STORYTIME: Six Blind Men & One Elephant

 BY: MIYINGO Ivan, MPhil, B. Pharm, MPS

THE 6 BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT

The story of the blind men and the elephant is a famous philosophical parable about perception and truth. 

In the story, several blind men encounter an elephant for the first time, but each touches only one part of the animal. 

The man who touches the elephant’s side believes it is a wall because the surface feels broad and solid. 

Another touches the trunk and insists it is a snake because it feels long and moving. 

One who touches the tusk says it is a spear, while the one holding the leg believes it is a tree because it feels thick and sturdy. 

The man touching the tail concludes it is a rope, and the one touching the ear says it is a fan because of its wide and flexible shape.

Each man is partially correct, yet completely wrong about the whole elephant. The story teaches that human beings often mistake limited experience or perspective for complete truth. 

People see only fragments of reality through culture, belief, emotion, ideology, education, religion, politics, or personal experience, then argue as though their fragment is the entire picture. 

The parable therefore becomes a metaphor for human conflict, misunderstanding, and intellectual arrogance.

Philosophically, the story suggests that truth is often larger and more complex than individual perception. 

Wisdom comes not merely from defending one’s own perspective, but from listening to others and combining different viewpoints to understand a fuller reality. 

This ancient lesson, found in Indian, Buddhist, Jain, and Sufi traditions, remains deeply relevant in modern society where people constantly clash over politics, religion, science, identity, and ideology while each may only be touching one part of the “elephant.”

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WAR: Iran, Israel, and the United States

The conflict between Iran, Israel, and the United States did not begin as a single war overnight; it evolved through decades of ideological hostility, proxy warfare, assassinations, sanctions, covert operations, cyber warfare, nuclear disputes, and regional power struggles. 

Its roots trace back to the 1979 Iranian Revolution, when the pro-Western Shah of Iran was overthrown and replaced by the Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Khomeini. Before this revolution, Iran and Israel had quiet strategic relations, and Iran was a close ally of the United States. 

After the revolution, the new Iranian government adopted a fiercely anti-American and anti-Israeli posture, viewing both states as symbols of Western domination in the Middle East. 

The seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and the 444-day hostage crisis transformed Iran into a permanent adversary of Washington, while Israel increasingly viewed revolutionary Iran as an existential threat because of its anti-Israel rhetoric and support for militant groups across the region. 

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the confrontation remained mostly indirect. Iran built what later became known as the “Axis of Resistance,” a network of allied armed groups and political movements across the Middle East. This included groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, militias in Iraq and Syria, and later support ties with Hamas in Gaza. 

Iran’s strategy was asymmetrical: instead of fighting the United States or Israel directly, it projected power through proxies capable of pressuring Israeli and American interests without triggering a full-scale conventional war. 

Israel responded with intelligence operations, targeted killings, sabotage missions, and airstrikes aimed at preventing Iranian entrenchment near its borders. The United States simultaneously imposed waves of sanctions designed to weaken Iran economically and isolate it diplomatically. 

Over time, the struggle evolved into a hidden regional shadow war fought through espionage, proxy conflicts, and influence campaigns rather than direct invasion. 

The Iranian nuclear program became the central flashpoint in the 2000s. Western governments and Israel feared Iran was moving toward the capability to build nuclear weapons, while Iran insisted its program was for civilian energy and scientific development. 

The discovery of undeclared nuclear facilities intensified global suspicion. Israel repeatedly warned that a nuclear-armed Iran would fundamentally alter the balance of power in the Middle East and potentially threaten Israel’s survival. 

The United States, European powers, and international agencies imposed increasingly severe sanctions, damaging Iran’s economy, banking system, currency, and oil exports. 

At the same time, covert operations escalated. Iranian nuclear scientists were assassinated, mysterious explosions struck nuclear sites, and cyberattacks such as the famous Stuxnet operation targeted Iranian centrifuges. Iran blamed Israel and the United States for these operations, deepening its sense of encirclement and hostility. 

In 2015, a major diplomatic breakthrough occurred with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly called the Iran nuclear deal. Iran agreed to restrictions on uranium enrichment and nuclear inspections in exchange for sanctions relief. 

