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Ugandans yearn for more online ‘exhibitions’
Ugandans on Twitter have asked for more online exhibitions from social media activists who spear headed the recently concluded NGO, Security, Health and Kampala potholes exhibitions.
The exhibitions, started by academician and cartoonist, Dr Jimmy Spire Ssentongo, were basically aimed at holding the respective institutions accountable. They have so far yielded some good results despite backlash from a section of ‘apologists.’
For instance, the Kampala Pothole Exhibition prompted President Museveni to order the Finance Ministry to release Shs6 trillion for a quick rehabilitation of the potholed roads in Kampala City.
The response from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) was also positive as the spokesperson, Mr Simon Kasyate, responsed to issues raised by the frustrated Ugandans online. The KCCA Executive Director, Ms Dorothy Kisaka, also subsequently addressed the media in that regard, a move that was lauded by several Ugandans.
The second exhibition was about the health sector, which met a lot from resistance before it could even kick off, as officials from the Ministry of Health got defensive on issues Ugandans raised about the rot in the healthcare system.
The ministry spokesperson Emmanuel Ainebyoona was baptised with fire when he tried to dismiss a number of issues that Ugandans raised, as many accused him of being oblivious and insensitive to the plight of Ugandans on whose taxes they [officials] benefit while delivering bogus services without wanting to be accountable.
He [Ainebyoona] was forced to make numerous apologies as he kept pressing wrong buttons in some of his responses via twitter.
Ms Diana Atwiine, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, also came under fore over the same dismissive attitude towards the ‘pain’ of Ugandans. At the end of the exhibition, the ministry did not respond to any of the issues raised, an attitude that angered many.
However, the positive part is that hospital heads were put on alert to ensure efficiency in the health centres/hospitals “so that the exhibitors fail to catch them”. Although it was done in panic, it was a plus.
Dr Ssentongo then handed over the mantle to Mr Godwin Toko, a lawyer and activist, to exhibit the security sector. The response from Ugandans was a bit low compared to the first two. It is not clear why it was so.
Ms Agather Atuhaire, a lawyer and journalist, then took on the mantle to torch into the Non-Government Organisations (NGOs).
Ms Atuhaire faced a lot of backlash from a section of sector players who instead chose character assassination other than responding to the issues raised.
The revelations in the two-week exhibition painted a grim picture of the sector, that has for a long time put government to account, a case of preaching water while drinking wine. The spine-chilling accounts by some people who chose to speak up was a wakeup call to many Ugandans.
The dominant issues raised included sexual abuse against women, exploitation, emotional abuse, late payments and fraud, among others.
Sector regulators, the NGO Bureau and the Uganda NGO Forum said they were following the exhibition and would respond to the concerns raised.
“As a sector that aspires to be transparent and publicly accountable, we are actively listening and documenting the numerous concerns,” the NGO Forum tweeted. Their response is yet to come through, now that the exhibition has ended.
“Today being the final day of #UgandaNGOsExhibition, we are grateful to everyone who participated in one way or another. We will communicate the next sector for exhibition. Over the last two weeks, one question was asked repeatedly: What next after the NGO exhibition?” Mr Toko tweeted on Sunday evening.
In a poll tweet, Mr Toko, asked people to vote for the next exhibition which is anticipated to commence in the month July.
Hellen Nakyeyune tweeted saying, “Education is ripe. Its long overdue. Its rotten and is calling for an exhibition. Next should be churches “kubanga eh bakisusa” (they are extreme).
Badilu Patel replied, “Last poll, banking sector polled highly, why think of a new sector. Can the banking sector be looked at first? Real change can be done there.”
"I think we need to shine the lights on FUFA before the lights go out on our game. I think the game is not developing at the same rate as the leaders at FUFA are amassing wealth. It makes no sense that FUFA men are growing fat amidst abject failure," Pauline Muwanga tweeted.
This online exhibition seems to be the one way Ugandans have discovered that they can protest/air their grievancies without bloodshed and arrests, thus demanding for more exhibitions.
