[Ugnet] THE TRUTH FROM THE PEOPLE
Go get the truth from the people Eva Mwine Eva Mwine Today, I choose to exercise and enjoy my right to freedom of _expression_ and take my thoughts on the politics of the day beyond the confines of my mind, into the mind of anyone that may happen to read this. The past few months have taken me on a private journey through rural Uganda, east, west, south, central and hopefully north soon. Mission? To talk to the people. What are they saying and why are they saying it? I was in the company of a British freelance journalist, an old college friend, who wanted to see Uganda and Ugandans beyond the bounds of international media. My sole purpose was to make total peace with my conscience for my passionate an unwavering support of constitutional amendment, in favour of removal of term limits and also to test and gauge the political temperature across the board, away from the newspapers that I read everyday. "All looks yellow to the jaundice eye" were the insightful words of Alexander Pope. I was determined to rid myself of the jaundice of media bombardment, political amnesia, intellectualism, detachment from the people, personal disgruntlement, donor dictates...the list is endless. I have emerged from my quest even more convicted that the greater part of our population are all in for the constitutional amendment, and I have also affirmed that truly the NRM party, to which I belong, is the party of the "people" and the party of the day. I know many at this point are thinking "here goes another sycophant" as this seems to be a fashionable description of those who choose to join the ranks and file of the new NRM party, product of the mother Movement. It is this very attitude and urban branding that drove me on my way to find out whether it is 'sycophancy' or simply responsible, level-headed, patriotic judgment. I have spoken at great length to many who do not share my views, I have taken into consideration their many seemingly logical and sensible arguments on the kisanja debate. But when all is said and done, the issue is really not a complex one. It is about what the majority of Ugandans want. My appeal today is to those in the Movement and to those who continue to sit on the fence, confused by the political climate and landscape of the day. Many of you have been stunned into an awkward silence by the shotgun of a small, but loud opposition, whose voice has been amplified by today's vibrant media. The nature of multiparty politics demands that we emerge from this silence, stand up and be counted and speak out loud and clear in defence and in support of the NRM, the party that is without doubt, best equipped, through its valuable experience to see us through this potentially destabilising transitional period. The cozy cover of the Movement system is off and we are now entering the harsh realities of the multiparty system, ironically the very system that was responsible for our past predicament. The antidote to this Kampala dwellers "media-mania syndrome" is a conversation with greater Uganda, the 85% who do not ride on intellectual high horses, that do not suffer political amnesia, but on the contrary remember clearly our turbulent past and now instinctively and passionately choose to hold on tight to the safer option. They are saying, even with its flaws and mistakes, the NRM party, with president Museveni at the helm, is the option that promises a more stable walk over the tight rope of transition. The G6 are just not ready. We as Ugandans, however, need to take pride in and celebrate the existence of the G6 for they stand as true testament that we are a country moving towards the internationally acceptable democratic governance. The disharmonious state of the opposition today is what stands as glaring evidence that the anointing is still on the NRM. The men and women in today's opposition may not be winners, come March 2006, but among them are the leaders of the future. Good luck to them. Let us rise to the challenge of the transitional season and respectfully agree to disagree as we channel our energies not into mud-slinging and war mongering, but towards building solid harmonious parties of integrity, that provide real food for thought by way of alternative solutions for the way forward. Distortions of our history, not worth the column space and all in the name of political mileage, have become the rule rather than the exception. Continuous talk of impending war, bloodshed and of a Uganda destined for mayhem, leave our populace questioning the motives of these prophets of doom. The economic leap that Uganda has taken over the last 20 years has put a transistor radio in the house of almost every Ugandan; from the goat herders of the hills in Bundibugyo to the fishermen of Kalangala, everyone is listening to the hair-raising messages being carried across the airwaves by a largely urbane and elitist opposition. "I do not agree with what you say, but will defend to death your right to say it"
Re: [Ugnet] THE TRUTH FROM THE PEOPLE ?? = Truth From Sycompaths More Like
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Go get the truth from the people Eva Mwine Eva Mwine Today, I choose to exercise and enjoy my right to freedom of _expression_ and take my thoughts on the politics of the day beyond the confines of my mind, into the mind of anyone that may happen to read this. The past few months have taken me on a private journey through rural Uganda, east, west, south, central and hopefully north soon. Mission? To talk to the people. What are they saying and why are they saying it? I was in the company of a British freelance journalist, an old college friend, who wanted to see Uganda and Ugandans beyond the bounds of international media. My sole purpose was to make total peace with my conscience for my passionate an unwavering support of constitutional amendment, in favour of removal of term limits and also to test and gauge the political temperature across the board, away from the newspapers that I read everyday. "All looks yellow to the jaundice eye" were the insightful words of Al exander Pope. I was determined to rid myself of the jaundice of media bombardment, political amnesia, intellectualism, detachment from the people, personal disgruntlement, donor dictates...the list is endless. I have emerged from my quest even more convicted that the greater part of our population are all in for the constitutional amendment, and I have also affirmed that truly the NRM party, to which I belong, is the party of the "people" and the party of the day. I know many at this point are thinking "here goes another sycophant" as this seems to be a fashionable description of those who choose to join the ranks and file of the new NRM party, product of the mother Movement. It is this very attitude and urban branding that drove me on my way to find out whether it is 'sycophancy' or simply responsible, level-headed, patriotic judgment. I have spoken at great length to many who do not share my views, I have taken into consideration their many seemingly logica l and sensible arguments on the kisanja debate. But when all is said and done, the issue is really not a complex one. It is about what the majority of Ugandans want. My appeal today is to those in the Movement and to those who continue to sit on the fence, confused by the political climate and landscape of the day. Many of you have been stunned into an awkward silence by the shotgun of a small, but loud opposition, whose voice has been amplified by today's vibrant media. The nature of multiparty politics demands that we emerge from this silence, stand up and be counted and speak out loud and clear in defence and in support of the NRM, the party that is without doubt, best equipped, through its valuable experience to see us through this potentially destabilising transitional period. The cozy cover of the Movement system is off and we are now entering the harsh realities of the multiparty system, ironically the very system that was responsible for our past predicament. The antidote to this Kampala dwellers "media-mania syndrome" is a conversation with greater Uganda, the 85% who do not ride on intellectual high horses, that do not suffer political amnesia, but on the contrary remember clearly our turbulent past and now instinctively and passionately choose to hold on tight to the safer option. They are saying, even with its flaws and mistakes, the NRM party, with president Museveni at the helm, is the option that promises a more stable walk over the tight rope of transition. The G6 are just not ready. We as Ugandans, however, need to take pride in and celebrate the existence of the G6 for they stand as true testament that we are a country moving towards the internationally acceptable democratic governance. The disharmonious state of the opposition today is what stands as glaring evidence that the anointing is still on the NRM. The men and women in today's opposition may not be winners, come March 2006, but among them are the leaders of the future. Good luck to them. Let us rise to the challenge of the transitional season and respectfully agree to disagree as we channel our energies not into mud-slinging and war mongering, but towards building solid harmonious parties of integrity, that provide real food for thought by way of alternative solutions for the way forward. Distortions of our history, not worth the column space and all in the name of political mileage, have become the rule rather than the exception. Continuous talk of impending war, bloodshed and of a Uganda destined for mayhem, leave our populace questioning the motives of these prophets of doom. The economic leap that Uganda has taken over the last 20 years has put a transistor radio in the house of almost every Ugandan; from the goat herders of the hills in Bundibugyo to the fishermen of Kalangala, everyone is listening to the hair-raising messages being carried across the airwaves by a lar gely urbane and elitist opposition. "I do not agree with what you say, but will
