By Ndawula Ronald
I grew up without parental guidance because of the unfortunate war period that happened in Luwero.
The only opportunity I got was, God endowed me with an attitude of a leader and nature shaped me into a pragmatic, passionate lover of development and a result oriented person.
I have a rare eye to see opportunity for my community and love to see things happen and manifest.
In all circumstances I have learnt to believe in a positive outcome in all endeavors and always think very few intend to do bad but sometimes circumstances run out of control like in a race car and blur the sight of good intentions.
Last week I was privileged to visit Kapeeka – Namunkekeera industrial park in Nakaseke district on occasion of the State visit by His Excellency Fillipe Nyusi the President of the republic of Mozambique.
Gen. Saleh told a story of how 27 young men with one commander in 1976 went for training in Mozambique in preparation for the attack and liberation of Uganda from Amin sent there by President Nyerere.
When I figured out the decision by young men in their early twenties who never sat on their laurels and sidelines to criticise Amin but decided to do something about it!
I pity young men in Buganda today who never lift a finger to change circumstances.
I find it abhorrent for some people who shun responsibility and concentrate at fault finding and prayers.
My lesson at Kapeeka was that Gen. Saleh and others paid the price for what they are enjoying now.
A person who went and trained, survived being killed by a whisker and now at the helm of it all deserves applause not ridicule.
Such people who sacrificed and earned their space by the barrel of a gun cannot be easily intimidated by shouts and sloganeering but by preparation and action.
By now, Gen Salehs experience from 1976 is about 50 years of bold adventure and hold on to power!
This to me, as a political observer , pundit and player makes me caution those interested in power to revise their agenda because this is a team that prepared and merited what they got.
When in Kapeeka, I saw the transformation happening and the various industries mushrooming all around.
I saw fish ponds and piggery houses and styies , factories , clean side walks and the whole place resembles the Chinese industrial complexes In Guanzou or Shenzhen!
I was quite impressed by the dreamer of this complex development and wondered how far it can go.
On Top of being a charismatic Army General, and philanthropist in his own right, I see him as an industrialist because of the Kapeeka entity.
Much as one would argue that he has privileged access to resources but to me, I know enough too many people with the same privilege but nothing to show for it.
Namunkekeera industrial park is going to be a new spark of development in the entire region if the strategists and businesses initiated begin to self sustain and break even.
The challenge left for Gen Saleh is now to popularize the investment for a sustainable future.
I invite General Saleh to start investing in social projects like Luwero stadium in Luwero district and code name it Namunkekeera stadium or Luwero war memorial stadium, (Namunkekeera Arena) with pavilions and dressing rooms in honour of the Luwero war dead.
This will create a ripple effect of Awareness and spread interest in the greater Luwero districts for people to own this magnificent and vast enterprise he is championing.
It will be a bluff for the people of Luwero if they dont own this mega undertaking and calling it theirs.
It doesn’t imply taking the project from its legal owners but taking and referring to it as theirs.
I once again appreciate the developers of this park and since they have the means and capacity let it be replicated elsewhere in every region as a means of creating employment and sustainable growth.
I was amazed by the floor tile plant and the clay and soil as the raw material! We have had this raw material since the times of Jesus and creation .
I realised that in Uganda our biggest problem is NOT MISUSE of resources but NOT USING the resources we have.
Ndawula Ronald the author is the former Chairperson of Luwero district
