Uganda @58: Some personal reflections

Uganda marked the 58th anniversary of Independence on October 9. The theme of the event was, “Celebrating Uganda’s steady progress towards economic takeoff and self-sustaining economic growth.”
Contrary to the theme, Uganda has, in fact, been on a steady decline and a downward spiral in many sectors since around 2003, especially in the social, humanitarian and human rights sectors. According to UBOS, poverty has hit rock bottom. Uganda’s debt has hit the roof and the poverty index is worse today than in 1962.
 It’s only a minority of Ugandans from the usually favoured sub-region who are celebrating “steady progress towards economic takeoff.” I am informed by reliable sources that the sub-region may soon take off.
This opinion was prompted by a comment by fellow columnist, Mr Karoli Ssemogerere, published in Daily Monitor of October 8, titled, “Uganda turns 58: What phase of nation-building are we at?”
With due respect, I found some of the remarks Karoli made in his piece dishonest, derogatory, offensive and preposterous. For example, he alleged that: “To this day, very little, formatively, is known about Milton Obote’s earlier years, something which made him highly suitable in a parochial society like Uganda.”
As if that is not bad enough, he claims erroneously that, “Obote represented not just the status quo, but also the departing political regime” by which, I guess, he means the British colonial regime! Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Obote’s record at Busoga College Mwiri, Makerere, in Legislative Council, during Uganda’s struggle for self-determination and independence, as Prime Minister and President of Uganda, as s Pan-Africanist and in the African revolution is outstanding, well documented and speaks eloquently for itself. As a lawyer, Karoli ought to know that ignorance is no defence. In addition, it’s wrong and unacceptable to misinform and mislead wananchi.
To make matters worse, Karoli alleges that, “Amin perhaps ran the most nationalistic government in the history of Uganda. Like Obote, he came from the fringes of society but carried the purpose of a military person checked by a limited formal education.”
I don’t know what Karoli means by “the fringes of society,” but it reminds me of the turbulent period soon after NRA guerillas grabbed power by the gun in January 1986 when self-styled freedom fighters and revolutionaries branded almost everybody who hailed from the greater north of Uganda anyanya, backward and primitive.
For a well-educated Ugandan to allege that little is known or available in public domain about Obote’s background is disingenuous, misleading and unbecoming. I would like recommend, for Karoli’s education, a book by British Professor of History, Kenneth Ingham, titled, Obote: A political biography, published in 1994 by Routledge of London, England.
There are many books and articles in academic journals about Obote which are available online. I encourage Karoli to undertake research to equip him for an informed debate. David Oyite Ojok was chief of staff, not army commander.
Like all human beings, Obote had his strengths and weaknesses and he made mistakes, but on balance the first UPC government which he led from 1962-1971 laid a strong foundation upon which other governments have struggled to build a nation called Uganda. As a witness of events and participant in the evolution of Uganda as a nation, Obote is, in my opinion, the best national leader Uganda has so far produced. Mzee Boniface Byanyima, former DP Chairman, concurred in an interview published by The Observer newspaper in 2005.
History will ultimately judge all former and current leaders of Uganda. As I argued in my opinion of October 4, the verdict of history on the Amin regime and the NRM regime, both of which enjoyed generous support from Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi, will be harsh, merciless and unpleasant.

Mr Acemah is a political scientist and retired career diplomat.
[email protected]