"Drink Responsibly?" She Explained Why It's Different in Uganda

Added: 2026-05-28

[00:00:00]The last thing I remember one day is walking into the party and pouring a drink. The next thing I remember is waking up in a hospital.

[00:00:07]>> What?

[00:00:08]>> So they had to put me in a cycle.

[00:00:10]>> What does drinking responsibly mean >> in Uganda? Why I call it an epidemic.

[00:00:16]This drinking problem, alcoholism, problematic drinking, is that we actually don't do drinking responsibly.

[00:00:23]We no longer do drinking in moderation, drinking for a reason. It has now become a social identity. If you didn't touch booze for a month, what would your social life look like?

[00:00:32]>> If you if you didn't drink for a month, what would your social life look like?

[00:00:38]And if after that month you can say you have no social life, you have none now.

[00:00:45]>> Right. Welcome to yet another episode of Bridging the Gap, where we believe that one generation's compromise is the next generation's captivity. The answer to the world around you is the world within you. And today we're back with a very special guest that we always had on the show. We've had you once, but for me I've, you know, I've had an exchange a couple times and I'm very excited to have this conversation going because even if people want to have it going and going, especially with the way you approach things from a very personal stand, from a personal standpoint, but also professional now that you've ventured into this whole professional space. Uh, it's good to have you Isabella.

[00:01:23]>> Thanks for having me again. Yep.

[00:01:26]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:01:26]>> How you feeling?

[00:01:28]>> Well, I feel like I'm really happy to be here, honestly. Um, the last episode went so well.

[00:01:34]>> Um, I felt honestly I felt like yeah, the connection to the people, the impact, which is why I do this, >> building awareness, letting people know that >> it's okay. It's okay. Like, you can get through this, too.

[00:01:49]>> Yeah.

[00:01:49]>> Yeah.

[00:01:50]>> Because you have >> I have I have >> you have a very relatable story. Thank you.

[00:01:54]>> And I find it very commendable that you've turned out this way. Obviously, >> to someone who is looking, they'll probably see the finished product and they think to themselves, hey, mama, >> they don't know the story behind it and how you've been resilient and how you've unlearned and healed and forgiven, >> especially forgiving yourself.

[00:02:11]>> Yeah. Yeah. That's a big one and a hard one.

[00:02:13]>> Yeah. And you've turned out this way.

[00:02:15]>> Thank you.

[00:02:16]>> Well done.

[00:02:16]>> Thanks.

[00:02:17]>> Well done. Well done. Well done.

[00:02:18]>> Yeah. Yeah. I also like >> So today >> Uhhuh. There's people who have been asking me to ask you this question around Pompei, which you might call in Jamaica alcohol.

[00:02:34]>> You know, we live in a country where we we like to engage and drink, you know, uh, personally, it's not really my thing. It's it's never been my thing like that. I've tried, but you know, my body jam, but >> yeah, I I give thanks to God. I've tried, but it's not really my thing.

[00:02:49]However, we live in a country that has romanticized drinking.

[00:02:54]>> Yeah.

[00:02:54]>> Right. We live in a country where a little boy can go to the kiosk and ask and say, "Mama, a six-year-old and the shopkeeper won't even ask."

[00:03:06]>> Yeah.

[00:03:07]>> Which to verify where the alcohol is going.

[00:03:10]>> So, we live in a country where we have so sort of like built this whole functionality around it.

[00:03:16]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:03:17]>> Right. So my question to you is what does drinking responsibly mean?

[00:03:23]When you see a nach please drink responsibly.

[00:03:26]>> What does it mean to you?

[00:03:28]>> So drinking responsibly um is okay.

[00:03:32]First and foremost it's when you can handle the alcohol in moderation, right?

[00:03:36]You're drinking in moderation. You're drinking to a limit. You're you're setting boundaries with this thing. But the thing is in Uganda why I call it an epidemic. this drinking problem, alcoholism, problematic drinking is that we actually don't do drinking responsibly.

[00:03:55]There are those I'm not going to say I'm not going to sit here and say everyone in the whole country of millions and millions is a problematic drinker. There are people who drink responsibly. That means they have maybe one or two drinks a week.

[00:04:05]>> Have you got friends who drink responsibly?

[00:04:07]>> I do actually. I do. I have now I have I I have I have most most of my friends are non-drinkers and it's by design because Yeah. Because I don't want to be in an environment.

