By F.D.R.Gureme
Nov 27, 2004
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Last time I concluded my article by undertaking, God willing, to make some suggestions about how opposition groups might fight together. The recent Constitutional Court decision about the UPC petition against of POAB, underscored the point: that the opposition forces were fellow travellers, and that their political destinies were closely intertwined. This, I feel, is the God-given opportunity for them to come together and fight the one-party rule, progressively established since the success of the armed "liberation" in January 1986; and subtly sustained by the West: who seem to think that Uganda, without Museveni, would disintegrate.
The same West, who, in fleeting situations of dictators' conformism to its views, sustained the likes of Mobutu, the Shah of Iran and Saddam Hussein, only to regret at leisure; about the material destruction done; and to militarily depose Saddam at great, and as yet indeterminate, cost in human lives. Compulsory registration might provide shortcuts to a coalition; the impediments of which are the old guard. Let's hope that respectable elderly leaders like Milton Obote and Paul Ssemogerere, will have taken this opportunity to honourably step down and give advice: so that delegates' conferences elect popular new leaders, amenable to the desired coalition of opposition parties. What the West do not seem to realise is that, by doing practically everybody's work, including nuzzling in distinctly petty issues: like the taxation of boda boda riders, and playing the village chief at his vast ranches, the incumbent is mentally exhausted. The president boasts of having led the liberation struggle for over 30 years. Those close to him say that he generally sleeps not more than 4 hours a day. There is evidence that he has great contempt for holidays, which he never takes. He is known to recall his ministers from leave and give them routine assignments. In reaction to a minister who, given an overseas assignment, pleaded that he was on leave, the President is said to have banged the table and screamed, "What is your attitude to work, you people?" And to have bragged: "Look, I have been sitting in this chair for the past 17 years, and do not crave a holiday. Surely a week in South East Asia will not kill you." It didn't, because the minister, tacking his tail tightly between his legs, fled the wrath of the President, and headed for China the same evening, abandoning his leave balance and returning to work! The story is going the rounds of the host chairman of a meeting with potential investors, in the middle of which the said chairman suddenly passed out into slumber land. When he woke up, his principal aide was winding up the meeting, and summarised the points of agreement to the woken chairman. The-would-be investors made a few polite remarks of "appreciation," gathered their papers and said farewell. They have since kept their distance - and their money. The chairman and the potential investors shall remain nameless. I believe the eyes of the Western Embassies, High Commissions and NGOs in Uganda will have been opened by Dr. Muniini Mulera's column titled "We are long-term investors; let us mind personalised rule," The Monitor November 22; and not missed Joseph Were's explicit exposure "Museveni championing an evil worse than corruption," Monitor of the next day. Indeed those of them who have been here for some time or taken interest in what the Ugandan (and foreign) press have written about the behaviour of the Movement or, correctly, the Museveni government, towards dissent, will have noticed Mr. Museveni's paranoid delusions about the "evil designs" of the opposition and its treatment at his hands, particularly its exclusion from active politics for the past 18 years, not to forget the regimentation of " 'the people' against the evils of political parties;" and the indoctrination mill at Kyankwanzi: aimed at the elite; which has hardly achieved any measure of success, because the elite - and urbanites - could not be taken for an 18-year ride. Thus, excepting those given corpulent appointments and or fleshy businesses or lucrative government tenders, the elite are generally against Museveni's led regression of democracy, and his continued autocratic rule. To which extent his protection brief is costly to the taxpayer. The figures of 172 District Commissioners and their assistants, the Chief Administrative Officers and corresponding assistants; receiving princely salaries, and doing political and administrative work which 17 of us combined for relatively modest wages; 66 ministers, 50 presidential "advisors," which appointments are rubberstamped by an elephantine parliament, pregnant with 307 mostly sleepy but "correctly-voting" people's representatives, are prodigal by any standards. Although we have often heard that the "people" will decide, we have now seen large amounts paid out to the majority of members of parliament, including the non-elected ministers: such as the Prime Minister. To go out and educate (the process styled "mobilise" or "internalise") their constituents on the contents of cabinet's White Paper: containing the views of government on the Ssempebwa Constitutional Review Commission Report: many of which views are outlandish relative to the terms of reference and the Commission's recommendations, resulting from wide consultations with large sections of the said "people," interviewed; as well as to the letter and spirit of the Constitution itself! I started taking interest in things governmental in 1944 when I entered S4 at Kings College Budo: yes, when I arrived in Buganda. To discover that Europeans could be wrong, forget criticised. That the Katikkiro could be gainsaid. Such things were then unthinkable back home. The Muzungu was "blameless" and the Enganzi was respected. I have often said, and still say, that I have known not a government, as guilty of falsehoods, spiced by inconsistencies; a government as intolerant, as vindictive or as shameless as the Museveni government except Amin's. But, of course, Amin's government was led by an Amin. I have not known a government as corrupt and as tolerant of corruption as the present government. I certainly have known not a government as extravagant of the resident and foreign taxpayers' money as the "Movement's" government! The eclectic (discriminative) Shs5m paid to 223 MPs is, by no means, the bottom line. The worst is yet to come. Moses Kigongo says it will be increased to Shs15m. But the opposition must win! And how! Popular parliamentary procedural analyst, Richard Mutumba, has opined that, given that a Mike Mukula will stand up in Parliament and propose that the omnibus bill be voted upon by ayes and nays, the bribe-glutted "Movementists" will win all through to the grassroots. They need not. Never mind that they have eaten the bribes. They might still wish to redeem their name and honour by defying the caucus whip, and insisting on secret voting. Given unity of purpose the opposition coalition would have the last laugh. Since practically all urban elite periodically visit the kibanja, patriots must go upcountry every weekend or more often; and carefully disabuse their compatriots of falsehoods they have imbibed for 18 years. We say that TRUTH may have had a slow and late start. But when it arrives LIES, having started early, feels as if he had never travelled. Go out and reveal the truth! Everybody will have heard about the disgrace of the sinful sh.5/- bribe to preach the gospel according to Movement chairman. To the denigrated religious leaders, including the erudite balokole pastors, you'll be preaching to the converted. These are your natural allies in fighting against lies and selfishness. It is their God-given assignment to tell their flocks what they think is in the interests of God's people, not the temporal yearnings of politicians terrified of accounting for their evil deeds while in office. Yes, of the Chiluba trial; the Goldberg scandal c.f. the shielded exploits of NEC et al; the resurrected Commission of Inquiry into the assassination of Robert Ouko c.f. the dust-gathering Scotland Yard Inquiry into the slaying of Lutakome Kayiira. This may be the "good" reason why the future opposition hub, that is FDC, is as still denied its legal right and obligation of registration. Finally, the opposition coalition must approach the foreign embassies and high commissions and, jointly with them, discuss and agree what the donors, some of whom were quick to recognise Amin's government, should do or should avoid doing for the greater good and interests of their respective peoples. All: FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY! Contact: fdrgureme @ yahoo. com; |
� 2004 The Monitor Publications
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