Let the emperor rule if people cannot see he is naked
By Ignatius Ssuuna
Monitor, April 20, 2005
I was visiting a Kenyan friend in Nakuru-Kenya last month when news came from Uganda that hundreds supporting the return of President Yoweri Museveni to power after 2006 took to the kanmpala streets to demonstrate against anti-third term critics.
The demonstrators, who called themselves, concerned patriots and clad in essanja (dry banana leaves), a symbol of third term for Museveni, chanted: "we want third term," and denounced the Irish Rock star Sir Bob Geldof and the British government for opposing the amendment of the Constitution to remove term limits hence allowing Museveni run for another term.
My Kenyan friend, Koros could not believe it. The news that Ugandans could go to the streets in support of a president ready to 'bend' the constitution hit him like a thunderbolt out of a clear sky.
Still reeling from the shock, he took me aside and asked whether it was indeed true that Ugandans were pestering Museveni to seek re-election after his term, which expires in 2006.
I confirmed to my host that what he had heard and read in papers was nothing but the truth. I also told him that the president in his own words had promised not to 'betray' his electorates and would abide by the supporters' wishes.
He contacted his other friends in Kampala and was told the same. He sat down and bled. He wondered and asked what had become of Ugandans. "No, I think it's not true. There is no way Ugandans could go to the streets and ask Museveni to rule them for life. Are Ugandans becoming mad or what?" Koros posed. He was seething with anger and pain.
"Any way this is your country and I don't know what you want. I had thought voters were preparing to 'punish' Museveni by voting him out once he seeks re-election. Why do Ugandans refuse to learn from the past?" Koros wondered as he sat back murmuring curses to Africans who abet the creation of dictators. While in Makerere, Koros used to fancy Ugandans, saying unlike their counterparts in Kenya, Kampalans were principled politically and could not be manipulated.
Koros is right. It is not President Museveni to blame for ruling Uganda for twenty years but the wananchi who keep dancing to his tunes and giving our presidents more years even when they seem so obviously tired.
Ugandans who cheer Museveni ought to understand that it is the respect of the constitution but not what Museveni has that matters.
Yes, Koros's feeling is the feeling of millions of other Ugandans who feel insulted and betrayed by demonstrators who instead of telling off our leaders who don't want to leave power, protect them or maintain aloofness when anti third term people are being beaten up.
The problem with Ugandans is that when they are eating, they will never 'see' any problem with the ruling government. It is only when they run short on favours from the powers that be that they start shouting murder.
If Museveni can sack former Internal Affairs Minister Mr Eriya Kategaya, his childhood friend, Bidandi Ssali, one of the founding members of NRM, what makes kisanja agitators think Museveni cannot immediately discard them once their usefulness in his third term pursuit has ended?
Ugandans who run down and up now to marshal a third term should remember that they are breeding a culture of dictatorship which shall swallow their sons once they begin speaking a different language from those in power. Those who jump now should remember the many ugly things that happened during the 2001 presidential and parliamentary elections to certain supporters simply because they happened to support 'wrong' candidates!
The relations between the leaders and the led have taken a bad skid.
Why do peasants want to behave like some MPS who abdicated their responsibility by taking Shs5 million given to 'sell' proposals contained in government White Paper - in particular the provision on the lifting of the presidential term limits?
It is this Shs5 million given to kisanja supporters that has translated into such demonstrations by the peasants.
It is of course good for Ugandans to express their views openly and show support to certain candidates, but this should not be at the expense of the constitution that may spill blood of innocent people.
Museveni’s government has done despicable things to Ugandans. His revolution is beginning to practice the same evils the old regime committed, and the few democrats who stand up against the ugly have been accused of counter revolutionary thoughts and risk facing serious crimes by the system they once fought for so vehemently to establish.
When the Movement came to power in 1986, the leadership promised it would stay for a short period, but later kept on extending and has been masking itself as an instrument of deliverance.
Does locking people up in 'safe houses', or 'crushing' anti-kisanja agitators make Ugandans happy?
Do electorates believe in Museveni when he stands without a tinge of shame and declares himself as the only Ugandan leader with the country's vision?
People who go today to streets to demand Museveni’s return remind me of other Ugandans who took to the streets to demonstrate their joy when the late Idi Amin Dada assumed power in 1971, but their happiness was short-lived.
Violence against those opposed to the government's move to amend the Article 105[2] of the constitution has become routine.
The government has become corrupt like the old regimes and it is ironic that the Movement economy has grown richer by impoverishing the peasants.
The peasants keep singing, "we have security and sleep peacefully" without realising the government that promised fundamental change has continued to survive through deception.
The 'safe houses' we have today and gagging the opposition is what Ugandans are reaping from their continued support for a bad leadership. You have heard some ministers even threatening to drag Museveni to court in an event that he refused to stand again!
Who now says Museveni is not right to rule Ugandans for life?
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