[UAH] Uganda has never had it so bad

Many people who have benefited from NRM government find themselves in a difficult situation. They know what is happening in Uganda is awful. Yet they don't want to condemn it for fear of losing their privileges. They know their children or grandchildren may end up jobless, landless and homeless or could be sacrificed or included in human trafficking.

They have seen what has happened to Batwa people who were removed from their habitat and placed into unfamiliar settlements. They are malnourished, sick, landless and lack economic opportunities for survival. Their future is bleak and Batwa face possible extinction or severe reduction in numbers – a form of genocide since they were targeted as a group. It is reported that Karamajong people are also being forced into settlements and are losing their land where they graze their animals.

Elsewhere Ugandans are losing their land as a result of incorporating large chunks into municipality without owners' agreement. Many are now drifting into urban areas especially Kampala where their shacks are being pulled down forcing them into homelessness.

The ongoing discussions at the United Nations in New York in preparation for post 2015 development agenda have given pride of place to small holder farmers as the engine of agricultural productivity and job creation. In Uganda the prime minister presumably with the president's instruction has announced government decision to transfer land from smallholder farmers to large scale developers on the false reasoning that large scale farmers are more productive than small holder ones. The truth is that when adequately facilitated smallholder farmers are more productive, more efficient, create more jobs and are more environmentally and socially friendly than large-scale farmers.

Museveni has insisted on the continued operation of the concept of willing seller and willing buyer. In a Uganda of powerful and powerless citizens the former will take advantage and force weak land owners to sell under duress including at gun point.

The government should not postpone the population census which is needed to give population dynamics including how many refugees and illegal immigrants are in Uganda because influenced by Museveni's statements that Uganda has a lot of unutilized arable land and water resources and liberal immigration policy, many refugees and illegal immigrants have flocked into Uganda and are now taking land and jobs from indigenous people who are increasingly becoming landless and jobless. This is basically a national security issue.

Ugandans especially those like members of parliament and district councilors entrusted with the responsibility to protect the interests of the people they represent need to gather courage and speak on behalf of the people.  If what is going on is not checked, the people of Uganda may soon be pushed against the wall and have nowhere else to go but to defend themselves.

The president and his advisers need to realize that relying on security forces' brutality to suppress the public into silence may not save them. History is full of illustrations of security forces abandoning their commanders-in-chief or overthrowing them. Uganda is not an exception.

We appeal to Uganda security forces that for the sake of Ugandans today and in the future to please abandon Museveni who is now presiding over a failed state and has lost a sense of direction, witness the launching of 2040 vision on April 18, 2013 when the document was not ready and he admitted he had not seen a final copy.

Eric Kashambuzi

Secretary General, UDU   

 

 

 

 

   

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