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Patrick Kayongo

Patrick Kayongo
Disenchantment Three days had now passed since there was electricity. Refiloe had 10% battery life left on her...
a year ago
70
a year ago
Three days had now passed since there was electricity. Refiloe had 10% battery life left on her phone after recharging at her parents’ home earlier in the day. In addition to that, there had been no water since the morning. Joburg Water had promised restoration by 2pm, but 48...
Patrick Kayongo
A New Dog “What are you doing now?” Sabelo asked Zoleka as she was taking a video of every part of their...
a year ago
66
a year ago
“What are you doing now?” Sabelo asked Zoleka as she was taking a video of every part of their living room with her phone. He was growing tired of her ever-new discoveries and project ideas, and he didn’t know if he had the energy to stomach this new one. But she was too busy...
Patrick Kayongo
When You Die the doctors will tell your spouse and they’ll break down in grief they’ll message someone they trust...
a year ago
64
a year ago
the doctors will tell your spouse and they’ll break down in grief they’ll message someone they trust who’ll rush to see them, as soon the time allows. your workplace will send an email and all your colleagues will be saddened whatsapp broadcasts will flood phones of those time...
Patrick Kayongo
Substack vs Africa The writing site, Substack, has taken the world by storm. At a time when everyone thought blogging...
6 months ago
60
6 months ago
The writing site, Substack, has taken the world by storm. At a time when everyone thought blogging and online writing was dead, superseded by YouTube, Substack came along and solved the problems of discovery and monetisation. Their feed and recommendations have allowed many to...
Patrick Kayongo
Technology & The Hollowing Middle Class IT systems within large enterprises have done wonders to improve the efficiencies, resulting in...
5 months ago
56
5 months ago
IT systems within large enterprises have done wonders to improve the efficiencies, resulting in great cost-savings, yet with unquestioned social effects. In his book Rhodes & His Banker, Richard Steyn narrates the founding and the early years of the bank we now know as Standard...
Patrick Kayongo
The Fruitfulness of Grunt Work I had an interesting software development problem the other day. I was working on a NodeJS...
9 months ago
50
9 months ago
I had an interesting software development problem the other day. I was working on a NodeJS application, doing general maintenance work, which led me down an interesting rabbit hole. I could’ve used an online knowledge tool such as the various LLM-based tools available now. But...
Patrick Kayongo
Online Communication & Social Hierarchy There are a plethora of ways to communicate online, both with people you know, and people you’ve...
over a year ago
49
over a year ago
There are a plethora of ways to communicate online, both with people you know, and people you’ve never met. But something the makers of these tools fail to mould to, is the social hierarchy and human structures in which they are used. There are three examples that come to mind....
Patrick Kayongo
Of Mountains and Hills It’s hard to pinpoint where the cocktail Phakamani’s love, and fear of high places came from. The...
11 months ago
48
11 months ago
It’s hard to pinpoint where the cocktail Phakamani’s love, and fear of high places came from. The love may have come from the views he found solace in during his years of sojourn in Cape Town. From the upper campus of UCT, he would take lunch walks to Rhodes Memorial to escape...
Patrick Kayongo
Can I Speak To Someone? On the evening of Sunday 6 August 2023, my wife and I were on a flight back to Johannesburg from...
a year ago
44
a year ago
On the evening of Sunday 6 August 2023, my wife and I were on a flight back to Johannesburg from Heathrow Airport, London. After boarding, the flight remained on the runway for over an hour without taking off. Eventually, the pilot told us that due to the coup in Niger, the...
Patrick Kayongo
The vastness of the ocean The vastness of the oceancan't fit in my phone.The sand through my feetthe smell of the airthe howl...
a year ago
40
a year ago
The vastness of the oceancan't fit in my phone.The sand through my feetthe smell of the airthe howl of the breezehas nowhere to go. The pages of a bookcan’t fit in my phone.The texture of the pagesthe scent of the pressthe uncontested immersionhas nowhere to go. The tapestry of...
