From: "radiokatwe2006" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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Subject: [radiokatwe2006] Democracy is the loser
Date: Thu, 02 Mar 2006 13:36:32 -0000
Democracy is the loserPosted at: 13:06The Ugandan electorate have spoken and almost 60 per cent of them want President Yoweri Museveni for another five years.
That, at least, is the theory. Whether last week's election provided a genuine opportunity for 26 million Ugandans to express their opinion on Museveni is another matter. Now that I am back in Johannesburg, I've had time to reflect on this election. There is much that I find troubling.
First of all, the European Union observer mission stated unequivocally that a "level playing field was not in place for these elections". This was largely because Museveni was the only presidential candidate able to run a taxpayer funded campaign, using every arm of the state for his political advantage.
But the EU team did not follow their argument to its logical conclusion. If the election campaign was unfair, surely the result cannot be considered legitimate. Yet the EU observers stopped short of saying this and, in effect, gave the contest a clean bill of health.
This approach defies reason. By reaching this quixotic conclusion, the EU team are committed to one of two dodgy arguments. They must believe either that a wholly unfair campaign is capable of producing a valid election result.
Or they must adopt the faintly patronising argument that you cannot expect proper elections in Africa and the threshold of acceptability must be set at a lower level than elsewhere. In other words, Africans should accept lower standards than we do in Europe.
Either way, their argument is unsustainable and they have done the people of Uganda a disservice.
Here's the second thing I find troubling. Immediately after the result was known, Museveni's media adviser, a faintly ridiculous man called John Nagenda, wrote a column in the state press hailing his master's victory.
Nothing wrong with that, except that Nagenda singled out the people of Northern Uganda for failing to vote for the President.
"Almost the entire North is still deeply antagonistic to Museveni," he wrote. "Museveni must have been greatly disappointed because he has sincerely given of himself to this region and not just at these elections. He has freely travelled there, far more than any previous leader, including Northerners. He will not turn his back on these people, who remain part and parcel of Uganda, but in the human way, they should not pretend to huge surprise if his warmth wanes."
These words are disgraceful. The people of northern Uganda have a perfect right to vote against Museveni. He, on the other hand, is a head of state with a sworn duty to serve every Ugandan - with equal "warmth" - whether they voted for him or not.
Nagenda's implicit threat that Northerners will be left to suffer because they dared reject Museveni shows that he has no understanding of how democracy works.
CommentsI agree wholly with what David Blair says in his article published on the net dated 28th February 2006. I have worked in Northern Ugdada for 11 years, and in particular in IDP camps, and with local leaders. I am founder of a UK registered charity called Philadelphia Mission and I am unpaid. I work for the freedom and justice of the people in Northern Uganda who either have no voice, or it is muffled becasue of fear. The winner of the Ugandan elections was decided many months ago by President Yoweri Museveni. He knew only to well that the 1.54 million in IDP camps would never vote for him, as he, his government and military have allowed them to die at the current rate of 1,160 per week in IDP camps. The reason why i say this is that I and many others who live and work inside the camps know only to well, that the Government of Uganda have not honoured their constitution in providing food, medicine, security and clean water to almost all the 200 camps. Secondly, he has never truly made any real effort to stop the LRA [Lords Resistance Army] terrorists from the killings, rapings, amputations and abductions of the people of the north. His military has also committed brutal killings and rapes upon the innocent and defenceless. Many Ungandan soldiers are poorly trained,and not paid regularly. I personally have many witness accounts of the brutality of both the Ugandan military and the LRA rebels. NGOs have been denied proper security going to and from the camps. Some have been killed. WHO, Oxfam, Msf, Save the children fund and other NGOs struggle with providing sufficient aid to these precious people. I would also like to remind readers that the Ugandan government has squandered donations from the UN and other countries, meant to be used for the relief of the IDP camp dwellers, who are there against their will. Much has been spent on military, and yet little success in the ending of a 20-year war, the longest in African history. Northern Uganda and its people have not only suffered from the murder of innocent people and their children, but also it has been starved from investment in schools, hospitals, roads, and business investment. The road from Gulu town to Adjumani is almost non-existent. Farming has been affected most, as the people cannot farm their lands because of attacks from LRA terrorists and the Ugandan military. In Aware camp, almost all the people drink the river water, as the bore well only produces a trickle of water. Thousands die from intestinial worms, and other preventable diseases. So President Yoweri Museveni and his advisors knew only to well that the north would not support him or his government. He had his opisition leader arrested and charged with rape and treason. The president used all funds available, and the media to launch his campaign. The opposition was constantly harrassed during their campaign by police and army. With the president and his rich government members past record of corruption,half-hearted attempts to provide education, health, serurity and the release of the 1.54 million held in what I know are nothing more than concentration camps, the people of the north have lost greatly. I have filmed and photographed many abducted children, recorded their suffering first hand from the very people who live in the IDP camps and surrounding areas. I watch many mothers walk past the graves of their dead children each morning as they go in search of food. I am to return to Northern Uganda on 9th March 2006 to continue in our work. I have one message of hope for all people from all tribes in Northern Uganda. "There are those in the world who hear, see and identify with your suffering, fears and frustrations; We will not forget you. Your day of freedom is going to come. Soon your children will have medical care and go to school,like those in the south and other parts of Uganda. Soon you will be free to go home to your farms and live without fear.
Posted by Evangelist: Trevor Irwin on February 28, 2006 9:59 AM
Report this commentHere is all the reason Northern Uganda has been through horror for the last 20 years - advisors like Nagenda. It is no suprise for a non-Ugandan to make such a repugnant assertion. The http://www.people.africadatabase.org states that "NAGENDA, John (1938-), poet and novelist, was born in Gahini, Rwanda. He graduated in English from Makerere University". He has never been a naturalized citizen nor taken any oath of allegiance to the Ugandan flag - at the minimum. He is not touched by the suffering in Northern Uganda but only sees it as a means to have its victims succumb to the man-made fate. True to David's affirmation, Nagenda has no understanding of how democracy works. It's a pity that the government of Uganda can hoist him that high on the bureaucratic ladder.
Posted by Peter-Rhaina Gwokto on March 2, 2006 12:57 AM
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