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Netters
Dr. Milton
Obote, my man of the year, every year man of the century.
Since joining active politics in the 1950s the man has been consistent, objective and clear minded. Guided by ideals of democratic socialism, Obote has always believed that it is possible for African countries to mobile their resources, to plan in partnership with industry, a people centred economic and social destiny that befits a continent riddled by centuries of slavery, decades of colonialism, neo-colonialism, apartheid and dictatorship. Armed with this zeal, Obote the nationalist managed in the two short periods he served as president of Uganda, to provide the people not only with the only institutions worth of mention - ever, whether in health, education, transport, agriculture, tourism or industry and commerce but an exemplary personal conduct typical of a true Pan Africanist. He created the fastest growing economy in tropical Africa in just 8 years, so much that Uganda would today be over and above the league of South Korea and Singapore. What a shame. Ensured the standard of living of every individual Ugandan grew year on year, every year he was president. Best health service, best civil service, best education system, best transport (East Africa) network, name it! Interestingly, Britain's current finance minister (Chancellor) Gordon Brown, considered the most successful post war British Chancellor, happens to hold a similar view. That he has managed to make full employment in his country a real possibility while ensuring that the British economy remains the most economically stable within five years is a clear manifestation of my point. I first saw Dr.Obote in 1980 when he visited my high school, Busoga College Mwiri. He had just return from exile in Tanzania and was now touring the country. Prior to his visit, we had previously been blessed with the presence of Paul Ssemwogerere, the leader of the Democratic Party and Lt. Gen. Yoweri Museveni, then leader of UPM and minister of defence in the UNLF government. Ssemwogerere had been flanked by the late Prof. Kyesimira, whom, clinching his fist, we could hardly tell what he was saying. The visit was a non event, and I cannot honestly tell what either men had to tell us. When Museveni's turn came, he was flanked by Dr. Ruhakana Rukunda, then health minister. On this visit, I remember two things. First, Museveni said that if he were to become president, he would ensure Uganda was energy efficient by making transforming cow dung into energy. To illustrate his point, he made sure that he bent forwards, his hands backwards, while pointing where the dung comes from. Second, I recall that after their speech, the few students who wanted fun chanted OB, OB, to Rukunda, who apparently said that he was an OB - not sure for how long. Later, students were furious. Most of them complained that Museveni treated them like nursery school kids, at best Mwiri Primary School kids. For something I am yet to explain, days leading to Obote's visit were all treated like pending Christmas. Gossip, rumours, fan - but above all excitement. And it was the case with every student I recall meeting, in classrooms, library, sports fields, in the mess (dining hall), halls of residence, in Kakira - yes, everywhere. When the time came, no one was disappointed. The entourage, the colours, the humility but above all, the man. Flanked by several senior members of UPC and introduced by Bishop Bamwoze as Senior Old Boy, I now knew, that Obote was in fact an OB! And we were excited. In the course of his speech, Obote addressed the head teacher, the teachers, our parents (who were not there), the nation and above all, the man talked to us students in a language that we all understood. But that was not all, he talked to us like a parent, a concerned parent. More so, his humility sent most of us to tears - and I mean most of us - yes, most students, regardless of our political leanings at the time. And I will never forget this. " I went a proud man, I have come back humble...."Obote told the cheering students. Mwiri student support for UPC/DP were split in a manner that almost mirrored the county at large, perhaps 60/40 respectively at the time. On his departure, if an election were to have been held, the man would have won 95% of the votes, unreservedly. We never slept, the UPC membership swelled, the rally in the main hall the following day was full. Since then, to me, it was a journey of no return. But these are personal, perhaps biased assessment of brief events, over twenty years ago, when I was a little boy in lower secondary school. Obote, my man of the year, every year has other significant reasons for me to regard him and I may cite just a few. Prior to independence, it was Obote and the UPC that argued for free and fair competitive elections under the universal adult suffrage. For instance, in the first ever elections under adult suffrage was the Legislative Council (LEGICO) elections in 1958. The colonial government, for the reasons that Ugandans can guess-why, had decreed that these elections would be held only in those districts that wanted them. Some districts did and so did the Buganda Lukiiko. Obote led the UPC in the campaigns