Patrick Kayongo
A World Offline Loadshedding has hit South Africa in a bad way. Interruptions to electricity has disrupted...
a year ago
39
a year ago
Loadshedding has hit South Africa in a bad way. Interruptions to electricity has disrupted businesses and resulted in unanticipated cost increases from those who have had to find alternative sources of electricity. 16 years ago, it was unimaginable that we would have some days...
Patrick Kayongo
River Flows Crouched on the side of his bed, Tambu sat sobbing. He had slammed the door to his bedroom and...
a year ago
36
a year ago
Crouched on the side of his bed, Tambu sat sobbing. He had slammed the door to his bedroom and needed time out after yet another fight with his parents.  I really don’t belong here. They’ll never understand me. They’re so toxic and oppressive. I don’t know how much longer I can...
Patrick Kayongo
What Are Software Developers For At the time of writing this, the perceived potential for AI based tools for software development is...
11 months ago
33
11 months ago
At the time of writing this, the perceived potential for AI based tools for software development is at an all time high. Devin, claims to offer a “fully autonomous AI software engineer”. Other tools like Marblism have less ambitious claims but can still create a working web...
Patrick Kayongo
Iinkomo “I know you’ve explained this to me before, but why do I have to leave again?” Gomolemo was packing...
a year ago
31
a year ago
“I know you’ve explained this to me before, but why do I have to leave again?” Gomolemo was packing the last bit of her belongings into her bags, rushed by her anger and irritation. “I told you; it will just be for a few days. My grandfather is here for a medical procedure, and...
Patrick Kayongo
Martyr Crouched behind a thicket, Mirundi tried to catch his breath. He quickly lifted his hand from the...
a year ago
29
a year ago
Crouched behind a thicket, Mirundi tried to catch his breath. He quickly lifted his hand from the floor to catch the sweat that had started dripping from his forehead. His hand was shaking uncontrollably, jerked back and forth by the fear of getting caught again. Mukaajanga, the...
Patrick Kayongo
Software Developers vs ChatGPT & Friends The machines are coming to steal our jobs. It took the jobs of the farm labourers and the factory...
a year ago
27
a year ago
The machines are coming to steal our jobs. It took the jobs of the farm labourers and the factory workers, and in a twist of irony, it’s now taking the jobs of those who developed its predecessors – the software developers. At least that’s what many alarmist headlines are saying...
Patrick Kayongo
Stimela 23 June 1898. Mqanduli, Tembuland. “But who’s going to teach our sons to become men?” Gcinikhaya...
over a year ago
27
over a year ago
23 June 1898. Mqanduli, Tembuland. “But who’s going to teach our sons to become men?” Gcinikhaya asked this while squashing the newspaper within her clenched fist. Her lips were quivering, her face contorted to hold back the tears of anger and fear. “My brother went to the mines...
Patrick Kayongo
Fourways Mall It’s Saturday at 1:37pm. I’ve been sitting in the 2nd floor parking trying to muster the energy to...
a year ago
27
a year ago
It’s Saturday at 1:37pm. I’ve been sitting in the 2nd floor parking trying to muster the energy to walk in there to do everything on my to-do list: buy bread rolls for the kids’ lunch, new school shoes for Khanyi, check on the price of a new iron, and maybe just maybe upgrade my...
Patrick Kayongo
Use Local Technology Services On 18 September 2022, the Competition Tribunal of South Africa ordered that bank accounts of the...
over a year ago
26
over a year ago
On 18 September 2022, the Competition Tribunal of South Africa ordered that bank accounts of the Sekunjalo Group of Companies should remain open after closure by some banks, and imminent closure by others. The reason the various banks were closing the accounts of Sekunjalo was...
