{UAH} A CALL TO DO THE MATH: IMAGINING THE GREAT “WHAT IF”

A CALL TO DO THE MATH: IMAGINING THE GREAT "WHAT IF"

"Dr. Besigye is the right candidate for the job (president of the republic of Uganda), and again say this: "one has not only a legal but moral responsibility to obey the laws". Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws". As St. Augustine once said: "an unjust law is no law at all". While the Police have tried to stain my choice candidate as a chaotic leader, for the 47 times he has been imprisoned, he is an authentic and fervent follower of his conscience. I respect him for that, a lot. Society must protect the robbed and punish the robber. Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever, the yearning for freedom eventually manifests, and he has done this so well. Vote Blue!" Grace Abaho

 

The word of the Scripture is crystal clear, reading from 2^nd Thessalonians 2:8-10: "they perish because they refuse to love the truth and be saved". I have wanted to say this for a long time. It is by far the best truth bomb I am going to ever throw at anyone before the elections. If you are hostile to the truth and you evade every avenue the truth rings from, please do not read this, or else you risk a heart attack. You are wrong to see the fault in your stars while you keep cheering them. People quite often forget they make the stars they look at as angels sent from above. And the same people are toyed with as though they are some cheap objects. They accept these and it's done again and again and they never build enough nerve to question their conscience. Some of the people are those in the comfort zones, and sadly, the other category is that of the ones to whom the harrowing upheavals have become a norm. I will talk about this expansively as we read on but to set the tone, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of the people and the communities they live in and around them. I cannot afford to sit idly and have peace while the rest of Uganda has harrowing upheavals. Thinking about this whilst doing the math has given me very scary nightmares, someone who wouldn't feel the same is probably a 'robot'. These things are so heart wrenching yet we never own up to them. Worst of all, we do nothing about it, in case you see the moral light leave the unjust posture now or shut up already!

 

It is time for accountability: time to stop blaming the decline of the country on vague, abstract groups of people and start pointing the accusing finger on our very selves. Here is the reality, we need to pull ourselves from the bondage of myths and half-truths to the unfettered realm of creative and objective analysis, this in turn will bring us to the majestic understanding of patriotism especially if we are to make good choices (at the voting booth). We proclaim that we want change and we shout it every day that we are dissatisfied with the government and yet we do nothing other than that noise. We do the same thing year after year electing and empowering the ugliness and yet we cry foul relentlessly. Firstly, if you are reading this and you have been on the wrong track of History please to what is right, repent before we go ahead to moving with swagger. Use the words: "Shame upon me, I am sorry and ashamed". Now feel free and breathe in actually, No, uttering the word change isn't the direct equivalent of doing the work that makes that change a reality other than just a fantasy. There is more to that, action: "Undoing."

Even so, presenting the NRM as the only means through change makes it more fraught; positioning the opposition as "something else".

We have been bought into a very terrible culture: the culture of searching for someone to blame. Yes, that search is always successful, but it never solves the very urgent equation we have solve right here, I have pointed out many time that President Museveni and his 'minions' are responsible for the mess we see around but hey, much as they are 'fine suspects' beyond reasonable doubt, we need to own up to the fact that we have created these 'monsters'. We keep these 'mistakes' around; vote them to power; cover up for their flat out lies and abysmal ignorance whenever it is 'convenient' and when it catches with us, we scream it and cry foul. Often times this can provide cover for inaction and thus we lack emotional resonance. I have learned early in life that in any non-violent campaign, there are four basic steps: collection of facts to determine injustices exist, negotiation, self-purification and direct action. I have done my homework for a while now, feel free to ask where you disagree.

I know some 'career politicians' reading thus far are all smiles but now is the time to cut your smile short. I know some of these people innocently vote you into power with hope that you will deliver, what happens while you are there? Again, my dear electorate, why do you keep empowering the ugliness? You are equally culpable. They nice-up their rhetoric and you listen perfectly and all they do is sit back and laugh at your naivety, while you are being led on a leash. Very little in my life is not a result of my own choices. What about you? There are bad things that have occurred to me, but most of them are a reflection of the decisions I have made (or, more decisions I avoided making---------so somebody ended up making them for me). The thing here is not to be brutal to yourself about the truth. You have done the hardest part already: you have admitted it. Now make sure you don't pick up a whip and abuse yourself. Look at your history with friendly curiosity, instead of self-contempt (self-contempt will bring more destruction). What has been has been but what's coming is beautiful: "EVERYBODY WILL BE MOVING WITH A SWAGGER". Move into the future with self-kindness, but a firm resolve. Listen to the alarm, it is saying: "ENOUGH"

I know for sure nobody wouldn't hate on moving with a swagger, but, as long as we stay very gullible and easy to hoodwink because of the stale political arguments: steady progress, we aren't going nowhere. That progress rhetoric they nice-up to fetch your very precious vote should be scrutinized deeply, or else you do the same insane thing over and over. We have often put torches on our home and yet in the background we wonder, relentlessly, why our house is on fire. Well, it's because of our bad choices, in case you need to be reminded. The constitution is clear; "Power belongs to the people" and so is the national creed: "For God and my country". Where does this isolate you? Do you realize it begins with you? It's sad we have 'sold' out ourselves out, sadly, to the lowest 'bidder'. I read the word of God before I typed this and I found something that will scare you, read on. The word in Mathew 22:23: "You snakes! You blood viper! How will you escape being condemned to hell?". We are disappointed in the government but we have to own up that we create this mess!

