[Ugnet] INTERVIEW: Let M7 keep his promise -Shaka Ssali

[gook makanga]

Article Published on: 25th November 2004.

INTERVIEW: Let M7 keep his promise

Voice of America�s senior editor and talk show host Shaka Ssali, 52, has been here on holiday. Now an American citizen, RICHARD M. KAVUMA spoke to him about coming home as a �foreigner� in his own country and his views on Ugandan politics: How Ugandan do you feel given your American passport? Shaka: The fact that I have to look for a visa to enter my own country, the land of my ancestors, a land where I was born and I am from, obviously makes you feel disappointed. Somehow you can�t believe that [you are an alien] because you are now holding another country�s passport � which is really like the moral equivalent of ekitambulisho � something that enables me to have a career, to be able to take care of myself, and also live legally in another country. At some point we were looked at as victims of brain drain, but we can reverse it into a brain gain. Countries like Israel, South Korea, Taiwan, have developed [partly] because of enormous contribution of their nationals who were living in developed countries... Shaka Ssali So it should not be a privilege to be Ugandans. I was born in Kabale and you can�t take that away from me. My father and mother were born here, they made their contribution, they paid their taxes; some of my sisters live here. I have a brother who lives in Kabale. You are not going to say that I am not a Ugandan. It is just a small technicality and I am glad that on this one government is on the right track [planning to legalise dual citizenship]. What do you make of the ongoing �political transition�? Shaka: There are no timelines or any serious effort towards that. The [ruling] Movement seems to be dragging its feet, waiting to see when it can get an advantage... And then you have this idea of shifting the constitutional goalposts or the ekisanja: how President Yoweri Museveni should be given opportunity to hang on because he is the only man with the vision. I don�t see how a population of [27] million people can have only one individual who has a vision. And this constitution [which sets term limits] was made on his watch. He is the man who in fact once said that he didn�t see how an African leader could serve more than ten years. [But] the last time I checked, President Museveni is into his 19th year and he wants to continue because he says the people love him. Yet, we have not even had an election that could be viewed as free and fair, with a level playing field and genuine competition. If there was any competition, it is like imagining two boxers: a government boxer having his legs and hands free against an opposition boxer whose hands are tied behind his back and his legs also tied. And the Movement is saying: �you are not punching!� Still, the opposition has come under considerable criticism: What could they have done better? Shaka: They need to mobilise and organise themselves and borrow a leaf, for example, from neighbouring Kenya where the National Rainbow Coalition won perhaps one of the freest and fairest elections anywhere in the world. They were able to bury their differences and unite into a formidable group. Of course you know what has happened since the election but at least in the Kenyan case, you can say that they have reached a sort of political maturity in the sense that they are now engaged in the battle of ideas. The ground is levelled. In the context of Uganda it is not levelled... It is as if the Movement controls the playing field, controls the ball, referee, linesmen, and probably the fans. It becomes very difficult to blame the opposition. Should Museveni get ekisanja [third term]? Shaka: [Museveni] should find out frankly if staying on would be part of the solution or part of the problem. In 2001 he said in his manifesto that he wanted his second and last term [ending 2006] in order to accomplish three things: to choose a successor, professionalise the military and secure a regional economic market. Some cynics will say that he is in the process of accomplishing these; that he is now the chairman of COMESA, which is a regional market; that he has already embarked on professionalising the army with senior army officers undergoing training at Kimaka near Jinja. Now, even though he said in Sowing the Mustard Seed that he had come to the conclusion that Uganda had so many people who could lead it; it seems that Yoweri Kaguta Museveni may have chosen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni [as his successor]. You have not been here in two years. What has changed? Shaka: A lot of people, more than ever before, are willing to say that it is time for change. Some of these people say that President Museveni has done a great job especially in fighting AIDS, leading the transition, selling Uganda abroad, building infrastructure like roads. But many of them say that the best thing President Museveni can do is to give Ugandans a great present by saying that under no circumstances does he see himself remaining in active politics. He should do what he promised: complete his second term and go to Rwakitura and become a respected elder statesman just like my friend, the former President of Kenya, Daniel arap Moi. But if for some reason the people of this country [decide] � and that is ONLY IF they are really given a level political playing field where you can in fact hold a free and fair election or referendum; if people want President Museveni to continue, then it is up to their decision... Has anything deteriorated since you were last here? Shaka: Production is down, there is very little money going around, and there are a lot of people without work. If you go to Teso for instance, you don�t see cotton anymore; elsewhere, coffee production is not necessarily down but the prices are down; you do not have a lot of factories that have sprung up. People have instead invested in residential houses: the economy of Uganda will not depend on how many house girls or houseboys an individual employs. You need factories, you need people who have skills for opportunities to be generated. What are your views about the Ugandan media? Shaka: The media here is vibrant. What you need is to ensure that people can resist temptation for example from the brown envelopes. The only reason one will respect you as a journalist is because of your integrity. Your integrity is based on your credibility. Your credibility comes from your truthfulness. All these come from you submitting yourself as a servant of the truth, a servant of issues. You live and work in America, how has journalism changed since September 11, 2001? Shaka: People feel much more insecure. One of our colleagues had a very rare interview with Mullah Omar [head of the Taliban regime that shielded terrorist suspect Bin Laden in Afghanistan]. In another situation [she would have received] a prestigious award because that would have been interpreted as a world scoop. But the State Department for example complained; it caused us a lot of problems. It said that the Voice of America was using taxpayers� money [so it should not give a voice to America�s enemies]. That was not good for journalism. And that was because of 9/11. Some officials in the State Department felt that the media should play a �constructive role�, meaning really a partisan role. That whatever you do has to be subjected to what they consider �vital national security concerns�... And that, therefore, a person like Mullah Omar should not have been given a forum... [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Gook

 

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