Development: Uganda Must Shun Cheap Talk

Published on 14th October 2013

The once revered United Kingdom (UK) based Economist Newspaper is quickly losing a sense of balance - headlining attack lines against President Museveni, the NRM and people of Uganda.

Obviously, The Economist is being used by the  ever present quasi imperialists tapping the button of vulnerabilities and biases that form the usual bad reporting on Africa. Editors at the Economist fall prey to years of dark reporting and distorted imagery of Africa. In their much conflated report published online from the print edition on Oct 12th 2013  “Uganda and its President: A leader who cannot bear to retire” the Economist paints doom and gloom in Uganda and present President Museveni. Really? In the same report, they clearly look down on the people of Uganda, presenting them as not worthy of discernment, as a people who despite of Museveni’s bad leadership, will continue to support and vote for him!

This is part of the wider schemes by imperialists who feel left behind by the progress in Uganda. They allegedly  had a hand in the ousting of President Milton Obote in 1971 and installation of reign of terror through their new kid on the block, a non-commissioned military officer who later became Field Marshal Idi Amin Dada – the conqueror of ‘the British Empire.’ Now, they are financing opposition campaigns, funding insurrectionists under the rubric of the so called ‘walk to work’ protests, creating platforms and arranging strategy meetings for oppositionists in various capitals of Europe. The result has been successive opposition defeats at pervious general elections in Uganda.

Imperialists are angry at the people of Uganda. They are desperate and they want to keep fighting. Now that they failed with former FDC president Dr.Kiiza Besigye and UPC president Olara Otunu,  they are trying to look out for more. Should we be surprised if the same group is behind Gen. David Sejusa aka Gen. David Tinyefuza? Why can’t this group let the people of Uganda select their leaders without interference and arrogance? Why can’t they respect the ingenuity of Ugandans? Why can’t they be comfortable with Uganda’s sovereignty?

Now they are saying, “once admired across Africa and the West, Uganda’s tarnished president seems determined to hang on forever.” This is again a desperate joke of the year! For all and sundry to know, there shall never be ‘hanging on forever’ in Uganda. There is no leader or group that can hang on to power without the mandate of the people.
Uganda is a firm constitutional democracy where people have the power to elect and select leaders of their choice through periodic elections every five years. Indeed such elections happened in 2011 and President Museveni won with a 68 percent landslide. Dr. Kiiza Besigye of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) came a distant second with a paltry 27 percent of the total presidential vote. Dr. Besigye and his party the FDC never challenged this in any courts of law. They were defeated fairly and squarely.

No one can successfully badmouth the Uganda’s constitutional journey and attempt to roll back gains of the 1995 constitution, a document Ugandans continue to hold as a sacred living document. A document that practically breathes in and out Uganda’s political life.  A life that is enshrined in Chapter 1, Articles 1, 2, 3 and 4 (Sovereignty of the people, Supremacy of the Constitution, Defense of the Constitution and promotion of public awareness of the constitution) and Chapter 18: Amendment of the Constitution (done by parliament or through a referendum).

A document that continues to entrench the democratic principle of separation of powers with an independent judiciary and an all-powerful legislature with budgeting, and oversight powers and mandate to verify and veto the Executive. A document that bestows citizenry with the power to whip or dismiss those that are not fulfilling or exercising their constitutional mandate to expectations of the people. 

Ugandans and institutions are implementing and living up to the promise of the 1995 constitution. With the foregoing, how can one or any group talk of ‘a President that seems determined to hang on forever’? How can one say that President Museveni is a singular decision maker in Uganda? Have they for instance looked at compelling decisions, reports and actions of Uganda’s Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that was not long ago chaired by the now Leader of Opposition in Uganda’s Parliament- Hon. Nathan Nandala Mafabi?

The Economist is also talking of ‘a tarnished President’? Can they mention their source of information or evidence to back their claim? Have they conducted an opinion poll to back their utterances? Have they looked at the 2010 and 2011 robust Afrobarometer opinion surveys that came up with a verdict showing that 78 percent of Ugandans believe Uganda’s situation continues to get better – under the National Resistance Movement and President Museveni?

The NRM and President Museveni continue to offer the best concrete and practical hope to Ugandans. The NRM remains the only party that captures the imagination of citizenry. Uganda is on unstoppable journey of openness and inclusiveness. President Museveni is now in a season of opening factories – one after another – deepening infrastructure – promoting industrialization – creating jobs and pushing Uganda to a Modern Nation State. Challenges remain – but as a people, Ugandans continue to overcome them one by one and continue to build the nation brick by brick. Let detractors keep grumbling while Ugandans keep the focus.

By Morrison Rwakakamba
Special Presidential Assistant – Research & Information (Head of Unit)
[email protected]


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