[00:04:18]>> Why are you running?

[00:04:20]>> Because an environment where it's triggering like I'm putting myself in this. Yes. Back in the reggae and you know part of part of this journey is accountability, selfawareness, you know, self-awareness. I have to keep ahead of that. But I have friends who literally they'll drink one beer every 3 months >> really >> and they're kawa.

[00:04:38]>> What's the point then? And they'll be like maybe some they'll be and this is the thing it's always about they'll be somewhere where they feel that everyone is drinking it's a celebration or something like this and they're like okay let me just have a beer right >> but then they'll go months without touching the stuff thinking about it and it's okay and that's drinking responsibly but what we do in Uganda is we drink excessively and it's the norm >> we drink fu >> it we just drink fu in Uganda we are drinking my guy it's a celebr celebration drink. It's a hardwick drink. It's a >> housewarming.

[00:05:13]>> It's a housewarming drink. Listen, why do we have birthday parties? Yeah. For one year olds. And when you see the real, you see nice decor because of course now even a one-year-old is having a mini wedding. You see nice decor. And I don't get it. But anyway, social media, you know, you see the nice decor, you see the tables, you see the balloons, you see, and you're like, "Oh, Bambi, this person is having a garden party. He's having a bridal shower. is having only to see the chapi wonder turns one but on the bottles there's what champagne wine there's a a cocktail bar it's sponsored by tanker and you're like >> and the oneyear-old has no in is thinking fam just give me my cake and bounce fam >> he don't even know what cake is like why do you have a cocktail bar at a one-year-old's party but that's why because we've said >> romanticized it >> we have romanticized it social media has said if you're going to have soft life if you're going to qualify for luxury You must have that booze there and flowing like water. In fact, more than water. Do you ever see a bottle of Renzori Aquafina on those things?

[00:06:15]>> Nah, you don't even see the mixers. You just see the booze.

[00:06:18]>> If you drink water, you're considered >> a quencher.

[00:06:23]>> Thank you. Who are you?

[00:06:25]>> Even at the bar, when you walk in the bar and all these tables have what?

[00:06:28]Exclusivity is equated to drinking.

[00:06:31]>> Thank you.

[00:06:31]>> If you're not drinking, >> you can't sit at the table. You literally can't sit at the table. You have to be >> You came from work.

[00:06:39]>> You just want to spend an hour and go home, bro. They tell you to sit on a table and look like you're the >> They tell you, "No, no, no, no. To sit on that one, you have to buy the bottle."

[00:06:50]>> Then you're like, "Okay, now my guys can't come and find me. I've come from the bank in my suit on a Friday and I'm sitting at the bar nursing a beer. I'm going to sit there with a singleton. My boys, it's okay. Let's try. Let's do at least half." What is that? You came with your 50k. You've left with a bunch of 1 million.

[00:07:06]>> Thanks. You have no fuel.

[00:07:09]>> You have no rent.

[00:07:09]>> You have no rent.

[00:07:10]>> No job.

[00:07:11]>> You're going to go home and and and the business is going to be like, "Did you remember to buy the diapers with which money that you've just spent in the bala?"

[00:07:18]>> You remember that you went with the 50k plan.

[00:07:20]>> Thanks. So, we've normal in Uganda, we have normalized like alcohol is it is the social it is the social life.

[00:07:29]We no longer like we no longer do we no longer do drinking in moderation, drinking for reason. It has now become a social identity.

[00:07:37]>> But you see also also alcohol why I believe alcohol is I've friends of mine there's that ritualistic aspect of drinking. It it loosens you up. It it reduces your inhibitions like you you feel open. There people who don't feel open >> until they've had a drink.

[00:07:52]>> Yeah. So you have to be empathetic with >> that. But don't you I I am I am because I was that person. But what I want what like what I want to say is it's also a conditioning.

[00:08:02]>> If we had more spaces where you're interacting freely >> without the booze and people are opening up in those spaces. If we had more places like that you would not be equating courage. You would not be equating social being social or sociable with first having a drink. But it has become a conditioning. Somewhere along the line we were convinced that booze gives you liquid courage. M >> if you have a drink you can do anything.

[00:08:29]It's a conditioning. It's all in the mind.

[00:08:32]>> Do you know the people who who can actually wake up in the morning and go to their desk and work without taking >> Yes.

