Ugandan English - Proverbs

Proverbs

Traditional Ugandan proverbs, often clumsily translated, are often heard. A popular non-traditional one is a justification of official corruption: "Man eateth where he worketh.” "Mpola mpola, otuuka waala." -- "Slowly by slowly you reach far." A near-by variation is "Agenda mpola, atuuka wala," which translates to "s/he who travels/goes slowly will reach far." Others include, "kamu kamu gwe mugaanda" (one by one makes a bundle, meaning a little at first will eventually add up to a lot), "the new broom sweeps better, but the old one knows all the corners (translation needed), meaning that you should not forget your old friends after you move or make new friends.