There is so much wrong around us and we are very disappointed. And then, surveying the destruction, we wrought upon ourselves, we weep like mistresses, crying for a knight to save us. Inevitably, someone in a suit of amour comes along (once more) and promises to keep it 'steady' and save us from the destruction. We faint and fall in his arms and he immediately continues to betray us. Then we weep again and again for another five years for possibly a new 'knight' (yet still elect the same); and off we go again weeping and weeping. Now that's absolute Stupidity. We need to challenge ourselves to the Great 'WHAT IF'. Any notion beyond this should possibly be dismissed; as mysterious and we rather own up and effect the change head-on.

For what I know, what I want to believe, hats 'shallowly' buried in this "don't blame the electorate, blame the electoral commission" stuff is the implication that essentially people are incontinent morons who cannot be held responsible for their actions. Right away, I want to make a case, sometimes a law is just on its surface but unjust in its application. Also, more to this, while the electoral laws proclaim free and fair election that doesn't mean it's always free and fair: thence, anyone who threatens to shoot demonstrators in the event of vote rigging is a cruel human being. At this point, allow me to say that Dr. Besigye is the right candidate for the job (president of the republic of Uganda), and again say this: "one has not only a legal but moral responsibility to obey the laws". Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws". As St. Augustine once said: "an unjust law is no law at all". While the Police have tried to stain my choice candidate as a chaotic leader, for the 47 times he has been imprisoned, he is an authentic and fervent follower of his conscience. I respect him for that, a lot. Society must protect the robbed and punish the robber. Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever, the yearning for freedom eventually manifests, and he has done this so well. Vote Blue!

Now to my fellow citizens that think President Museveni is the only man in the arena, you are the real problem we have right now, you hold us back a lot. The old man is tired, he has done his part, please let him rest. I know too well, together with his team they liberated us in 1986, at least I know that: but, enough is enough for sure, let him take his seat. Those who see him as a 'god-send', thank you for your thoughtfulness, yes God's will be supreme but the moment we use it to extrapolate lie, we are doing ourselves injustice. Do not follow your flawed logic to the end. God doesn't ordain evil. Period. End of Story! Dr. Besigye may not measure up to the hypocritical, self-righteous goody lists but you may have to begin adjusting as you don't have so long to that, the wind of Change has brown.

As an air of finality, let's ask ourselves simple questions: Do we want Change? Who has the power? The people or the President? Destiny? No. Destiny is the name the 'fortunate' gives to their fortunes. Anything bad, they trash it as satanic. Oh how timely!! If this change ever reaches us, it must spring from us; it cannot come from abroad. If the destruction be our lot, we must be its author and finisher. As a free nation (53 years counting), we must live through all the time or die by suicide. Our bad choices and our sins and our flaws have brought us here politically, culturally and in every other sense. That's the truth. So, if we want things in this country to be done; maybe the best we can do is stop whining about the system and take ourselves to the 'mirror'. If we are going to have steady progress, go forward and overcome; it has to start with a little accountability: "we aren't the victims, we are the cause". A noble end: BE THE LIGHT. In the word of the scripture; "the light shines in the darkness and darkness hasn't overcome it". Bless all.

Sincerely,

The Citizen: GRACE ABAHO, Sr.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Grace Abaho Sr is a Ugandan writer with a bachelor's degree in Procurement and Logistics management from Uganda Christian University, Mukono.His love for writing begun as early as when he was second grade student. Despite the twist of the hand of fate, he has not given up on his love for writing; he writes on issues on contemporary issues ranging from Life's mysteries to Politics. He loves God. Loves People. Breathes in courage and exhales fear. He believes everyone is equally important. He is open, gracious and introspective. He is a voracious reader and radiates to others what he finds. The news maybe bad; the news maybe good—he will tell you the truth. He will not have his life narrowed down. He will not bow down to someone else's whims and ignorance. He is resolute in belief that the highest calling of leadership is to unlock the potential in others. To know him, it to love him, welcome to his world of total ingenuity.

He can be reached on:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Grace Abaho Sr

Twitter:@ClivesGrace

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