However, Israel strongly opposed the agreement, arguing it merely delayed rather than eliminated Iran’s nuclear ambitions. 

In 2018, the United States withdrew from the deal under President Donald Trump and reinstated severe sanctions under the “maximum pressure” campaign. Iran then gradually reduced compliance with the agreement, enriching uranium at higher levels and expanding its nuclear capabilities. 

This collapse of diplomacy accelerated tensions across the region and strengthened hardline factions on all sides. 

The confrontation entered a more explosive phase after the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023. Regional tensions surged as Iranian-backed groups across Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and Syria increased attacks on Israeli and U.S. interests. 

Hezbollah exchanged fire with Israel across the Lebanese border, Iraqi militias targeted American bases, and Houthi forces in Yemen disrupted shipping lanes and attacked vessels linked to Israel and Western allies. 

The Middle East increasingly resembled a connected battlefield stretching from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf. Iran framed itself as the defender of anti-Israeli resistance movements, while Israel argued that Iran was orchestrating a coordinated regional encirclement strategy. 

By 2024 and 2025, the conflict crossed a historic threshold: Iran and Israel began striking each other directly rather than only through proxies. Missile and drone exchanges shattered decades of unofficial limits. 

Israeli airstrikes targeted Iranian commanders, weapons facilities, and positions in Syria and elsewhere, while Iran launched large-scale retaliatory barrages involving ballistic missiles and drones. 

The June 2025 confrontation, sometimes described as a “Twelve-Day War,” became especially significant because it exposed vulnerabilities in missile-defense systems and demonstrated how rapidly regional escalation could occur. 

Israeli and American defense planners reportedly concluded afterward that future wars with Iran could overwhelm air-defense capacity if Iran launched mass missile salvos. 

The situation reached its most dangerous phase in February 2026. Following failed negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program and growing fears about Iranian enrichment capabilities, the United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes deep inside Iran. 

The attacks targeted nuclear infrastructure, missile bases, military headquarters, air-defense systems, and senior leadership compounds. The strikes marked one of the largest direct assaults on Iranian territory since the Iran-Iraq War decades earlier. 

Iranian authorities described the operation as an act of war designed not merely to weaken Iran militarily but to destabilize the Islamic Republic itself. The conflict rapidly expanded across the region, affecting Iraq, the Gulf states, Lebanon, Syria, and maritime routes around the Strait of Hormuz. 

Iran retaliated with waves of ballistic missiles, drones, and regional proxy operations. Israeli cities experienced repeated air raid sirens, missile interceptions, and direct strikes despite sophisticated air-defense systems. U.S. bases across the Middle East were placed on high alert as Iranian-aligned groups intensified attacks. 

Shipping lanes and oil infrastructure became strategic pressure points because Iran possesses the geographic ability to threaten the Strait of Hormuz, through which a major portion of global oil supplies passes. 

The economic consequences spread globally, influencing oil prices, shipping costs, insurance markets, and financial stability. The war also intensified fears of a broader regional catastrophe involving Gulf monarchies and potentially global powers aligned with different sides. 

Internally, the conflict transformed politics inside all three countries. In Iran, the war fueled nationalism, fear, economic hardship, internet restrictions, and internal crackdowns, even as public frustration over sanctions and instability continued to simmer. 

In Israel, the conflict reinforced long-standing security fears regarding Iran’s missile and nuclear capabilities. 

In the United States, debates erupted over military involvement, constitutional war powers, and the risks of another prolonged Middle Eastern war. Meanwhile, global diplomatic actors attempted mediation to prevent a wider collapse of regional stability. 

As of May 2026, the conflict remains volatile and unresolved. Reports indicate active diplomatic efforts toward a temporary ceasefire or truce mediated through regional actors, but deep disputes persist over Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions, missile capabilities, and support for armed regional allies. 

Despite extensive bombing campaigns and sanctions pressure, intelligence assessments suggest Iran retains significant military capacity and the ability to sustain prolonged resistance. The broader struggle is no longer simply about territory or even nuclear technology alone; it has evolved into a battle over regional dominance, ideological survival, deterrence, and the future balance of power in the Middle East. 

