Prime
Uganda @ 55: A country with a bleak future - Part I
Tomorrow is the 55th anniversary of Independence of Uganda, but what is less known and often overlooked is the fact that today, October 8, is the 55th anniversary of Independence of Buganda. This double uhuru idea was included in the agreement reached at the constitutional conference held in London in June 1962, which paved the way for Uganda to achieve independence on October 9, 1962.
I wish the people of Uganda, especially the youth, women and wananchi a happy and peaceful 55th anniversary of independence. May God bless and uphold Ugandans who have placed their future in His divine hands. Despite daunting challenges and problems which face the gallant people of Uganda, make no mistake, Ugandans shall overcome one day!
The theme of this year’s national celebrations scheduled to take place in Bushenyi is: “Uganda’s freedom must be anchored in the spirit of hard work, resilience and commitment”, which is pertinent and timely because Uganda’s freedom is under severe attack and threatened, inter alia, by endemic corruption, lawlessness and impunity on the part of the ruling class.
The uncertainty which hangs menacingly over Uganda like Damocles sword was once again brought into sharp focus and vividly displayed for the attention of Ugandans and the world at large on September 26 and 27. On both days, pandemonium broke loose in the Bunge or Parliament of Uganda, which was turned into a kick-boxing ring by uninvited strangers, who invaded the august House and engaged honourable members in a vicious fist fight, which left many MPs with serious injuries. The two-hour long fracas was broadcast on national television for all to see.
The violence unleashed mercilessly and indiscriminately on Opposition MPs on that sad day reminded me of an undergraduate dissertation written by a fellow alumni of the University of East Africa titled, “Fanon’s theory on violence: its verification in liberated Mozambique” published in Nathan Shamuyarira’s book titled, “Essays on the liberation of Southern Africa.”
The dissertation begins with a telling quotation from Franz Fanon’s 1967 book titled, The Wretched of the Earth.
“At the level of individuals, violence is a cleansing force.” I disagree entirely with Fanon’s assertion because there is absolutely nothing good, useful, let alone cleansing about violence!
What a tragic and painful sight the fracas at Parliament was!
It never occurred to me that things could get this bad in Uganda, the Pearl of Africa whose light no longer shines! What a shame! What a disgrace! Just because a few corrupt and greedy men shamelessly insist that they need more time to eat the big animal somebody hunted for them 30 years ago, must the Republic of Uganda be dragged so low and so deep into the abyss of moral decadence and abomination? The answer is unequivocally and without any doubt, a big no!
The tragicomedy which took place in the Bunge on September 27, is a bad omen for Uganda, especially for democracy in Uganda.
There were no winners, only losers, but the biggest loser is NRM, more accurately whatever is left of that rudderless organisation. The whole episode was shameful and despicable!
After three decades of portraying itself as a political party, what happened in Parliament on September 27 exposed NRM and, especially the ruling clique, in their true colours! What happened on that day of infamy has been coming for sometime and to borrow a leaf from the Scripture, the wolves hidden under sheepskin removed their camouflages, snarled and tore their prey savagely, without any mercy!
The façade of civil discourse in Parliament is over! Now is time for crude orders from above, which Ugandans are expected to obey without asking any questions or else one can be charged with treason or terrorism or annoying big men!
To be continued...
