I would love to share this article by a ugandan jesuit priest based in the USA.
By Henry F. Mulindwa (email the author) Posted Friday, October 1 2010 at 00:00 Elections in Uganda are like a beauty contest where all the contestants are ugly. It is known that Ugandan politics is more about position rather than policy. As campaigns open for the 2011 election year, you will increasingly prove me right that candidates are thin on the facts but thick on rhetoric. Similarly on the side of supporters, the support is a mile wide but an inch deep! Why should men and women of honour craw over broken glass begging for a vote? Why should they spend sleepless nights and lose weight? Why do they take loans and mortgage their property? Why do they try to defend the indefensible? Only those born yesterday could think that these politicians are taking all these risks just for you; to bring you water and electricity, to build roads, schools and hospitals, to create jobs. I hope I am wrong. Do not be deceived that people go to war to liberate you and let you enjoy your freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and other liberties. It would be so naïve, especially when you can see for yourself that radios can be switched off air, certain people cannot be allowed to assemble and some news has got to be suppressed. After years of absence your politicians have returned to play the same game with more advanced tricks. It is possible that they will look the same, but more likely they will look different. As voters we should know that everyone has his/her goals and aspirations. People join groups, and organisations with personal motives. What one cannot achieve alone, one might probably achieve using a group as a vehicle. So no one runs for any political office primarily for you, the people. You can only pray or figure out that what fulfills his/her aspiration fixes your problem. If you find such a win-win scenario in a politician, that is your guy to vote. Vote for those who share your values and aspirations. If one tells you that you will continue to have no roads and to have a stinking town because you never voted for him/her, cast a protest vote against such arrogance. Aren’t all parts of the country entitled to having roads that are built using money from taxes we all pay and from donor funding to all Ugandans? As they campaign, do not handle them with baby gloves; but with cool heads, ask the tough questions about your rights and liberties. Demand your rights, not beg for them. Demand answers from your elected officials and aspirants. Without violence, demand; do not request. You elect them to work for you and you pay them. You toil; and on your sweat they get their lofty salaries and benefits. You pay for their comfort. Why do you keep them in office if they cannot do things that improve your general quality of life? But if they do, what witch’s spell prevents you from electing them, if they ask you to? It is only when people have a demand that government will care to deliver. Demand paved roads, stocked hospitals, schools, etc; make your demand during campaigns. I get sick and angry whenever I see poor people clapping their hands lame just because a politician has “donated” ten bicycles to a group! You deserve more than that. For God and my country. *Mr Mulindwa lives in USA* *[email protected]*
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