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HANTAVIRUS ON LUXURY SHIP

A luxury cruise ship called the MV Hondius has been heading toward Spain after a deadly hantavirus outbreak onboard led to the evacuation of three people for emergency medical treatment. 

The ship had been stranded off the coast of Cape Verde after several passengers and crew members became ill. 

Reports indicate that at least three people have died, including a Dutch couple and a German national, while multiple other suspected cases are under investigation. 

Health authorities believe the outbreak involves the rare Andes strain of hantavirus, which is unusual because it can spread between humans in rare circumstances, unlike most hantavirus strains that are mainly transmitted through exposure to infected rodent droppings or urine.

The outbreak has triggered an international public health response involving the World Health Organization and several European and African countries. 

Spain agreed to allow the ship to proceed toward the Canary Islands for medical screening, quarantine measures, and eventual passenger repatriation, although some regional leaders expressed concern about public safety due to memories of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Authorities say the overall public risk remains low because human-to-human transmission of hantavirus is extremely rare, but passengers and crew continue to undergo monitoring as investigations attempt to determine where the infection originated and how it spread onboard.

Hantavirus is a rare but potentially deadly virus mainly carried by rodents such as mice and rats. 

The virus spreads to humans primarily through contact with infected rodent urine, saliva, or droppings, especially when contaminated particles become airborne and are inhaled. 

This can happen while sweeping dusty spaces, cleaning infested rooms, barns, garages, cabins, or areas where rodents have been living. 

In some cases, infection can also occur if contaminated material enters the eyes, nose, mouth, or open wounds.

Hantavirus infections are uncommon globally, but the disease can become very severe once symptoms develop. 

Early symptoms often resemble flu, including fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headaches, vomiting, and dizziness. 

In more dangerous cases, especially with strains found in the Americas, the lungs may rapidly fill with fluid, causing breathing failure and cardiovascular collapse. 

Some strains in Asia and Europe mainly affect the kidneys and blood vessels instead. 

Most hantavirus strains do not spread easily from person to person. 

However, the Andes strain — linked to the recent cruise ship outbreak — is considered a rare exception because close human contact can sometimes transmit the virus. 

Even then, experts say it spreads far less efficiently than viruses like COVID-19 or influenza. 

Health authorities therefore still consider the overall public risk relatively low. 

Researchers also note that rodents carrying hantavirus usually do not become sick themselves, which allows the virus to persist silently in nature. 

Human infections are more common in rural environments and places with rodent infestations. 

Scientists continue studying how environmental conditions, biodiversity, and rodent population changes influence outbreaks and transmission patterns worldwide. 

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MUSEVENI SWEARING IN CEREMONY

More than 10,000 National Resistance Movement (NRM) leaders across Uganda are set to receive transport facilitation to attend President Yoweri Museveni’s inauguration ceremony in Kampala. 

According to reports, the facilitation will vary depending on the distance travelled, with leaders from far districts receiving more than those from nearby areas. 

The arrangement is part of a large mobilization effort ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, which is expected to attract party officials, government leaders, invited guests, and supporters from across the country.

The development has generated mixed reactions among Ugandans. Supporters argue that facilitating transport for party leaders is a normal organizational practice intended to ensure nationwide representation at a major national and political event. 

Critics, however, question the scale of the spending at a time when many citizens continue to face economic challenges, unemployment, and rising living costs. 

The discussion has therefore gone beyond the inauguration itself and evolved into a broader debate about public expenditure, political mobilization, and governance priorities in Uganda.

Reports indicate that the overall inauguration and swearing-in activities could cost between Shs3 billion and Shs10 billion in total, depending on which expenditures are included. 

Parliament reportedly approved about Shs3 billion specifically for the official swearing-in ceremony, while other reports claim the broader preparations, mobilization, publicity, logistics, security, entertainment, and transport facilitation for thousands of NRM leaders may push the total closer to Shs10 billion. 

The transport facilitation alone involves more than 10,000 party leaders travelling from districts across Uganda, with reimbursements varying according to distance from Kampala.

Preparations for President Yoweri Museveni’s swearing-in ceremony are in advanced stages ahead of the May 12, 2026 inauguration at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds. 