[00:08:37]>> some some caparin there >> and that is called alcoholism friend >> which is functional.

[00:08:43]>> It is not functional. I keep >> guys who manage they look managing.

[00:08:48]You're managing >> they look good. But can you imagine saying that you're functioning when you can't get out of bed and go to work without a drink? How is that functioning?

[00:08:59]You're just you're just existing. You're just existing. And you are managing, but eventually it will catch up to you.

[00:09:06]>> Eventually it will catch up to you.

[00:09:07]Eventually that managing you're doing will stop being manageable.

[00:09:11]And this is what is happening. Like I feel this is what is happening in Uganda.

[00:09:16]>> We have also normalized that of like it's okay. You know, you're out until 6:00 a.m. You have to go to work, have a beer to stabilize, and it's kind of like a running joke. Like, you're supposed you're supposed to be okay with these things, but what does it mean long term? What does it mean long term for you? And also, are we really being responsible adults if we're not addressing the fact that we have made excessive consumption?

[00:09:43]Okay.

[00:09:44]>> You say this with so much passion. Is it something that you've been through as well? is you mean your story is known.

[00:09:48]How far has alcohol gotten you?

[00:09:50]>> Listen, alcohol has gotten me to movie scenes. Wonder movie scenes. Yeah.

[00:09:56]>> Tell me when >> I You would think that the story I'm about to tell you would have stopped me drinking when I was still young and in university, but that's not what happened. So, I go to a party and I don't really know anyone, but I've been invited to a party and I'm like, "Okay, I want to fit in." And I'm so sure that I have I have high tolerance like you guy takes a lot.

[00:10:18]>> You thought you were a functional?

[00:10:19]>> I I thought I was a hard guy.

[00:10:20]Functional. I was just like, listen, I will drink all of you under the table.

[00:10:23]What are you talking about? And I usually I guess could. But anyway, I go to this party. The last thing I remember one day is walking into the party and pouring a drink. The next thing I remember is waking up in a hospital.

[00:10:35]>> What? I had flashes as I was in and out of consciousness for two days of walking in a street of banging on a door of an ambulance and of a hospital but it took two days to regain full consciousness and even after those two days first of all I had no ID I had no bag I had no phone but after those two days I still wasn't fully aware of who or where I was who I was or where I was so they had to put me in a psych hold why >> psychiatric trick unit psychold. I was put in a psych ward for a psych hold because apparently in and out of consciousness when they were bringing me I was screaming how they can't tell my mother, she'll kill me. And then I convinced myself that they'd said they're going to call my mother. So then I started screaming that I'm going to kill myself instead before they can tell my mother.

[00:11:27]>> So you were basically a danger to society and a danger to yourself.

[00:11:31]>> Thanks. 3 days.

[00:11:33]>> You're the guys Mos talks about. I know but 3 days wonder 3 days and I left that place the next party I went to eat >> the next after 3 days >> yes because I was trying to fit in how was I going to have a social life without drinking how was I going to be how's I going to make friends how's I going to be a uni student >> but that's the thing people can't fit in until they can't there's this desperate need for us to conform >> to conform it's been sold as cool Whether do you know in Uganda >> whether you're doing business, whether you're trying to propose something or make friends, it's at the bar.

[00:12:13]>> It's at the bar.

[00:12:15]>> You're going to stay home and church and home and what >> even coffee and tea. Who wants that?

[00:12:20]Nothing.

[00:12:20]>> Nobody got time for that.

[00:12:21]>> The deals that you want to bang are being done at the bar.

[00:12:26]>> So your social life, your networking, basically everything, man.

[00:12:31]>> It has to be broken. And it starts with are we let's be honest why are we doing this okay yes there is a part of environment there's a part of where we don't actually have activities that are not based on drinking we don't really have like we don't have art culture and all these things >> man in Uganda there are problems spending 8 hours in traffic >> imagine why can't we instead go to like an art show or >> honey.

[00:13:06]You think it's New York farm time for all that?

[00:13:09]>> But why why don't we have other things?

[00:13:12]>> Why don't we have this what they call trauma bonding? You want to make with your tribe and you just be in what they call baggage dumping sessions.

[00:13:22]>> And then after you've done that, what happens?

[00:13:24]>> You just, you know, you basically >> Does it help? You know, you know, I don't believe people, we drink or we're addicted to substances or whatever it is, be smartphones because we like it.

