HOW APARTHEID POLICE LEFT A KIBULI STUDENT AT THE MERCY OF KRUGER NATIONAL PARK LIONS
By:Abubakar Sematimba
After completing his advanced level certificate exams at Kibuli Senior Secondary School in Uganda, Ali Mubiru 'Makaba' travelled with his friend 'Musa' not his real name, to South Africa to look for greener pasture. South Africa had been identified as a get way to 'better life' to many Africans from the northern hemisphere.
Ali and his friend Musa did not want to loose out on this opportunity, thus they managed to sneak into the apartheid country, and unfortunately their stay was short-lived.
They where both arrested by police for being illegal in the country and detained at Lindela a detention centre for undocumented migrants.
After few weeks they where put in train and deported/repatriated to Zimbabwe side of Kruger National park, together with other foreigners and each received a sachet of milk and half bread.
There are no proper roads in the Kruger National park, so the deportees embarked on finding their way out of danger.
Ali Mubiru was a fat man and had ulcers, him and his colleagues walked and walked arguably the second largest National park in the world, it stretches from Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique all huge countries.
Ali became exhausted and could not take it any more his friends tried to put him on their backs but his bulky size late him down, they could not lift him for so long.
His fellows left him under the tree and proceeded, walking day and night and coincidentally a Red Cross chopper was heard and Ali's friends removed their shirts and waved for rescue.
The pilot landed in the park and the deportees narrated a story to him, they where allowed to board and the search for Ali resumed.
They managed to tress the tree, unfortunately nothing was found beside toned pieces of Ali's cloths and stains of blood.
The search was called off and Ali's where about remained a mystery up to present day.
To sum it up, what happened to Ali, it's really unfortunate and an eye opener and we pray that such incidents should not happen to any human being again.
I argue our African government to educate our people at all levels that xenophobia is inhuman, and a sign of ignorance, you can not leave a human being to the mercy of animals just because he has entered your country illegally.
Also We have to educate our people that much as its good to travel, before you embark on any trip especially leaving your mother land make sure you have gathered enough and vital information.
Embassies are their to provide free of charge information to any person wants to travel, don't allow to be' helped' by con men.
You can also use the internet to find any information you want, like weather, is it winter or summer, I was told by my Malian friend a white lady who was forced by the Airport authority to buy cloths for her kid when they arrived at Moscow International Airport, it was winter and the young boy refused to come out of the plane because of the freezing conditions.
Also find out about the job opportunities, don't say I will do any job I find their, lastly but not list find out whether you require a visa and work permit, and what language is spoken in that particular country you want to visit and remember to ask Allah to make the journey safe for you.