This article is in response to that written by Onapito Ekolomoit on August 19, on the issue of party democracy versus individual merit.
As a Government publicist, Onapito seems to be dangling out a poisoned cake for politicians to swallow in the hope that once they do then Uganda will be doomed forever under the Movement. He starts by saying, "as Uganda moves from individual merit to group elections, there is growing worry among the political class as to whether this represents consolidation or negation of democracy". My own take of this statement is that it is the within the Movement that there is a worry.
Essence of individual merit
In real sense, individual merit breeds personal power and corruption, detaches leaders from the people they are supposed to represent thereby shielding them from accounting to their respective constituencies. It also exposes and subjects the individual leader to corruption and compromise and thereby makes him or her vulnerable.
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It negates politics of principles and breeds political anarchy. It is also contrary to the principle of collective responsibility.
No wonder we seem not to understand the way many of our MPs behaved in the past few months. This all fits well with the NRM ways and can never be a way of consolidating democracy.
With many parties taking differing positions on various issues, the NRM is finding it difficult to lump and trash all opposition together.
Their work is made more difficult and complex in this scenario. This explains why the publicist is dangling this individual merit card in the hope that party supporters will pick it. By expounding how "expensive politics has become under the NRM", the Onapitos are trying to stampede the politicians into the NRM net, signaling that they have the necessary money to bail out desparate politicians.
This is the origin of official corruption of the NRM rule. If meeting election costs is "individual" responsibili
ty, then
the power that comes with wining is also "individual"-this cannot be said to be consolidation of democracy but entrenching individual dictatorship through vote buying. This is also why it is easy for the NRM to dish out Ushs 5 millon without consent of any voters and the contracted Parliament does whatever the moneyman wants.
Spin and lies
Onapito says, " Perhaps, however, the party system has lost most of it's meaning to the voters that parties will decay rather than realignÂ…. evidence is found in the decreasing proportion of voters who identify with a particular political party".
Where was this study done? Doesn't Onapito need to reflect on the fact that no elections have been held under multi-parties for the last 25 years? Has he confused the individual merit elections with those under multi-party elections? Or is it the usual self-deception that parties are very unpopular and virtually dead?
Why does NRM outfit shift uneasily in their seats when it is announced that some party leaders and officials want to return home to lead or reorganize their parties? If your support is so massive throughout the country, why fear and ban those without support? And why the incessant bribery of party supporters to cross over? The truth is that Ugandan political parties ar
e alive
and well.
They are here to stay and despite their shortcomings, are concrete channels for political participation. They breed brilliant incorruptible leadership both for themselves and the nation. Individual merit on the other hand is akin to orphaned, vulnerable and cowardly political pretence.
One's individual merit, however meritorious, can never be equated with the will of the electorate.
Political goodies such as economic development, education, rural and urban growth, health services etc are not delivered by individuals but by systems and institutions larger than the "merited" individuals.
By stating that the groups most loyal to NRM are rural people, women, youths and urban big and informal businesses," the Onapito's are admitting that the NRM has taken a big hit on its credibility.
They seem to forget that even in that rural area, every vote is a case-by-case issue, and that many minorities can easily make a majority.
On the other
hand
businesses are crying foul and are on the verge of striking due to unbearable taxes to maintain the NRM junta.
Women and youth have been deceived and condemned to IDPs without services of education, health, water and they see no future as long as NRM remains.
Their votes cannot therefore be taken for-granted. I find here a situation of "confidence" without confidence within the NRM camp.
The only hope is to prey on isolated elected leaders under the cloak of 'individual merit'. | 