Government officials say the event will be held under the theme “Protecting the Gains, Making a Qualitative Leap into High Middle-Income Status,” and has been declared a public holiday to allow nationwide participation. 

Organizers expect tens of thousands of guests, including ministers, Members of Parliament, diplomats, foreign delegations, religious leaders, cultural leaders, and supporters from across Uganda and abroad. 

More than 30 international delegations and several heads of state are reportedly expected to attend the ceremony. 

The National Organising Committee, led by senior government officials, has been coordinating logistics, accreditation, transport, security, media coverage, seating arrangements, protocol, and entertainment for what authorities describe as a major state function. 

Security agencies are also preparing traffic management plans and heightened security deployments around Kampala and key installations. 

The ceremony is expected to run from morning to afternoon and will be broadcast live on television, radio, and digital platforms to enable nationwide and international viewership. 

The inauguration comes after Museveni secured another electoral victory, extending his decades-long leadership of Uganda. 

Supporters describe the event as a celebration of political continuity, stability, and national development, while critics continue debating issues surrounding governance, public expenditure, and Uganda’s long political transition. 

Public discussion around the ceremony has therefore become both political and symbolic, reflecting broader conversations about the country’s future direction. 

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KCCA BLACKLISTS SYMPATHY BEGGERS

Kampala Capital City Authority has announced a crackdown on street begging in Kampala, particularly cases involving sick people and children being used to solicit money from the public. 

According to KCCA Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki, authorities are concerned that some caregivers are reportedly removing visibly ill patients from hospitals and placing them on busy streets to attract sympathy and donations. KCCA says the practice exposes vulnerable people to harsh conditions, health risks, exploitation, and unsafe environments in the city.

The operation is part of broader city enforcement efforts aimed at restoring order, reducing exploitation of children and vulnerable individuals, and addressing public health concerns. 

Officials say the authority will work alongside police, probation officers, and social services to identify those involved and remove affected individuals from the streets. 

The issue has also reignited public debate about urban poverty, unemployment, child trafficking, and the growing number of people surviving through informal street activities in Kampala.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

TellTales from a freelance pharmacist and Atiah Miyingo's daddy documenting the unseen human condition through illness, survival, music, and truth.

TODDLER KILLER: Unsworn Statement

Christopher Okello tells the court that between January and March 2026, he believed certain people were following him, threatening him, and demanding money. 

According to his account, this left him constantly on the run, hiding, and at times sleeping on the street. He says this period pushed him into extreme psychological distress.

In that context, he tells the judge that he had tried several desperate actions, including trying to flee the country, attempting to rob a bank, and trying to harm his brother’s family.

He presents these incidents as part of the same troubling episode, suggesting that the people he referred to as “friends-turned-adversaries” had something to do with his actions and state of mind at the time.

Importantly, this statement was not a confession to the Ggaba murders themselves. 

In the same testimony, he maintained that he did not intentionally cause the deaths of the four children, which is the core issue in the murder trial. 

His defence seems to be built around denying intent while describing a period of mental and emotional disturbance leading up to the incident.

So, the unsworn statement refers to other acts he says he attempted before April 2, not a direct admission that he intentionally committed the daycare toddler killings.

The Commentary

Christopher Okello’s defence before the court is centered on denying intentional responsibility for the deaths of the four children rather than issuing a complete denial that the deaths occurred while he was involved in the events. 

In his unsworn statement, he tells the court that he did not intentionally cause the toddler’s deaths and argues that the prosecution has failed to prove deliberate intention or malice aforethought, which is one of the key legal requirements for a murder conviction. 

His position is therefore not a straightforward confession to murder, but rather a legal argument that even if he was connected to the incident, the prosecution had not established that he acted with the intention to kill.

He also challenged earlier statements that had been interpreted as a confession, claiming that they were made under pressure and coercion. 

According to his account, he gave statements that were acceptable to those questioning him at the time because he felt forced to do so. 

In addition, he raised issues surrounding his psychological state during the period leading up to the incident, suggesting that he was going through severe distress and that his mental condition may not have been fully understood or properly assessed. 

Taken together, his defence seeks to persuade the court that the deaths were not the result of deliberate murderous intent, and that the charge of murder should therefore not be sustained.

