{UAH} SIMON PETER OKURUT, ON FEDERALISM FOR PROJECT UGANDA

Robukui,

 

Our problem is a fundamental one. We know how to put rulers in power but don't know how to remove them. See how all those people ascended to power, some of them were too weak and had to be literary protected/pushed to lead; some were aided by us to climb up but we are not even ashamed, we blame others for our mistakes and the guys survive and cause more havoc.

 

Federalism will not be handed to Ugandans by a government that has tested sweetness that central control offers. If we want to move forward, I suggest we influence our local district councils to merge and declare their units as federal states. For example, the districts in former Teso, Karamoja and all other original 18 districts at independence could just break away from central government to kick-start federation discussions. We need action, not too much talk. Let us influence the district councils.

 

I would love to hear names like Teso State, Karamoja Region or Bukedi whatever each headed by a governor or premiere etc. Let us be serious, no dictatorial government will freely give up control, as we have seen, they want all powers to be centred on a few.

 

Imagine the Kyambogo faculty is petitioning the president to intervene over the university saga, why the president when we have a ministry of education that should handle matters affecting an institution of learning? Because the president has usurped all the powers of all other officers because of the Constitution which assumes only the president is intelligent enough to handle national issues.

 

When the youth fail to complete their education due to poverty, they are advised to contact the president to give them money for projects which he gladly gives out in sacks (literary) instead of improving on the education system. I am certain that just near where the president handed sackfuls of money to Busoga youth groups, there are primary schools without latrines or teachers without adequate accommodation or uncemented floors or worse still, schools with few learning materials/consumables but here is a president handing money in sacks and what accountability does one expect from such recipients? Money in sacks is not new in NRM anyway, recall Operation North and you shudder, commanders hijacking money from accounts in Republic House throw sackfuls of currency in the IFA trucks (Imported For Accidents as some people referred to them then). The Kasini's enjoyed such business and God knows who else, but not only God anyway.

 

Yes, let us appeal to the president, but does he know everything so that he can solve each and everything we appeal him to do for us? And when he responds, he is pretending to know, which is wrong, he should refer those concerned to the relevant bodies that are technical enough to know what appropriate action to take, but not just handing out money in sacks; the power of central government  indeed.

 

Peter Simon

Albert Einstein said," Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."

Viele GruBe

Robukui