Just another day, another story to tell.

Today, I'm just going to rant.

I am a black girl, a Ugandan, and a young woman. I was born at the time when my country had just started adopting civilization. I have been here for as long as I can remember.

My family didn't have a TV set when I was a baby, we didn't have electricity either. My mother was and still is a hard-working disciplinarian.

We struggled for 3 meals a day but at least were guaranteed 2 a day.

By the time I was around 10 years of age, I understood why sugar was for the guests and not us.

Yeah blah blah I could go on breaking down to you how I understand struggles and how I know a life where every penny counts.

A few days ago, I witnessed something that left me devastated, this I had heard of before or watched on the news but I had never seen it with my own eyes.

At around 7.00 PM on a Saturday while I was walking home, carried away scrolling through my phone, a woman in her mid-forties was running for her dear life when she bumped into me. A bucket of maize that she was carrying spilled on the ground. Immediately, a group of armed men in blue uniforms came over her, grabbed her, and forcefully carried her onto a government-plated truck.

At the same time, another young boy dropped a bucket of roasted groundnuts on the road, just before he crossed to the other side of the road, being able to run away before he was caught.

I am angry.

That woman is a mother and that boy is someone's son who on that fateful day decided to live their homes to come and try to earn at least 5 dollars to make ends meet for their families.

Reportedly, the armed men in the blue uniform conducting the arrests work at a city council that “claims” to make efforts to keep the city center clean. The irony is that they don’t earn over 100 dollars a month, they don't make that much either.

The Pearl of Africa has fallen.

As of today, Uganda has the gravest challenges that this generation has ever faced. The recent headline from a local newspaper that said 90% of Ugandans are mentally ill sounded like banter at the time but now I agree.

The emotional trauma the woman and that little boy had to go through that night when their only crime was to make ends meet (in a wrong place) rather than stealing.

Very many people are victims of a system built to only favor the rich people, people are broken and hopeless.

What happened that night brought so many things to my light and I thought I'd bring them to you too.

This country’s biggest population is made of youths below the age of 35. A huge chunk is unemployed, the other small percent is averagely employed. Only 2% of those employed make above 300 dollars monthly. The rest are living below the average means, from what they eat, wear, and where they sleep.

There's very low family planning, families that live under 100 dollars have the highest number of children with about 3-4 kids to feed on a daily and attend school, with only one parent with a real income. Some families still go without affording even 1 meal a day. There are very many young kids on the streets.

The rate at which Single moms single-handedly manage families is absurd and overwhelming.

People are poor and they are oppressing fellow poor people, (like in the experience above) mothers are hopelessly paying their children's tuition on high-interest loans yet without the guarantee that after graduation their child gets a good-paying job.

Students themselves are studying but aren't sure that they will find jobs after.

There's no security in this country, you get robbed in broad daylight and no one is held accountable. You forgive and forget, it's cheaper.

Police officers sleep in the poorest forms of housing that leak when it rains, they are bitter and angry, which explains why they are always oppressing innocent people.

Commodity prices are high, and so are fuel prices too. (yes inflation is a worldwide thing) but most Ugandans don't even have the money to spend.

In the 21st century, mothers still give birth on the floor at the entrance to the hospital.

Unfortunately, whatever is going on in this country is a cycle of events that's continuous for the generation now and those to come. Without breaking the chain of being born in poverty, raised in poverty, and attending low-quality education which is a huge percentage of Uganda's population. It will take us a long time as a country to break through.

The hopelessness you feel after reading through this piece should teach you

1. Gratitude for whatever you have, a roof over your head, food, and everything you keep taking for granted.

2. Kindness to those around us, check on your mates and offer help when you can.

3. Leave this country if you can.

4. If you choose to stay, vote wisely.

If there's anything else you'd like to add on things to learn, or any thoughts about this particular article, drop it in the comment section.

Otherwise, take care and be safe.