my first flavor of African bureaucracy
For my first 2 weeks in Kampala I have spent almost all of my working-time figuring out the logistics associated with starting a HQ office in Uganda’s capital. MIHV has been working in the field in Uganda for about 15 years, yet we’ve never had a formal HQ office in Kampala. One of my main tasks is to be MIHV’s official representative in the capital. I’m talking about establishing an office from the ground up – buying the office furniture & supplies, installing a reliable source of electricity, buying a car, buying a cell phone, renting a postal box so mail can be delivered, opening a bank account. All of this seems mundane and straightforward, but throw these tasks into the context of Africa and suddenly everything changes. 2 ½ weeks of solid work later and I’m still trying to accomplish some of these tasks. The reasons? Multiple.
First, there’s Africa time. Everything takes just a little bit longer – okay, sometimes even hours or days longer. Maybe it’s the lack of computers, electricity, money. Maybe it’s the slower pace of life and laid back attitude toward time. Whatever it is, always bring a book. That’s my first lesson learned. I already knew it, but now I know it even better.
Second, there’s the bureaucracy. No one ever telling you everything you need the first time you ask. Too many handwritten ledgers. Money paid here, there, who knows for what. Sit and wait. Talk to another man that’s on a power-kick because he’s in a government position stamping some random document that somehow lends credibility and validity to a meaningless piece of paper. Sit and wait. Repeat process. Again.
Case in point #1: it took 4 trips to the bank before I finally had a list of all necessary documents needed to open a bank account.
Case in point #2: my adventures navigating the government system. Last Friday, I spent the afternoon at Uganda’s Company Registrar’s Office trying to “certify” some MIHV business documents. I had already been there the day before and was crossing my fingers that this time I had everything I needed. I got to the registrar, he directed me to a bank downtown where I paid 45,000/= (about $25) to the Uganda Revenue Authority, got a receipt, returned to the registrar, he told me to come back in 3 ½ hours and maybe he’d be able to finish up the process. So far, I have spent the day before plus 3 hours trying to get a man to stamp some pieces of paper. I told him I was fine just sitting and waiting until he felt he had the time to address my concerns. Our conversation…
What do you have to do to certify these documents? You just stamp them and sign your name, correct?
(grunts) Yes.
Are you sure you can’t do that now while I sit here and wait?
Do you see all of these papers that I have to deal with? (points to a haphazardly stacked, disorganized pile of papers, reports, files)
That’s fine…I’ll wait. (I continue sitting directly in front of his desk watching him work)
(Gruffly removes reports from the top of the stack and randomly opens pages to stamp. Stamp, stamp, stamp. Sign, sign, sign. No rhyme or reason. Every once in a while shouts someone’s name to retrieve more reports for him to stamp.)
30 minutes later...after some conversation about his home village, his family, and MIHV’s field sites…
I can take care of your documents now. (Flips through the pages of the documents, stamps wherever he feels necessary, scribbles a signature, hands me the “certified” papers.)
Thank you.
Case in point #3: Phil & I went to Entebbe airport to get our lost luggage, spent 4 hours in an empty airport trying to jump through all the necessary hoops to get to the other side of security (go over here, go over there, stand in line, patiently wait while an “official” man meticulously catalogs names in a handwritten ledger, receive a random laminated visitors pass, then go through security the wrong way anyway to get to baggage claim), and still walked away with 1 less bag than we checked at MSP.
The most amazing thing about it all, though, is I’m learning to be patient. Anyone who knows me well knows that “patient” is definitely not part of my demeanor. I don’t know…they say that Africa can change a person…maybe it’s already working on me. 101africa 101paige
First, there’s Africa time. Everything takes just a little bit longer – okay, sometimes even hours or days longer. Maybe it’s the lack of computers, electricity, money. Maybe it’s the slower pace of life and laid back attitude toward time. Whatever it is, always bring a book. That’s my first lesson learned. I already knew it, but now I know it even better.
Second, there’s the bureaucracy. No one ever telling you everything you need the first time you ask. Too many handwritten ledgers. Money paid here, there, who knows for what. Sit and wait. Talk to another man that’s on a power-kick because he’s in a government position stamping some random document that somehow lends credibility and validity to a meaningless piece of paper. Sit and wait. Repeat process. Again.
Case in point #1: it took 4 trips to the bank before I finally had a list of all necessary documents needed to open a bank account.
Case in point #2: my adventures navigating the government system. Last Friday, I spent the afternoon at Uganda’s Company Registrar’s Office trying to “certify” some MIHV business documents. I had already been there the day before and was crossing my fingers that this time I had everything I needed. I got to the registrar, he directed me to a bank downtown where I paid 45,000/= (about $25) to the Uganda Revenue Authority, got a receipt, returned to the registrar, he told me to come back in 3 ½ hours and maybe he’d be able to finish up the process. So far, I have spent the day before plus 3 hours trying to get a man to stamp some pieces of paper. I told him I was fine just sitting and waiting until he felt he had the time to address my concerns. Our conversation…
What do you have to do to certify these documents? You just stamp them and sign your name, correct?
(grunts) Yes.
Are you sure you can’t do that now while I sit here and wait?
Do you see all of these papers that I have to deal with? (points to a haphazardly stacked, disorganized pile of papers, reports, files)
That’s fine…I’ll wait. (I continue sitting directly in front of his desk watching him work)
(Gruffly removes reports from the top of the stack and randomly opens pages to stamp. Stamp, stamp, stamp. Sign, sign, sign. No rhyme or reason. Every once in a while shouts someone’s name to retrieve more reports for him to stamp.)
30 minutes later...after some conversation about his home village, his family, and MIHV’s field sites…
I can take care of your documents now. (Flips through the pages of the documents, stamps wherever he feels necessary, scribbles a signature, hands me the “certified” papers.)
Thank you.
Case in point #3: Phil & I went to Entebbe airport to get our lost luggage, spent 4 hours in an empty airport trying to jump through all the necessary hoops to get to the other side of security (go over here, go over there, stand in line, patiently wait while an “official” man meticulously catalogs names in a handwritten ledger, receive a random laminated visitors pass, then go through security the wrong way anyway to get to baggage claim), and still walked away with 1 less bag than we checked at MSP.
The most amazing thing about it all, though, is I’m learning to be patient. Anyone who knows me well knows that “patient” is definitely not part of my demeanor. I don’t know…they say that Africa can change a person…maybe it’s already working on me. 101africa 101paige
Labels: global-health, paige, uganda
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