[00:13:34]We just like the temporary relief it provides in that moment.

[00:13:38]>> The escapism, >> the escapism >> and that is and that and that is it's not that it's okay, but it's understandable.

[00:13:44]>> Yeah.

[00:13:45]>> Using it as an escape is understandable.

[00:13:47]There's pressure, there's stress, there's unemployment, there's undermployment. There's so many things happening. I get it. But the thing is if we as individuals do not start taking accountability of how we are doing this, of how we are partaking, >> why we're doing it.

[00:14:05]>> Yeah. Of how we're partaking. And then why? What's the underlying cause? Let's be real about it. What's making you do this?

[00:14:12]>> It's only going to get worse.

[00:14:14]You stop drinking for momentary release and you start drinking to help you get through life, >> which is bad.

[00:14:21]>> Which is bad because guess what? The more you drink, the more your life sucks.

[00:14:28]>> The more problems you get, >> like the more you will literally find yourself in that ditch.

[00:14:35]>> It's it's like it's like trying to dig a grave, but you're digging it while standing. So, you you continue just going down and you're like, "Hey, how do I get out?" You can't. You really can't. But what happens in that scenario if I just continue the metaphor? If you're in that scenario, the only way you can get out is if someone lends you a hand. So we also have to become each other's.

[00:14:57]>> Very very few people make it make it out on the other side.

[00:15:00]>> Thank you. But we have to become people. Like >> if I'm seeing my guy Wanda is starting to it went from Friday to Saturday to Sunday now Wednesday now Thursday Friday now Tuesday. Now my guy >> it's not healthy.

[00:15:17]>> Let me sit down with you and find out what's happening. uh that person will run out great. If I was in that position, I would run away from you because I don't need your energy.

[00:15:24]Especially when you're running from your own problems. So, and and I like you reminded me of a friend of mine who who lost a brother and she always was in the bar always.

[00:15:37]And then when she loses a brother, she goes to the bar because those are those are the friends. And she goes and tells him, "Guys, I've lost my brother. Can you help me give me some money? I want to travel to the village and do this and that." These guys jumped to give the chick the dame. They actually bought her more liquor. The chick did not bury the brother. She just literally got drunk.

[00:15:57]>> Can you >> There's that thing where in the bar guys would rather buy you drinks then give you dame >> then give you den give you help.

[00:16:04]>> There's a whole there's a whole spirit around that that I don't understand.

[00:16:08]It's like we all just prefer to see everyone else in the mess that we're in.

[00:16:12]>> Yeah. Misery misery loves company.

[00:16:15]>> Misery loves company. Why should you be the one to make it out?

[00:16:18]>> The guy will buy you liquor for 1 mill but not give you 10k.

[00:16:21]>> Yeah, because I want you to be with me here. Let's all sit here and be miserable together.

[00:16:28]But again, that's how we are losing the youth. That's how that's how entire an entire generation is walking around like blind men.

[00:16:37]>> You just we have to become each other's keepers and we have to start checking in with people. We have to create spaces and conversations like this where it's okay to say, "Listen, this is a problem.

[00:16:50]I can tell you this is a problem and you can say, "Okay, yeah, I see it, too."

[00:16:54]>> Especially when you grew up around alcohol and things like that, cuz some of our elders have managed to behave and carry themselves in the public space.

[00:17:04]>> They had this they have this ability to control themselves in the public.

[00:17:08]Obviously, in a home, they're quite different.

[00:17:10]>> Yeah. which is something that the young generation doesn't quite have. They were not they're not that resilience to deal with alcohol like our parents did.

[00:17:18]>> So even that means our parents inability >> to openly talk about this addiction >> Yeah.

[00:17:25]>> contributes >> to the brokenness that we're in today.

[00:17:28]>> Exactly.

[00:17:29]And yet probably >> like you said sorry you say that that when if you're an alcoholic >> there's chances that that comes from somewhere.

[00:17:36]>> It comes it's a genetic disease. It's a hereditary disease. If you have it, somebody in your family either or whichever side has had that problem like it h it is a family disease basically.

[00:17:50]>> You cannot be the first and only alcoholic that ever lived in your lineage. It is impossible >> really. There are people there are different schools of sorts but honestly there is science behind this and and it's so sad because like I'm just thinking of how how do we even take accountability of the fact that we're being marketed poison as fun.