What is an unsworn statement ?

An unsworn statement is a statement an accused person gives in court without taking an oath or making a formal promise to tell the truth. 

The accused person is allowed to speak directly to the judge and explain their side of the story, but they do so without being sworn in as a witness.

The most important feature of an unsworn statement is that, because it is not given under oath, the prosecution is usually not allowed to cross-examine the accused person on it. 

This means the accused can present their version of events, deny allegations, explain circumstances, or raise issues about their mental or emotional state without being questioned immediately by the other side.

In criminal trials, an accused person is often given options after the prosecution finishes presenting its case: they may choose to give sworn evidence, make an unsworn statement, or remain silent. 

If they give sworn evidence, they take an oath and can be cross-examined like any other witness. 

If they choose an unsworn statement, they avoid cross-examination, but the court may sometimes attach less weight to it compared to sworn testimony because it has not been tested through questioning.

Put simply for easier digestion, an unsworn statement is the accused person’s opportunity to tell their side of the story to the court without being questioned by the prosecution afterward.

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Courtsey

FUEL CRISIS in Uganda

Boda-Boda riders are asking mechanics to reduce the jet intake / engine fuel flow so the motorcycle uses less petrol. 

A trip that previously required Shs4,000 in fuel can now be completed for around Shs2,000 after the adjustment.

The mechanics are, to put it simply, adjusting the fuel-air mixture by changing the carburetor jet and intake settings. 

This, in turn, lowers fuel consumption, reduces engine power, reduces acceleration, makes hill climbing harder, and lowers top speed.

The “risky coping mechanisms” part comes from the trade-off.  

When an engine is tuned too lean, it may lead to poor throttle response, stalling in traffic, loss of pulling power when carrying passengers, overheating and faster engine wear, and difficulty overtaking safely. 

This directly affects road safety, especially on busy highways and steep roads.

This is happening because petrol prices have jumped sharply in the past week, with shortages and price spreads reported across Kampala and upcountry towns. 

Some places have seen prices move from around Shs5,500 to as high as Shs8,000 per litre.

Some garages are now seeing around 30 riders a day seeking these adjustments, which shows how widespread the pressure has become. 

Boda-boda riders are trying to stay in business, but some of the fixes may save money today while increasing mechanical and road risks tomorrow.

How does fuel reach Uganda from its source of origin?

Pipeline Network

Uganda receives most of its fuel through an international supply chain because it is a landlocked country and does not yet rely on large-scale local refining for everyday national consumption. 

The journey usually begins at the source of origin, where crude oil is extracted and refined into products such as petrol, diesel, kerosene, and aviation fuel. 

Much of this refined fuel is imported from global refining hubs, particularly from the Middle East and other major oil-producing regions.

[It is/was called the “Middle East” because Europeans described regions of the world based on how far they were from Europe. So the “Middle” in Middle East simply means middle in distance from Europe, not the middle of the world]

From the country of origin, the fuel is transported by large ocean-going tanker ships to the nearest major seaport, which for Uganda is the Port of Mombasa in Kenya. 

Since Uganda has no direct access to the sea, Mombasa serves as the principal gateway through which petroleum products enter the region. 

Once the tanker ships dock and offload their cargo, the fuel is transferred into Kenya’s inland pipeline system, which carries it across the country through key transit points such as Nairobi and further west toward Eldoret and Kisumu.

After reaching these inland depots, the fuel continues its journey into Uganda mainly by road. 

Border Crossing

Large tanker trucks load the fuel and transport it through the Malaba border crossing, one of the busiest trade routes between Kenya and Uganda, before proceeding through Jinja and eventually to Kampala. 

This road corridor is the backbone of Uganda’s fuel supply network, which is why long lines of fuel tankers are often seen along the Kampala–Jinja highway. 

In some cases, fuel may also be moved via Lake Victoria using barges from Kisumu to landing points on the Ugandan side, helping to reduce pressure on the road transport system.

Once inside Uganda, the fuel is delivered to major storage terminals and reservoirs where it is kept before final distribution. 

From these depots, smaller tanker trucks transport the fuel to filling stations across Kampala and the rest of the country, including regional towns and districts. 

