*Re: Mushega's theory of succession is flawed. While visiting Toronto Mushega had the nerve to address us that Uganda's problem is Baganda.
Openly just like that !! Dr Muniini was chairing the meeting. It hit me like a ton of bricks !! The good thing is that the majority of Ugandans, including Banyankole, reject such stupidity ! Mitayo Potosi ======================= **Mushega’s theory of succession is flawed* *Kenneth Kakuru* *Kampala* *Col. Amanya Mushega‘s theory of succession is very interesting. My understanding of it is that it is incumbent upon every successful individual to groom and prepare an heir apparent. From my understanding of his theory, grooming an heir creates stability. He however provides no emperical evidence to support his theory.* *It may be urged that the world is awash with examples. But when one surveys around, the examples are not that many. In tested democracies like the United States, Britain, most of Europe and even India, there is no such a thing as an heir apparent. President Obama would never have succeeded George Bush. Successors emerge on their own strength. On the other hand, it’s dictatorships that systematically groom heirs. The most notable examples are North Korea, Gabon, Cuba, Egypt and others. * *Other growing democracies and weak dictatorship use institutions to groom leaders, thereby denying people the right to chose leaders of their choice. These countries use highly centralised political parties to keep a small clique of people in power. These include Tanzania, Pakistan, Russia, Bangladesh, Rwanda, DRC and a host of others.* *Col. Mushega’s theory does not explain why feudalism collapsed. Under feudalism, there an hair apparent was always available to the people. This was the crown prince. Why didn’t this create stability? History tells us that most feudal governments collapsed violently. French, German, Russia, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia e.t.c. It is therefore not true that having an heir apparent creates stability.* *A successor in my humble opinion should be one who is able to propel a nation or a family to the next generation. He or she should be, in my view, at least one generation younger than the incumbent. So the people in the category of Col. Mushega and other “historicals” should count themselves out of Uganda’s succession bid. * *Otherwise, we shall end up with Raul /Castro or Moi /Kibaki “succession” which creates instability as it in effect maintains the status quo. Those who clamour for an heir apparent have their personal weaknesses and are unable to stand on their own to be elected as leaders in their own right. * *They therefore look to the incumbent to “appoint” them. They rely on the strength of the incumbent yet they accuse him of being weak and failing to organise a proper succession. I have not seen any where in our Constitution where the President, for example, is required to organise a succession. Col. Mushega did not organise any succession for his Igara constituency. If he did, I am not aware. * *According to his theory, the most successful former member of parliament would be Mr Ken Lukyamuzi, who without any effort was able to pass his seat on to his daughter Susan Nampijja who is not doing very well. Clearly this theory is flawed.* *The other aspects of his theory relate to Church and politics in Uganda. Bishops are getting handouts from the President, Mr Mushega asserts. I have been an active member of the Church of Uganda and have not seen any bishop begging for money from the President.* *A Church is not a business. It derives income mostly from donations from it’s members. The same people that pay taxes to the government also donate to the Church These include government officials. I consider it as an obligation of the President to donate to churches as a Christian and a citizen first. If my 90-year-old mother still donates to the Church, why not Col. Mushega or General Museveni?* *In any event the Church contributes (call it donates) to government and to the public much more than it receives from them. The government of Uganda since it’s existence has only built about four secondary schools! The rest are private or religious founded. A few have recently been built by donors. The so called government schools are only government-aided. The Church provides for orphans, provides health care, and donates food in emergences e.t.c. So who is begging from the other? Col. Mushega may wish to know for example that bishops of West Ankole and Ankole Diocese were not given cars by the President. These cars were bought by Christians. I do not remember when the President last bought a car for any bishop. * *Col. Mushega asks, “If this money being given to religious leaders was put together, how many hospitals would it build?” Col. Mushega has been in the government for over 20 years. How many hospitals and schools did he build? Even in his own constituency? But how many has the Church built? How many schools did Col. Mushega build when he was the minister of education? None.* *Interestingly, it was Col. Mushega who closed down a number of schools all over the country especially Church-founded schools in Ankole. He closed teacher training collages. * *He reserved the decision by Uganda Peoples Congress government on Kyambogo and Nakawa which had been slated to become universities. What moral authority does he have to even question the integrity of our bishops? How can Col. Mushega who closed down schools, teacher training collages and has been in government until only recently without a break since 1986 question the Universal Primary and Secondary Education polices.* *Until he became minister for education, double shift system was in place in most secondary schools in Kampala and other urban areas. He scrapped it denying many the right to education. What new ideas does he have now which he did not have then?* *I wonder whether Col. Mushega ever attends Church. Every Sunday, preachers blast sinners but the same congregation gives in offertories! The Church of Uganda refused to recognise same-sex marriage (gay) sympathetic Churches in America on principle. The result was to forfeit financial support in millions of dollars not just khaki envelopes. The same Church will receive donations from the government and government officials and still openly speak against evil in government. It has been doing this for ages.* *Maybe Col. Mushega should explain how churches and the people have become poor as to beg from their leaders who themselves were poor and now have become rich since he has been in government since 1986.* *Where was he when Banyankole Kweterana Co-operative Union collapsed? Was he not in charge of the western region when tons of its coffee was shipped to support the war effort in 1985 and hundreds of trucks commadeered by the National Resistance Army? When he came to government, did he ever assist the Union to recover its money and lost property? * *The Union’s coffee factories in the whole of Bushenyi and Mbarara were closed down under his watch and that Hon. Richard Kaijuka. Did he ever assist the Church get compensation from the government in respect of property lost during the war, especially schools trucks, infrastructure e.t.c?* *The theory of Col. Mushega that Uganda was better in the early days of National Resistance Movement and is worse now, has no basis. He is living in the past, and in the past he is likely to remain.*
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