{UAH} Allan/Pojim/WBK: Why Ugandans love two great losers, Besigye and the Cranes - Comment
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Why Ugandans love two great losers, Besigye and the Cranes
Two things turn Ugandans on: Kizza Besigye and Uganda Cranes. Neither ever wins the final trophy. But it is not their fault.
Ugandans have this habit of expecting to get maximum output from minimum input. This is what they apply to Besigye and the national soccer side.
We have neglected soccer development since the late 1970s. But since young men discovered that you can be paid well playing professionally in other countries, they work hard on their game and get signed up out there. So come an international match and they are called up to serve the national team. They thump a big team like Nigeria and return to wherever they came from.
Immediately, Ugandans start imagining that the next continental cup is theirs. For the next match, some of the internationals don't turn up after an official forgets to send them tickets. Annoyingly, Cranes lose to some soccer pigmies. Then we say horrible things about the national team.
Last time around, Ugandans "hated" Cranes captain Andy Mwesigwa to the point that he couldn't walk freely on a Kampala street! Of course, he lost the captaincy immediately and may not return to Uganda anytime soon.
Now consider poor Besigye. He has stood for president four times at five yearly intervals since 2001. And every time, he mounts a spirited campaign that excites the public because, in his own words, he shakes the government. And then he does not win.
The same way Uganda Cranes is starved of support and resources before matches, Besigye is also left to "shake the government" alone until a couple of months to the elections, then his supporters typically expect him to win the majority of votes. Indeed, some of them do not even register for voting. But more importantly, those who want Besigye to lead the change of government do not work at it for five years, but more like five weeks.
The first time Besigye "shook" the government was in 2001 before he became famous. Though it was not well publicised, he was at that time working with a group of "historical" senior members of the government on a plan to retire Museveni democratically from leadership.
At the last minute, they abandoned him to face the man alone. Yet the same people became excited when he started "shaking" Museveni, but still denied him support. Then they wondered why he did not win.
Before the 2006 election, Besigye was treated like a dangerous criminal and spent part of the campaign time in prison. In the five years before that, the masses had not built any structures in their own areas to back a Besigye candidature. When he got bail and started campaigning, they wanted him to win.
Characteristically, they then went to do other things until the eve of the 2011 elections. Same story, Besigye did not win. Then they went to sleep again. 2016 has also come and gone. And the miracle has not happened.
And oh yes, Uganda Cranes is not about to play the Africa finals or qualify for the World Cup.
Joachim Buwembo is a social and political commentator based in Kampala. E-mail: buwembo@gmail.com
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