts replaced civic trust, with elders passing down lessons of skepticism and low expectations.

Governance as Spectacle

Today, governance feels like a distant performance. Citizens are spectators, not participants. New roads are hailed as miracles; stolen funds inspire memes, not outrage. Public services are credited to leaders as personal favors, eroding the notion of taxpayer-funded entitlements.

The Normalization of Corruption

Petty bribery (kitu kidogo, enjawulo) is now routine, even joked about. Half-finished projects are dismissed with bw’ebityo—”that’s how things are.” Uganda hasn’t just tolerated dysfunction; it has developed a language to absorb it.

The Tragedy of Resigned Humor

The real tragedy isn’t the broken system—it’s the public’s adaptation to it. Uganda’s resilience lies in laughing through hardship, but behind the jokes is a people who’ve learned to expect little from their government.

Gertrude Kamya Othieno is a Political Sociologist in Social Development (LSE Alumna) and affiliated with the Global People’s Network. Contact: gkothieno@gmail.com.