Prime
Museveni’s four-hour address failed to achieve its main objectives
As a student and teacher for many years, I fairly know the methods of communication to enlighten listeners, readers and correspondents. An effective communicator endeavours to utilise the best techniques that convey the intended message. One of the methods is to be brief and to the point.
Before delivering the required message or information, the communicator must first know the level, interests and character of the people who receive the message. He/she must bear in mind their perception and importance of the subject matter the communicator is delivering.
The communicator must know and accurately make notes after consultations with several or more of the consumers of his message, emphasizing the purpose of the message.
Failure to grasp these guidelines will undress the communicator and put to sleep listeners or at best force them to switch to other programmes in which they are interested.
President Museveni did not utilise all the techniques necessary for effective delivery of his message to the nation on Sunday, September 9.
Important aspects for effective communication are the length, content and duration of the communication. It has been said that the longer the communication takes to be completed, the greater its irrelevancy to the listeners or viewers.
President Museveni spoke for about four hours. The media had loudly and widely broadcast the topic of his address as “Political security in Uganda today”.
Ugandans thought that it was the political insecurity, the fights between members of different political parties, the arrests and detentions of the former Inspector General of Police and senior police officers who allegedly committed crimes, including aiding and abetting the kidnapping of Rwanda exiles and failing to protect war material.
President Museveni addressed the nation after the assassination of many notable personalities, including former Arua Municipality MP Ibrahim Abiriga and former Buyende DPC Muhammad Kirumira.
It was also against the background of torture and beatings of innocent civilians by members of the security forces, including those said to be from the elite Special Forces Command.
That the presidential address glossed over these serious political crimes and avoided to comment on culprits and suspects who were responsible, was an omission which many Ugandans believe to have been intended.
Going by the commentaries in the media and remarks of the NRM members and opponents, the President’s voyage into the country’s history since independence can hardly be described as relevant to the subject matter of his address.
In fact, following the President’s address to the nation, there have been other speeches and comments from ministers and other senior government officials who actually opined that the President had been misled.
The officials wondered why President Museveni in a four-hour address to the nation hardly touched the most important issues the nation expected him to enlighten and assure Ugandans that all would be well.
In the end, the President’s address on political and personal security in Uganda failed to achieve its main objectives. To be fair, since the delivery of the address there have been other speeches and media reports applauding and recommending the reading of the President’s address.
For example a Mr Nyombi Thembo wrote on September 15 that the “Presidential address was spot on”, proving that partisanship and the right to differ amongst Ugandans is still alive in Uganda’s politics and governance.
Prof Kanyeihamba is a retired Supreme Court judge.
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