Mr. Trump and Loyalty
I am not following The Apprentice this eason, but I am tracking The Trump Blog. I like Trump’s non-nonsense style. His recent blog on Loyalty the Highest Virtue, employee loyalty triggered an important memory that highlights the importance of this quality which may have save our lives.
I grew up in Uganda and at the age of twelve left with my mother and sisters rather suddenly due to the
political turmoil. The non-africans were expelled from the country regardless of what passports they held. About 4 months before we left, a frequent visitor to the house was an ex-employee of our business, a privately run bus company. He worked for the business when my father was still alive, some eleven years prior, and was one of the best drivers. He still proudly wore the watch my father gave him in recognition of his work.
The reasons for his visits were to advise my mother on the dangers and risks of remaining in the country especially around the first anniversary of Idi Amin’s Army coup. As Idi Amin’s private chauffeur, he had access to top secret information; mainly through conversations that were held in the backseat. My mother listened and immediately made plans for the younger ones in the family to leave the country, in spite of the resistance from my brothers who had been running the business since my father’s death believed as Ugandans there was nothing to worry about. All of my family was born in Uganda except for my father and myself. My determined mother with 3 daughters under the age of sixteen left a few days in advance of the army coup.
We arrived in the UK, the anniversary of the army coup passed and nothing happened. Our decision to leave Uganda seemed pointless and irrational as we struggled to adjust in a new country. About six months later, we heard from a friend that all non-african nationals had been asked to leave the country. We did not believe until we heard it for ourselves on the radio and TV!
We still had family in Africa, and they also left Uganda safely. While leaving the country, another ex-employee of the business recognized one of my sisters by my father’s name. She and her husband, with a baby in hand, were allowed to board the plane without a single suitcase being opened. Many families had their luggage slashed open with knives and contents emptied leaving the country with very little in their hands. Other less fortunate ones lost their children: daughters were raped; sons were shot or tortured. Some families were murdered or looted by their own employees. They were enraged by the ill treatment at the hands of their bosses and now felt powerful to take revenge.
My parents had gained a reputation for treating people with fairness and respect including employees. The loyalty they gained may have saved our lives. We were in fact the lucky ones who got out without any incident.