[00:18:15]You know alcohol is poison right? It's poison. Every encounter, every drink you have, every cell it encounters it many things that are poison. That's the truth. too much of anything >> is is poison, but alcohol is literal poison. It kills cells on contact.

[00:18:30]>> Yeah. There's And right now there's even there's there's bars that are selling adulterated alcohol.

[00:18:35]>> You're going there and you're drinking kerosene. You don't even know.

[00:18:37]>> You don't even know.

[00:18:39]>> But you're there on Snapchat.

[00:18:41]>> Soft life.

[00:18:43]>> You'reing but you're drinking kerosene.

[00:18:46]>> Soft life. I'm a cool guy. I belong.

[00:18:54]If imagine, imagine if we actually decided instead to promote moderation as cool, >> boundaries in the in your drinking as cool, alcohol-free days as cool, sober spaces or alcohol-free spaces as fun.

[00:19:13]>> You open up alcohol free space or business, you will be there alone. Even you, you leave.

[00:19:19]>> But imagine why.

[00:19:22]>> Yeah. There's a big problem systematically and it's >> there's a big problem systematically.

[00:19:26]>> It's in the mind.

[00:19:27]>> It's in the mind.

[00:19:28]>> We've been desensitized to believe that you can actually be kawa without any substance. You we feel like we need >> you need to be you you how how are you cool if you're not drinking? How are you even >> friends will disown you?

[00:19:42]>> Yeah. And by the way, let me tell you, I have a question like a literal question for everybody to just sit with for a little bit right now. If you didn't touch booze for a month, what would your social life look like?

[00:19:54]>> If you if you didn't drink for a month, >> what would your social life look like?

[00:20:00]And if after that month you can say you have no social life, you have none now.

[00:20:07]It's a lie.

[00:20:09]>> Myth >> that question can end careers.

[00:20:14]I can assure you. But then you know imagine if you say you won't have one then you have none now. If you want have friends you have none now. You have drinking buddies.

[00:20:28]They're not going to show up for you when everything falls through. They won't show up for you. Like you said >> the rea will stop.

[00:20:37]>> Is that really how we want to be doing this? This thing called life. this thing that you don't you don't have there's no clock telling you when it runs out. This is how you want to be living it.

[00:20:49]>> Great. Anyway, I guess the last question to me to you is that will encourage someone on top of this because these are just been chibokos.

[00:21:02]>> Let me tell you >> how did you overcome?

[00:21:07]one, I admitted there was a problem. Okay?

[00:21:12]You have to sit with yourself and be like, "Listen, you have a problem. You're not okay."

[00:21:19]I accepted help because there are people and places that will help you. And then I had to be okay in the discomfort of what came after.

[00:21:32]The discomfort of where do I fit in? Do I do I know myself? Do I like myself?

[00:21:41]Am I able to sit comfortably in silence with myself?

[00:21:48]Am I okay to slow down and take things one step at a time?

[00:21:55]And it's hard. Let me tell you, the beginning of sobriety is hard. I'm not trying to lie to anybody. It's hard. But one, you don't have to do it alone.

[00:22:03]There are people and places where you can get help and be with and get someone to walk this journey with you. But also the longer you stick to the longer you stick with it, the better life gets. The more you begin to enjoy life yourself, everything just gets better. Whereas if you don't and you continue in the way of the drinking, everything gets worse.

[00:22:33]Wow.

[00:22:36]Guys, I think you've heard it.

[00:22:39]This is another episode on bridging the gap to help us understand who we are. Get a more deeper understanding, become more self-aware.

[00:22:51]>> Yeah.

[00:22:52]>> Look in the mirror and genuinely ask yourself if you're happy with the reflection.

[00:22:57]>> Yeah.

[00:22:59]And yeah, thank you so much for being able to break us down like this and also admit that there's moderation. You can drink and drink responsibly.

[00:23:08]>> Yeah.

[00:23:09]>> But the evidence suggests that not many people are drinking responsibly.

[00:23:14]>> Not in this country.

[00:23:15]>> Not in this country. So if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in the comment section and tell us what we need to speak on more, especially with easy. And if you like what you've watched, don't hesitate to like, share, and smash that subscribe button because it allows us to get more guests and more and broaden the conversation because we're telling the African story, not just the Uganda.