National Resistance Movement and leadership crisis in Uganda
By Joseph Ochieno Posted Sunday, February 9 2014 at 02:00 Two weeks ago NRA/NRM regime marked their 28th year in power with pomp. In January 1986, they arrived in town from a vicious bush-terror war claiming they had fought to restore democracy. It was a false claim for as it happened, they ruled for another 20 years until 2006 when they were forced by UPC through legal means - to open up political party operations. Twenty years is a long time but, 28 is even longer. To put that in context; it is equivalent to the Idi Amin reign three times over plus eight years. Amin ruled Uganda from January 1971 to April 1979; that is, only eight years and three months! But this is not the point of this piece. Towards the end of 2013, I received a request from publishers of New African Magazine, a monthly publication based in London, in which I have a column Out of Africa. The request was that I should recommend eminent Ugandans for Africas 100 top personalities of the year. Due to prior engagements elsewhere, I was unable to deal, for which I regretted. But I wonder though, had I been in my office around the time, who would I have honestly, penned for these purposes if any? I doubt a genuine or easy answer from the depth of my conscience. Last week I was following an interesting online debate about the decency of traditional schools in Uganda, like my poor old Mwiri, Namagunga, Nabingo, Budo and others and their ability to broadly nurture responsible and decent citizens. A friend mentioned two eminent names, one a former vice-president and the other, a once-upon-a-time candidate for residence at State House, by-any-means-necessary, as exemplary. Outside the acknowledged academic achievements of the two personalities, I cannot for instance, see how I would have nominated or even given thought about any of the two. If anything, my friends own rounded professional and private achievements thus far, would qualify! Thinking back to NRA/NRM celebrations at Mayuge (using public funds I must add), I recall the address by Mr Museveni, their leader. He publicly claimed that for all these years, he did not know that his army has committed atrocities particularly in north and east of the country. That he only knew of Mukura massacre of 1989 and a couple of others. This is serious. For a national president not to know what his army atrociously does in his name is a massive dereliction of duty. Yet to know about a war crime and crime against humanity as was the case in Mukura (his exception) and take 25 years without doing anything about it is even worse. As if this was not worrisome enough, he declared that since civilian NRA/NRM members could no longer be trusted with delivering and sharing the national cake (amongst themselves); soldiers have now been drafted in to implement a seemingly well thought out hegemonic economic programmes. So he announced a Lt Col Dhamuzungu as the guarantor for seedlings, officially supervised by a Gen Salim Saleh. Is it any wonder that Ugandas response to regional conflicts whether in Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC and now South Sudan is never material nor diplomatic but military? On this basis, it will take 25 years before releasing how many Ugandan soldiers died in South Sudan and why, how many Sudanese they killed, where and why and, how much national (if not personal) interest Uganda is protecting in that country today. Would I be too harsh to our Crested Cranes, if I suggest that Uganda is a country variously bankrupt but, only rich in the skills on weapons that kill aka AK47? Granted, with the messes in South Sudan and Central African Republic, our continent continuously presents as leaderless. Yet Ugandas ineptitude in mitigating the mess is only matched by its perfection to fuel it. A leaderless country full of people at the top who are best at looting national coffers and experts in military expansionism, most times serving as neo-imperialist dogs. If I must at last agree with Mr Museveni on anything, he conceded at Mayuge that Ugandans have been in a state of sleep for, perhaps too long. So we both urge Ugandans to wake up from sleep. But while he seeks utopian transformation, I suggest Ugandans must wake up and reclaim their country. It is possible. The writer is a senior UPC member <mailto:[email protected]/@Ochieno> [email protected]/@Ochieno Thé Mulindwas Communication Group "With Yoweri Museveni and Dr. Kiiza Besigye Uganda is in anarchy" Kuungana Mulindwa Mawasiliano Kikundi "Pamoja na Yoweri Museveni na Dk. Kiiza Besigye Uganda ni katika machafuko"
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