{UAH} Uganda: In Uganda Politics Is No More Than Status, Power and Eating

Uganda: In Uganda Politics Is No More Than Status, Power and Eating

opinionBy Prof George W. Kanyeihamba

It has become a very embarrassing phenomenon, but almost all political ambitions target the above mentioned objectives. In the 1960s, many members of the Opposition defected to the then powerful UPC for no apparent reason other than to fill their empty stomachs.

Following the overthrow of the Constitution and abolition of kingdoms in Uganda, many former members of the Opposition, including those who had been staunch supporters of the monarchies, accepted the big posts in the UPC.

After the successful overthrow of the Milton Obote regime, many former Opposition members, including those of Buganda, welcomed the coup d'état and those from Buganda jubilantly named Idi Amin 'Ssalongo'. And when Amin was overthrown in 1979, the whole country celebrated and accepted to serve under the military dictatorship.

When the UNLF with the assistance of Tanzania overthrew the government of Uganda, millions of Ugandans danced in the streets in happiness.

In turn, the NRM having fought a frustrated civil war and won, all Ugandans accepted to be members and gratefully accepted posts in the new government. With the exception of UPC, every other political party accepted to occupy ministerial and other public posts in the new government.

Thirty years down the road, this status quo has been faithfully supported and maintained by all the political parties. However, as the years progressed, UPC leaders joined the NRM bandwagon and accepted to serve under the organisation.

To conclude, these sad episodes in the fundamental change of Ugandan politics and the recent rush for gold offered by the NRM government have reduced.

A laughing stock

All Uganda political parties have turned into a laughing stock. Perhaps the worst example of these unprincipled and self-interested politicians is one recently appointed minister.

In the past, she considered me as her mentor and inspirer and she often visited my chambers in Uganda House to seek advice and discuss matters of government. She vehemently criticised my role in the Constituent Assembly for having allowed the President of Uganda to have powers of appointment.

I carefully explained to her that in every country, the powers of appointment are vested in the president. One may criticise the manner in which the president exercises those powers. In any case, most if not all, the president exercises after receiving advice from others.

She was then the president of a political party and I always strongly advised that she was confused because to get federation, you form a movement and campaign for it and thereafter, you lobby all the stakeholders to support the idea so that it becomes the subject of approval by the appropriate organs of state.

Following the recent elections, not only did she lick the president's boots, but she invited the whole country to accept the incumbent to rule for life.

People will recall the animosity a former vice president had against both President Museveni and the NRM. He founded his own political party but stood as an independent candidate in the recently concluded elections and lost. He publically repented for having fled from his beloved political father and is now vigorously campaigning for Museveni to rule for ever.

Then there is a former contestant in the Sembabule District Woman MP race who was seen in the media displaying booklets and other documents which she had snatched from NRM riggers. She further claimed that these booklets consisted of voting coupons already ticked in favour of the President and her opponent.

She was then given a ministerial post to keep quiet and perhaps destroy those books and documents. She accepted with humility and has been silenced ever since.

And then there is a former DP diehard who for the sake of money abandoned her party following her appointment as minister.

That is why many people believe that in Uganda, politics is not about serving the country or based on principles and values or indeed the evolvement and welfare of the people but surely, on filling one's stomach.

Prof Kanyeihamba is a retired Supreme Court judge.

Gwokto La'Kitgum

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"Even a small dog can piss on a tall building" Jim Hightower

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