FDC’s impasse; more about economics than politics

Many political parties on their own run on shoestring budgets with the initial funding coming from the savings of individuals. But politics is a very expensive business. So as they grow they need funding to stay afloat.

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Monday, July 24, 2023

How does a political party stay relevant if it only talks but does not answer bread and butter issues? This is a very crucial point in Uganda where the social safety net is for all intents and purposes, nonexistent.

The hospitals are near hospices without adequate doctors, diagnostic equipment, and drugs. The schools are another unhappy chapter. The economy is stunted with most young people unemployed.

The major focus is on politics where money is thrown around for patronage, especially the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) government which simply picks it from the national kitty without remorse.

So for most parties to survive but still remain with the opposition facade, they must quietly find a way of accessing this money to also solve basic problems like school fees for supporters. They play the game like Nicodemus in the Bible; a Pharisee during the day and then Jesus’ visitor in the night.

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This has been a secret because NRM was giving a lot of money for all that matter to share. With all satisfied, we never get to hear about the diseases that blight the party. Big money is the robust immune system that hides the contradictions within the opposition.

Now that Uganda’s economy is struggling, NRM no longer has the same leg room of throwing money at the opposition.

So the little it now offers has to be fought for. It is akin to thieves falling out for want of sharing. They start talking.

Secondly, NRM is now attaching strings and conditions to its offertory. No more Nicodemus’ nocturnal visits. Business will be in broad daylight. Whoever is taking their money should come out like a prostitute and declare so without shame. That is where the claim that one wing of FDC wants to take over and hand the party to NRM, originates.

The one who will come on top is the one who is both the de jure and de facto controller (owner) of the party. The one who can transact on its behalf for the avoidance of doubt and embarrassment that comes to contracting what one does not own.

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That is why it is now crucial after all these years for FDC to talk about a voters’ register. Those on the register will be the ones to decide who ‘owns’ and can negotiate in case a sweetheart deal like for Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) or Democratic Party (DP) is to be done with FDC. They must be positioning themselves to be bought.

The daggers drawn regarding the grassroots elections and all the chaos and violence witnessed at the FDC headquarters in Najjanankumbi last week have very little to do with democratising the party.

The very notion of birthing civility by violence is despicable and history has proved it rarely works. It becomes the norm; the fallback position whenever there is a need to push forward something unpopular. The NRM is a classic example.

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Whenever one is found on an opposing side of a contradiction they are reminded that NRM is a revolutionary party that was brought this far by guns and rivers of blood. They can reverse mutation and act violently. So unpopular and undemocratic positions find a safe passage in this way and it becomes an acceptable culture.

All that aside, it is said that one should never lose the opportunity that comes with bad experiences. The biggest from the FDC fallout is the all-important lesson that may help those who genuinely desire to take on NRM or any opponent far and beyond in the political arena.

Uganda’s political parties and those interested in politics have to disabuse themselves of the misleading perception that Uganda’s problem is bad politics.

It is actually an acute economic problem that manifests itself as toxic politics. As long as people are economically insecure, they will never be stable and steady in anything across the board. That is why you hardly find an honest person in Uganda today. Everyone is calculating their survival.

Economic insecurity is a situation where one is not sure that they will be able to survive in the future when their current sources of sustenance cease. The reason is that there is no social safety net in case you suffer, for example an ailment like cancer.

Cancer medical bills read like serial numbers of mobile phones and are no respecters of retirement plans. We have seen very bad examples like that of the late Patrick Kiggundu, the former Kakuto County MP; a very brilliant man, who died in abject poverty after a debilitating accident.

Secondly, there is hardly any production to speak about that genuinely rewards truthful labour and grants a future with adequate retirement benefits. The economy with poor capital markets and investment opportunities coupled with inflation may wipe away savings in a matter of months.

That is why people who have earned genuinely and even those who have stolen so much, never seem to get satisfied. They keep at it until they go to the grave.

Politicians have to stay in politics, grab as much as possible and make themselves available for purchase.

Uganda’s lopsided economy creates a power relation where many are holding out a begging bowl to survive and NRM is the one with the money so they call the tune. No amount of good FDC party politics is going to solve this absurd economic reality.

Mr Sengoba is a commentator on political and social issues

Twitter: @nsengoba