Prime
Uganda through a football fan’s eyes
Raymond Mujuni
What you need to know:
- On the score board, Uganda started to put some goals; poverty reduction, employment, entreprise and revenue growth but these, remember were on the back-pedal of many goals conceded during the deadly years.
I’ll start this column with a brief football analogy. During a game, the coach often makes changes when a team is conceding goals and losing streak. Those changes every fan hopes will turn their fortunes around. It’s why, in the World cup final, on the back-pedal of conceding goals, France totally upended their midfield, changed their strategy and pulled back two goals to force a 3-3 before we headed to penalties.
And so is the Ugandan economy, in 1986, after multiple losses, Uganda changed tact where Obote instituted a ‘Move To the Left’ the NRM under Museveni drank the free-market cool-aid, where Amin had sought to indigenize capital, the NRM re-invited the Asians, handed them their shops, in the midfield, the IMF, our economic tactician recommended Structural adjustment programs, and government was taken off the field of economic participation and privatization was marched on firmed down with the boots of western multinational capital; The UCB’s came off for Stanbic to have it’s play time and a host of other changes.
The game sort of stabilised. On the score board, Uganda started to put some goals; poverty reduction, employment, entreprise and revenue growth but these, remember were on the back-pedal of many goals conceded during the deadly years.
So now, here we are, in the dying minutes of the game. The odds are well against us. Unemployment numbers have still failed to fall, government continues to borough down money to turn agricultural programs; from NAADS, OWC, Bonna Bagagawale, Parish Development Model (PDM) et al. The educated kids are wondering if this is all the money the jobs they were promised can get them. The old turks are wondering if the pension left is enough to organize their funeral and leave an inheritance, the middle aged-40’s are fleeing bank mortgage repayment calls.
Some players on the bench aren’t happy they aren’t on field, some fans are leaving the pitch to the players and going to UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia for casual labour, the pundits on the TVs, oh my them pundits! are tearing the strategy apart asking for the coach to resign or be sacked.
But this game is already in extra-time. We could, with a dying minute goal win it. It could also end in a loss; all options are on the table.
But if it remains as it looks, we’ll have a draw on our hands and the real question will be who are the five players on the coach’s list to take our penalties?
Think about it; who are they?