in favour of elections and by the time of pre independence elections of 1961, the whole country, except Buganda, was for free elections. As a result of this, the 1961 elections saw only 36,006 registered voters in Buganda ( (4/5%), while in the rest of the country the figures ranged between 75/85%. To illustrate this further, in the constituency of Paul Ssemwogerere, only 358 votes were cast. In other words, 358 votes for both Paul and his opponent. Two other constituencies did worse, with 132 and 133 total votes cast respectively. It is a fact that there was no constituency in Buganda were total votes cast reached 2000. True to his words, Obote has since ensured that the UPC never participated in any militarist governments, whether Amins of for that matter, Museveni's NRA. He has so much entrenched democracy and the principles of democracy in mind, that every day these days, like a mission, I believe that Africa will in my life time and generation, be a continent free of dictators, where power lies in the hands of the people, attained by the ballots not via the bullent where our people freely determine their destiny be it in education, health, their oil, friendship (certainly not with Sivimbi) - yes, regional integration or otherwise. Please do not forget that he in fact had time for the Biafran conflict, attempted to arbitrate and to sponsor mediation talks at the OAU. Everyday, there is no conflict in Africa that I do not feel a party to, every day, there is no death, useless death in Africa that I do not associate with, every day, there is no time I do not wish my continent were a true success story, an envy to the world. Everyday, I believe that if we all took that lesson, it would be possible that we would be living in a different Africa as a result. He entrenched the concept of democracy in my mind. This man, my man of the year, every year. Africa needs role models you know!!!!!!! Obote, while campaigning on the UPC slogan of independence now, while other Ugandans believed that we were not yet ready for self rule in 1962! When independence negotiations hit a deadlock in London over the federal status of Bunyoro, Toro, Ankole, Busoga and, the "Lost Counties" in Buganda, he broke the deadlock. As a result, all were resolved and as for the lost counties, a referendum was agreed to be held within two years of independence. It happened. Obote led UPC in negotiations for a post independence government of national unity. Contrary to reports, he in fact approached DP first, as the largest party after UPC. Ben Kiwanuka was approached, at tea time, in Parliament Buildings, Kampala, Obote recalls. He told Kiwanuka that he wanted a meeting to discuss the desirability of a National Coalition government leading to independence and that he would formally put it in writing, should he consider the idea worthy pursuing. Kiwanuka supposedly said that he would be in contact later but he never did. Obote kept reminding him until one day Kiwanuka said he was not interested. It was only then and after then that Obote approached Mengo. They readily accepted the idea but only became later concerned, when it became apparent that DP, using their position in government (pre independence) to restrict the registration of new members (KY was now formed as a political party), they now said that they would only go ahead with the arrangement only if DP was not part of it (assuming that they later came back and said yes). The Obote's campaign did not end there, he continued to ensure that the voters in Buganda were enfranchised, made their case to the British governor ( now with the support of KY) and the result was that by the 1962 elections, there were 805,647 registered voters in Buganda, compared to just 36,000 a hear earlier! Credit to Obote and the UPC for persuading Mengo to surrender the power of the ballot to nearly one million Baganda. Obote's campaign and successful alliance with Kabaka Mutesa's KY after independence confirmed that democracy could take root in Africa, that different political schools could come together to work for and, in the interest of the peoples. Obote and Mutesa therefore to me, played the role of Uganda nationalists more interested in nation building than personal or party power. Of course the alliance collapsed after four years, but even in older democracies, coalitions have collapsed after months. Check the records in Israel and Germany. Thankfully, it was intrigue from the other side, not bad faith from Obote that saw the end of the coalition. Many have actually argued that the historical and colonial set up prior to independence made such arrangements rather difficult. And it is Obote who, systematically over the decades, has risen above nationalities (tribes) and forged friendship on the basis of either national interest or ideological comradeship, not regional base. That his best friends and supporters can be found in every district, every region, every village, every faith confirms my views. And it is Obote, who has reportedly - and on several occasions, annoyed some of his (senior)colleagues with his obsession with YOUTHS! "Mzee likes and trusts these young boys /girls....." is a common complaint. The man believes that the future of Uganda, the future of Africa, lies in the