Peter Cromwell Okello
In the howling scene of Ugandan politics, the spotlight has been cast upon Anita Among, the Speaker of Parliament, as the latest villain in the ongoing saga of corruption. The chorus of anti-corruption activists, both local and international, demands her resignation.
Yet, those who have peered behind the curtains know that the true antagonist is not Among, but the very system that has been meticulously crafted to perpetuate corruption.
Imagine, if you will, a grand chessboard where the pieces are not mere pawns, knights, or queens, but politicians, bureaucrats, and power brokers.
The President, the grandmaster of this game, moves his pieces with calculated precision. The Parliament, in this game, is not an adversary but a willing accomplice, changing laws and reaping the rewards of their complicity.
Among, in this game, is but a latecomer, a piece that has been placed on the board long after the rules were established. Her role is predetermined by the system, a system that has been entrenched long before her arrival. The call for her resignation, therefore, is akin to blaming a single chess piece for the outcome of the game. The real issue lies with the grandmaster and the rules he has set.
In the realm of Ugandan politics, most leaders are not knights in shining armour but opportunists seeking to amass wealth. The era of politics driven by ideas, where candidates simply held rallies, presented their manifestos, and kissed babies without bribing voters, has long passed. The politics of cash has supplanted the politics of principles, enabling the election of incompetents. Thus, the notion that the current regime can combat corruption is a grand delusion. True commitment to fighting corruption would see officials re-signing in protest against interference, as would be expected in a genuine democracy. Yet, in Uganda, the Inspector General of Government remains in office despite the President’s meddling, warning her to ease off on lifestyle audits that threaten to expose the corrupt.
Consider the scandal of the stolen iron sheets meant for the impoverished in Karamoja. The culprits, mostly newcomers to the ruling party, are mere novices in the art of corruption. The iron sheet scandal should have prompted a mass resignation, yet only two ministers were sacrificed. When patriotic youths protested against the theft of resources intended for Ugandan citizens in Karamoja, they were met with arrests and detention, starkly reminding us that combating corruption in Uganda is tantamount to opposing the government.
In this country, the thieves, aka the corrupt, have the audacity to preach patriotism to the youth. These young people, armed with nothing but placards and their voices, march against corruption, only to be detained by a government that once claimed to champion patriotism. The irony is palpable as Uganda’s reputation is tarnished on the global stage, with ambassadors turning embassies into gambling dens and engaging in street brawls abroad in defence of the regime.
Among’s resignation would scarcely disrupt the entrenched corruption in Uganda. The emphasis on her is a mere diversion from the core issue: the system itself. To truly eradicate corruption, the entire apparatus must be dismantled, and Uganda rebuilt from the foundational principles established by past leaders. Until we confront this systemic decay, corruption will endure irrespective of who holds the Speaker’s chair.
Peter Cromwell Okello is a PhD student at the University of Plymouth, England.
@cromwellokello
