As we condole with the families and friends of those who perished in the ill-fated Saturday boat cruise, we need to look beyond the tragedy and analyse the culture and lifestyle of the caliber of revelers and their actions.
Well as these boats are commonly called cruises, the actual definition should be Luxury cruises, the catchword is LUXURY. In last Saturday’s cruise it would be a long call to see it as a luxury cruise, but it was meant to have all the trappings of splendor and opulence.
A combination of these two defines who is expected to be on any boat cruise as a reveler. So when we hear voices questioning why celebrities like Iryn Namubiru, Prince David Wasajja, Freeman Kiyimba and others who fall in the who is who list of the capsized boat, it begs the question whether any luxury boat anywhere in the world would miss the genre of that grandeur. In life, luxury is a preserve of those who have more to spare, that is why a boat cruise is not another wakula ennume or pioneer bus.
Right from the first pleasure cruise in 1844, the culture was that only those who had the means to spend lavishly on a trip that took weeks of merry making were eligible. Since it is a pleasure trip, all manner of activities associated with resplendence will abound. It can be noted that cruise liners have exclusive bookings for celebrities in almost all spheres of life, ranging from sports, billionaires, film actors, innovators etc. They follow a simple Micro economics principle of ostentation.
The presence of Kampala visible faces on the ill-fated cruise manifest a true definition of a luxury cruise, in fact I hold the view that a few Wasajjas on the cruise is a big indictment on the lifestyle of those who have more to spare. The rich and celebrities should have made the biggest percentage of the boat cruise not the slay queens.
The presence of Freeman Kiyimba and the free flowing tribes of drinks courtesy of his deep pockets is an epitome of a luxury cruise, there should be personalities that spice up the trip with goodies and glamour. So accusing him for providing drinks is missing the point.
How many slay queens would provide Black Label to such a level as to make occupants see the boat cruise moving in the opposite direction yet heading to the right destination. From a purely business sense, the organisers pegged their calculations on the presence of celebrities. In the night life world, there are socialites who are famed for their generosity via the bottle.
They are crowd pullers and if what is trending on social media is anything to believe, it was the presence of these personalities that triggered the influx of the slay queens and “ushers”. There are few people in town who can foot the bill of whiskeys such as Johnnie Walker, Jameson, Jack Daniels etc, so the mere presence of the likes of Freeman Kiyimba in the house is a sure way of a blissful ride and an eventful evening.
Like any marketing stunt, business needs to have a face which is recognizable, appealing and capable of creating brand loyalty, that is why billboards are awash with celebrity faces. This explains why there were many causalities but a couple of names are discernable. Boat cruise is good for both domestic and foreign tourism. The challenge is how to make it safe and fun for those who want to enjoy an evening out. This is what missed in that ill-fated boat cruise.