It is through this final distribution network that the fuel eventually reaches the pumps used by motorists, boda-boda riders, transport companies, and businesses.

Because this supply chain stretches from international oil producers through maritime transport, cross-border pipelines, road tankers, and local depots, any disruption at any stage can affect fuel availability and prices in Uganda. 

Delays at sea, congestion at the port, pipeline maintenance, border hold-ups, or transport strikes can all quickly lead to shortages or long queues at fuel stations. 

This is why events occurring far beyond Uganda’s borders can have an immediate impact on pump prices and fuel access within the country.

Origin of the word 'Boda-Boda.'

The term “boda-boda” has its roots in East Africa, with its earliest usage strongly associated with the Uganda–Kenya borderlands, where informal bicycle transport services emerged as a practical solution for moving people and small goods across short distances. 

The most widely accepted explanation is that the word developed from the phrase “border to border,” which described how cyclists operated between immigration and trade checkpoints on either side of the border. 

Over time, this phrase was shortened and reshaped through local pronunciation patterns, eventually becoming “boda-boda,” a name that stuck in everyday language.

These early bicycle taxis filled a crucial transport gap in rural and peri-urban areas where formal public transport was limited or unavailable. 

Riders became known for their speed and willingness to navigate rough paths, carrying passengers, luggage, and even urgent deliveries. 

As technology and transport needs evolved, motorcycles gradually replaced bicycles in the 1990s and 2000s, offering faster, more efficient service over longer distances. 

Despite this shift, the original name remained, and “boda-boda” came to represent the entire motorcycle taxi industry that now dominates short-distance transport across Uganda and much of East Africa.

Beyond its practical role, the boda-boda system has grown into a major socio-economic force, providing employment to hundreds of thousands of young people and serving as a vital link in urban mobility. 

It is deeply embedded in daily life, shaping how people commute, trade, and access services. 

The cultural and linguistic importance of the term was later recognized internationally when “boda-boda” was included in the Oxford English Dictionary in 2017. 

This inclusion reflects not only the word’s global usage but also its significance as a product of African urban innovation, where language evolved alongside a transport system that became essential to modern life in the region.

How a word goes into the dictionary

A word enters a dictionary through a careful process of observation, documentation, and evaluation by lexicographers—people whose job is to study language use over time. 

Dictionaries do not simply “decide” to add words because they are popular; instead, they track how words are actually used in real communication, such as books, newspapers, academic writing, social media, speeches, and everyday conversation. 

When a new word or phrase begins to appear repeatedly in different contexts and by different speakers, it draws attention as a potential candidate for inclusion.

The next stage involves collecting evidence of usage, known as citations. Lexicographers gather examples showing how the word is used, what it means in context, and whether its meaning is stable or still changing. 

A key requirement is that the word must show consistent usage over time and not just be a one-time trend or slang that disappears quickly. 

The word must also be used by a wider community, not just a single group or individual, because dictionaries aim to reflect language that has become broadly understood.

Once enough evidence is collected, editors analyze the word’s meaning, grammar, variations in spelling, and pronunciation. 

They also determine its category—whether it is a noun, verb, adjective, or phrase—and write a formal definition that captures its most common and accepted use. 

In many cases, multiple meanings are included if the word has developed different senses in different contexts. 

This step is highly precise, because dictionary definitions must be clear, neutral, and usable across different settings.

After drafting the entry, it goes through editorial review and verification. 

Senior editors check whether the evidence is strong enough and whether the definition is accurate and consistent with the dictionary’s standards. 

If approved, the word is added to the dictionary, often in online versions first, where updates can be made more frequently. 

In printed dictionaries, updates usually happen in new editions or supplements released periodically.

Overall, a word enters the dictionary not by sudden acceptance, but by proving its importance through real-world usage, linguistic stability, and widespread recognition. 

It is essentially a record of how language evolves naturally over time, with dictionaries acting as historians of living speech rather than creators of it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ivan Miyingo Quintus is a Ugandan writer, commentator, pharmacist, digital content creator, and investigative storyteller whose work explores society, culture, public affairs, health, and the human condition. With a voice rooted in observation and critical reflection, he writes to inform, provoke thought, and inspire meaningful conversation.

© 2026