hands of the youth, the future generation and, that Africa must invest in its young people and its women through increased access to education and healthcare. Always and when he has been president, he has ensured that more national resources went to these sectors than to the military and Swiss bank accounts of corrupt individuals. It was Obote, who, after meeting Nelson Mandela and other ANC leaders in London before independence promised and ensured the delivery of Ugandan passports in numbers as needed by Azanian freedom fighters, to the anger of imperialist forces. And the campaign for liberation continued in various arenas, taking different forms. This was a time when I know not any other African leader who could risk. Recently I met a southern African diplomat who told me quite frankly that she would not have found it easy to take such a decision. It was Obote who, consistently ensured that other African countries that were not yet independent were supported - Namibia, Angola, Mozambique, to mention but a few. But he went further, he vigorously challenged colonial and imperial British policy of supporting apartheid, arms sales to that country and, continued support for another apartheid regime in Zimbabwe. He ensured that this battle was not lost and was instead on the top agenda of other African nationalists like Nyerere and Kaunda. This was at a time when (it is now open knowledge), even the two (Nyereree and Kaunda) were giving 99% to the same struggle. Controversial, but a fact, 1% was spent in either saving their skins or remaining critical, active but still the blue eyed boys! Obote, with Nkrumah, campaigned between the two of them for greater African Union, moving towards one parliament (moreover), and one army. It was out of the dithering of some of the African leaders at the time that the idea of 'front line states' came up, thanks to the two. These countries were later to be the key to the retrieval of Africa from direct colonial control. In 1969, while addressing the nation on independence day, he boldly told his audience that included western diplomats that Ugandans may celebrate independence but we cannot consider ourselves free and independent unless and until we had full control of economies but above all, unless the whole continent was free and independent. He meant it. Of course it was not long before he was punished with Idi Amin.... It was Obote who championed the cause of creating what later became the 'Mulungusi Club', the group of three, Nyerere, Kaunda & Obote to be at the helm of the final liberation of southern Africa. Others, (not to mention names) had become apparent African quislings. That Mugabe (no saint), was left for the dogs by his African brethren save gallant Son Nujoma, is a manifestation this turn-coat fever in Africa. It was Obote who challenged the colonial government not to return Rwandese refugees but instead to grant them asylum in Uganda - to him, they were Afrikan brethren. Well, they still are. The colonialists obliged. It is such dreams that over the years aided Uganda's regional policy of a friendly, sisterly neighbour, not an aggressor. On the Arab/Israeli conflict, the man stood objectively firm, saying no to the abuse of Palestinians. The man,
perhaps the only African leader without personal palace, the one who has not
turned his whom village into a mini Rwakitura. Obote, the man who ho,
even after getting rid of Idi Amin, was prepared to stay in Tanzania for over a year, if it meant a smooth change, post dictatorship. The man who was prepared to return, not only as a humble member of the party and citizen, but hold office only with the mandate of his people. The man who, nurtured leaders for Uganda, across the country, south, west, central east and north, not State House Scholarship system. Yes, to build for the future. Obote the incorruptible. Tiny Rowland of Lonrho tried to corrupt him and instead received marching orders out of Uganda. The man left and immediately started funding Museveni's terrorism in Luwero - Museveni was at the time coming to terms with defeat in Sweden. No wonder Museveni has officially mortgaged our country cheap. So much that Obote is the only African leader whose family has never had a bank account outside the country while he is president. Obote, the man who has no bank account!!! On his first overthrow, the British Scotland Yard helped Idi Amin carry out investigations into possible corruption or abuse of power and they found nothing. Museveni instituted his commission of inquiry into so called violation of human rights in Obotes time and found nothing. How could he, Obote has never signed a single death warrant, something that would normally be issued by the law courts after all. And yet, this year, Uganda has become the 3 most corrupt country in the world, only after Pakistan and Nigeria, thanks to Museveni's 16 years of dictatorship. How Ugandans miss Obote's exemplary leadership. I would go on and on, in details, but these, only these, I do not know any other African leader, past or present, who would near it. This man is simply my man of the year, every year. My man of the century. Pinytek On the Indian
ocean
The Mulindwas
communication group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy" |