Patrick Kayongo
Park Games As the shedding of the luck-bean tree forms coral carpets on the grass below; as the birds begin...
over a year ago
25
over a year ago
As the shedding of the luck-bean tree forms coral carpets on the grass below; as the birds begin their morning song earlier into the fourth watch of the night, calling the sun to come out to play; as new flowering greens shoot out of chronic brown branches; urban nature dances to...
Patrick Kayongo
Familiar Spirits The eerie cold breeze from Fourways Memorial Park cemetery slips into Daudi’s open window during the...
over a year ago
25
over a year ago
The eerie cold breeze from Fourways Memorial Park cemetery slips into Daudi’s open window during the fourth watch of the night. The blue radiance of the moon and the stars fill in for the lights darkened by stage 5 loadshedding. As the nighttime creatures prepare for their...
Patrick Kayongo
The News So, the plan is to be in an out. Focus Tshidi. I don’t need anything from Dischem. I don’t need that...
a year ago
21
a year ago
So, the plan is to be in an out. Focus Tshidi. I don’t need anything from Dischem. I don’t need that new dress in the Spring Collection at H&M. Just a tray of meat, garlic rolls and juice. Snap. It’s payday weekend and there are such long lines at this Checkers. I’m already late...
Patrick Kayongo
Super Apps vs WhatsApp Over the last little while, there has been this rise in Super Apps, these apps that attempt to be...
over a year ago
21
over a year ago
Over the last little while, there has been this rise in Super Apps, these apps that attempt to be multi-functional “mobile malls”. In South Africa, Vodacom has released VodaPay where one can “enter” multiple stores to shop their products. Nedbank has Avo where one can also shop...
Patrick Kayongo
Mammon The cool winter’s breeze whispered through the open window, singing along with the familiar sound of...
over a year ago
20
over a year ago
The cool winter’s breeze whispered through the open window, singing along with the familiar sound of the occasional car passing by outside. As the cool air gently brushes across her arms, Gladys Tyamzashe’s strands of hair stand up, mounted on the goose bumps of her aged and...
Patrick Kayongo
On Leaving Coffee It’s not the smell of the brew that you miss most Though the scent certainly does do something It’s...
a year ago
16
a year ago
It’s not the smell of the brew that you miss most Though the scent certainly does do something It’s not the memory of the dark beans that haunt your thoughts Though their beauty can’t be unseen It’s not the burst of energy from the first sip Though it’s hard to find other means...
Patrick Kayongo
Rhythms of Order Access to the world on one’s phone has provided possibilities and efficiencies that previous...
a year ago
16
a year ago
Access to the world on one’s phone has provided possibilities and efficiencies that previous generations could never have dreamed of. Whether it’s bypassing traffic jams on the outskirts of hills of Kampala, or it’s determining your public transport route from your hotel to your...
Patrick Kayongo
Digital Platforms & The Proselytisation of American Civilisation A few months ago, I was on a Microsoft Teams call. As one sometimes does to distract themselves from...
a year ago
15
a year ago
A few months ago, I was on a Microsoft Teams call. As one sometimes does to distract themselves from looking at their own face, I started clicking buttons around the Teams call window. I found an interesting one directing me to a “Speaker Coach”. Clicking on it, The AITM started...
Patrick Kayongo
Play “I’ve got an idea!” Musa now had the attention of all the other kids. They started lifting their...
a year ago
13
a year ago
“I’ve got an idea!” Musa now had the attention of all the other kids. They started lifting their backs from the lazy sloth on the paved ground outside of his garage. All the kids in the conformant townhouse complex regularly gravitated towards his house during the school...
Patrick Kayongo
Of Coups, Wars, and Corporate Digital Transformations In mid-April 2023, Sudan was plunged into civil war. The para-military group Rapid Support Forces...
a year ago
10
a year ago
In mid-April 2023, Sudan was plunged into civil war. The para-military group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) was formed during the war in Darfur, outside the control of the national army for “special operations”. Because they weren’t under the leadership of the army, normal war...