Former Radio Simba host, Kapalaga, has opened up about the challenges he has faced since relocating to the United States six years ago.
In an interview with fellow media personality Kaiyz, who also moved to the U.S. recently, Kapalaga detailed his struggles adjusting to life abroad, the jobs he took on to survive, and the unexpected difficulties of encountering fellow Ugandans in a foreign land.
Upon his arrival in the U.S., Kapalaga was full of optimism. His first job was selling tea, which he found fulfilling at the time.
He fondly recalled earning $12 an hour and being excited about the opportunity. “I even called my mom and told her I was about to become very rich,” Kapalaga shared. The weekly earnings surpassed what he used to make at Radio Simba, giving him a brief sense of accomplishment.
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However, that excitement quickly faded as the realities of living in the U.S. began to set in. Bills started piling up, and Kapalaga soon realized that surviving in America meant working multiple jobs. He landed a position as a busboy at a popular cheesecake restaurant, clearing plates and serving customers.
Unfortunately, Kapalaga’s time at the restaurant was marred by unexpected pressure from fellow Ugandans living in the area. He recounted how some Ugandan customers recognized him and began scrutinizing him as he worked.
“As I moved the plates around, I noticed they were looking at me closely, trying to figure out if I was indeed the face they recognized,” he explained.
Once they confirmed his identity, some patrons began taking photos of him while he worked, leaving him uncomfortable and embarrassed. “They would start pulling out their phones to take my pictures, and I would evade them. That is how I decided to leave that job,” he recalled.
The pressure of being treated differently because of his past celebrity status forced Kapalaga to quit his restaurant job. Afterward, he found work at a factory, which proved to be the most physically demanding job he had ever done. “Doing hard work for 12 hours a day was tough,” he admitted, reflecting on the exhaustion he felt after long hours of manual labor.
Following his stint at the factory, Kapalaga secured a job at a retirement home, caring for elderly residents. However, this role also came with its challenges. One particularly traumatic incident occurred when he was helping an elderly man to the toilet, and they both fell, causing Kapalaga to sustain a severe back injury.
“I even fell sick because one time I was trying to help an old man to a toilet seat, and we fell. I suffered a broken back,” he shared.
