18th Feb has come and gone...

and Museveni has won his fourth term in office as Uganda's president!

Most people believe it was a fair election(for everyone whose name and correct photo were on the voter registration) and thankfully it was a safe process (apart from some violence in the east.)

Sunday night, I watched the election results on t.v with my neigh

bors. I was surprised when Pauline started naming the presidential candidates as they appeared on the screen. I don’t remember a 4 year old in America who knew the names of all the presidential candidates.

Many people in my community voted for peace. Understandable since Uganda's recent history includes so many atrocious acts of violence. Museveni was part of both rebel movements that brought Uganda out of the violent regimes of Idi Amin Dada and Milton Obote.

Uganda Statehouse Info on Museveni

BBC News Profile on Museveni

Seeing the turmoil that's reached so many Arab states and being so close to people who have lived through civil wars in their countries makes it easier for me

to see how years of clear-as-day corruption looks better than taking a chance on a new leader.

Go peace.

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Yesterday evening, I walked home from the university with my friend Piggy, the university's lovable dog that terrorizes the neighborhood (occasionally.) I was happily singing an improvised tune to welcome what I thought were incoming rain clouds.

The sky darkened and the wind picked up, adding a sense of urgency to everyone's movements. Electricity was out and I gaily lit my house full of candles, ready to wait out the blackout in a rain-filled peace. I even got extra towels to prep my front door for the deluge that usually floods my house with each rainstorm.

A few drops began sprinkling the roof of my house, and then, sadly and quite suddenly, the rainstorm was over.

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Valentino lost a tooth! The rat fairy came and gave him a kikumi.:)