{UAH} Besigye's boots and the end of political competition in Uganda
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Besigye's boots and the end of political competition in Uganda
Posted Saturday, August 2 2014 at 11:52
In Summary
- This medical doctor and military colonel raised the bar of political challenge so high that since he withdrew from the arena a couple of years back, nobody seems capable of filling his oversize boots.
- In the next campaign, Museveni may be forced to give some assistance to the main rival just to make the race look a bit more balanced.
A landmark anniversary in Uganda's modern history passed last weekend largely unnoticed.
There were times when July 27 would have been marked by newspaper analyses and intellectual debates on the violent change of government in 1985, when president Milton Obote was overthrown by generals Basilio Okello and Tito Okello. But you can't debate the same topic for 28 years, during which there has been no change of government anyway.
Today, many Ugandans would yawn if you introduced the subject of regime change.
With President Yoweri Museveni soon clocking three decades in office and showing no sign of going anywhere soon — over two-thirds of the country's MPs passed a resolution to support his candidature in the 2016 polls — few people have the energy to spare for such talk. But though raising the subject is the job of opposition politicians, their talking about it is not connecting with the public either.
I think Ugandans' loss of interest in political competition can be blamed on a man called Kizza Besigye.
This medical doctor and military colonel raised the bar of political challenge so high that ever since he started his withdrawal from the arena a couple of years back, nobody seems capable of filling his oversize boots.
When Besigye first announced in 2000 that he was going to challenge Museveni for the presidency, the whole political scene was electrified. After the 2001 polls, he fled into exile but came back in time for the 2006 election even after being warned that treason charges (attracting a mandatory death sentence) awaited him.
Spending half the campaign in prison, he mounted the toughest challenge in the country's electoral history.
After the 2006 polls, Besigye refused to return to exile and continued mobilising until the 2011 polls, when it rained money on the campaign trail and he lost by a bigger margin than in 2006, so much bigger that he did not even petition the court this time.
Then he started the process of withdrawing from electoral politics, beginning with relinquishing the presidency of the main opposition party, the Forum for Democratic Change.
Try as they will to contest to replace Besigye, the FDC leaders have not connected with the masses the way the retired colonel did. I think Besigye's bids were so convincing that nobody doubted his genuineness, given the personal sacrifice he exhibited and the risks he took when challenging his former boss.
If any other Ugandan is ready to give his all to the challenge the way Besigye did, he is yet to emerge. Few presidential aspirants, if any, would not cut a deal with Museveni to quit the race and accept say, the vice presidency and a promise to be anointed successor when the time comes for him to leave.
In the next campaign, Museveni may be forced to give some assistance to the main rival just to make the race look a bit more balanced.
It seems after Besigye, there is no real challenge to Museveni. Besigye is like Muhammad Ali who during the Thrilla in Manila declared that he was closing the book on boxing – "I'm gonna add one more page and they'll close it up; ain't gonna be no boxing after me!" It seems in Uganda, ain't gonna be no politics after Besigye.
Democracy is two Wolves and a Lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed Lamb contesting the results.
Benjamin FranklinUAH forum is devoted to matters of interest to Ugandans. Individuals are responsible for whatever they post on this forum.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com or Abbey Semuwemba at: abbeysemuwemba@gmail.com.
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