Oh my, this roadside roasted or steamed maize in Uganda is a certified tastebud ticker. If you haven’t tried it, let me know when you’re in Kampala so we can share one. I was on my way home when a lady vendor walked towards me, balancing a basket of boiled maize on her head. I obviously needed one, and she could probably see it in my eyes. Once I had traded cash for maize, I continued on my way home.
I had with me six boiled maize cobs, and each time the traffic jam brought me to a standstill, I reached for one and started munching away. Four kilometres later, I was finally home, exhausted from the day’s work. I packed my maize in the kitchen, ready for breakfast time. I went to bed and woke up excited, looking forward to this breakfast. I warmed the maize as I got ready for work.
I picked up my bag and walked to the car with my maize in the other hand. The morning rush hour got me munching on the maize, and I can tell you it was a beautiful feeling—a moment of joy amid Kampala traffic. As the maize lost most of its seeds to my teeth, the thought of disposing of what remained started crossing my mind.
I remember throwing it out the window when I was young, only to have my parents punish me for littering. I learned not to litter. Today, I am a parent myself, and I live to inspire my son Awesome—and the children to come—to live with good principles, like not littering. Stuck in traffic, I couldn’t stop to find a dustbin. Although I have a dustbin in the car, a voice in my head kept saying, “It’s biodegradable, throw it out of the window.” Immediately, I remembered that as a Christian, I should live a life for God’s glory.
So, I drove with the maize, just as I have ridden on a boda boda holding onto sweet mint wrappers, until I found a dustbin. Today, I carried it through the traffic in Kampala until I got to the office. I walked out of the car and delivered it into a dustbin right at the front desk. Oh boy, I felt a sense of relief and triumph over the bad desire to litter with the excuse of it being biodegradable.
You too can take action against littering and be an ambassador for cleanliness and environmental protection. To my son Awesome, and the children to come, just as I overcame this, you can do it too—do not litter. These little actions go a long way. And as I head home, I am definitely picking up another maize cob to delight my taste buds again.
The End.
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Tukundane Yonna 
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