By Ndawula Ronald
Former Chairperson Luwero district
38 years of stable government is a milestone worth congratulating the NRM government and President Yoweri Museveni.
Stability in the context of leadership where a government stands firm in face of the many earthquakes, and hurricanes that challenge leadership like elections, poverty, corruption, banditry, armed groups who want to take power and opinionated political pundits and power brokers stalking leadership for narcissistic material gain.
Before NRM came to power, Uganda was prone to military coups, uncertainty and anarchy was in manifestation and a plausible description.
Uganda was a country where you could find your cultural beliefs and belongings taken over and determined by government!
Now at 38, cultural leaders have been restored and different cultural groups like in Buganda, Bunyoro, Tooro, Teso e.t.c are enjoying their birth rights and aspirations and on the shoreline I see the advent and glimpse of federalism.
In Uganda its where you could find religious limitations or government determining which religion is acceptable to the citizens of Uganda!
As a seventh day adventist, I remember very well when our Christian sector was banned together with the born again Christians during Idd Amin’s regime!
School Classes on Friday were abolished and shifted to Saturdays because of a Presidential decree and proclamation!
When it comes to democracy, I personally feel overwhelmed and disturbed when I witnessed qualified, and excellent perfoming government Ministers like Hon JC Muyingo, Hon.Nabakooba, Hon Harunah Kasolo , Vice President Kiwanuka Sekandi and Bukenya losing elections and accepting in good faith the election results!
In this same Uganda today, I have seen MPs like the late Cecilia Ogwal, Moses Ali , Akena and others who because of good service have been voted forever by their constituencies!
In Uganda I have seen government confiscating Asian properties to boost economic development of natives! Which is a record setting economic policy in archives tried only by Mugabe in Zimbabwe when White settler farms were also taken over to benefit locals!
Personally, am a member of the ruling Party, but I lost an election and am now jobless and watching the next best opportunity God avails but in quiet optimism and confidence , doing what is in my means so that I can win the hearts and minds of the electorate in the next election cycle not resorting to unconstitutional means, not afraid of the incumbent or persecution but playing by the rules of getting to power.
With the elections of Village Chairpersons on the horizon, I see humble preparations of candidates across the country for people who wish to assume power from the local level and beyond!
This is a milestone achievement in the democratization process in the 38 year NRM rule.
The rule of law and human rights is as always, a complicated matter as those who lose and caught on a wrong side of the law usually blame , judiciary and government.
From a lay perspective I congratulate NRM because, I remember the former UPC district Chairperson Hajji Musa Sebirumbi who had equally judicial powers of determining life and death.
Sebirumbi could determine the time, mode of death of one or several people, access any material possession like land , car, gun, fuel or order for arrest of anyone suspected or imagined to have subversive thoughts against his UPC party!
In 38 years, armed with the same power like Sebirumbi, I can’t even direct a borehole Chairman to give me free water! I don’t have a bicycle from government to direct my work on behalf of NRM party yet, in Luwero District alone, I see a fleet of government cars bought every day by government and driven by opposition leaders!
My worry is that in Buganda we are misusing the geographical location of our region, wasted the toil of our grandparents by turning into wishful thinkers instead of passionate actors.
A passionate actor doesn’t require the presence of good days or friendly people to act.
All days are good for him because he knows in life there are rainy and sunny days, some are for preparation, others for planting and some for weeding.
A passionate actor respects nights as day time! Some hours are good for resting others for activity .
All seasons are good for a prepared mind.
All regimes from the British Protectorate worked better and that’s how Buganda came to the pinnacle of success in Uganda.
During the protectorate the Baganda planted cotton and coffee and now are the cash crops to talk about.
I invite all good intentioned leaders in Buganda to stop sensational politics and start politics of development.
This trend of putting down the best people in our society will only work to our disadvantage.
If welmeaning countries like America, Israel, India and China know experienced leaders are good then why vote for pickpockets, fraudsters, and disadvantaged leadership?
The constant is, SUCCESS HAPPENS WHEN OPPORTUNITY MEETS PREPARATION.
when you continue to vote unprepared individuals in responsible leadership positions you will continue to be blind to the 38 years of fair play and opportunity in Uganda.
Challenges still exist but that’s the reason we’re still alive.
TOGETHER TO MAKE IT BETTER EVEN FOR POSTERITY.
Happy 38 anniversary to all Ugandans.
