Naughty and Nice: With Nabusayi L. Wamboka
Feb 21 - 27, 2004
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There is something strange about Uganda's heroes. If there are any Ugandans out there who think they are doing a great job and want to be recognised they had better think again. I get annoyed when the ghost of Uganda's greatest athlete John Akii-Bua keeps shaking its closet and refuses to leave the so called house on plot 81A Tufnel Drive in Kamokya that was granted by former president Idi Amin (RIP). So Akii-Bua brought home the medals in 1972 and set a record which refuses to be broken by anybody. Why doesn't the good guy just rest in peace and take his family back in Langi to live like the rest of disgraced Ugandan's who have died in humiliation for serving their country with dedication. When government promises something, unless of course you come from a particular part of this country, just know that it is just that - a promise and this government is known for some empty promises. Ask the people of Luwero. Last time they were bundled from the parliamentary building like a bunch of thugs after a brief visit at the central police station. Akii-Bua's family had better head to Lira - not to Abia camp I hope. If it is the police force that is supposed to pay the rent and they are already US$ 2500 in arrears, there is not much hope here. After all some of their officers who have served with their lives each time they confront robbers stay in toilets and mortuaries. There is another small girl who thinks can break Akii-Bua's record. Dorcus Inzikuru has been sweating and sweating. She has not brought back gold but as far as we are concerned, she is our hero and there is no house or boys quarter waiting for her. There are some other `so called' heroes that are lying somewhere in Kololo, lonely and cold. Why would someone be condemned to a resting place that is abandoned and bushy until there is a national celebration when the tractors do some crude slashing? And there are others in waiting - Kakoma of the national anthem fame and Akorimo who hoisted the national flag on independence day. The last time I heard, they had `cut' a State luncheon, after they were made to sit in the scorching sun during the Independence day celebrations at Kololo. It was the first time they were honouring them. They left bitter men back to their villages I suppose. Other than being humiliated like the family of Akii-Bua, people should look at retiring to where they came from and make it a humble peaceful rest. Here it doesn't matter if you are rewarded by the President for serving your country. When governments change, those rewards are stripped off. Even when you save like any other good citizen, getting your savings from the National Social Security Fund is another death sentence. However, the beauty with this country is that you can keep your medals when you win them. But like the Akii-Bua's family, even these you can lose when the very people who called you a hero turn against you. The best thing to do is to serve without expecting any rewards and hope that one day a road will be mentioned after you so that our children in future can say - this is the road that our heroes treaded. [EMAIL PROTECTED] |
© 2004 The Monitor Publications
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