{UAH} Allan/Gook/Pojim: Uganda’s lists cause fear, anger or shame

These mysterious lists, big or small, have the same effect: to paralyse the public and eclipse all other topics and dominate public discussion. This is because although they are about distributing public money, they are usually top secret, until they leak. ILLUSTRATION | JOHN NYAGAH | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

We live in a republic of lists. The lists usually emerge on social media but often end up proving authentic.

Remember a weighty list that emerged with the budgeting last year of about half a billion dollars for bailing out a couple of dozen Ugandans whose businesses were doing badly? The latest "handshake" list, at about two million dollars, is just a small dot compared with the bailout list.

These mysterious lists, big or small, have the same effect: to paralyse the public and eclipse all other topics and dominate public discussion. This is because although they are about distributing public money, they are usually top secret, until they leak. At that stage, a second and third list emerge, obviously compiled to cause confusion and cast doubt on all lists on the subject including the original.

The latest list blacked out the long-awaited confirmation of our Denis Onyango as Africa's best footballer for 2016. Even the sports journalists were not focusing on Onyango's news – everyone was talking about the list. It was a handshake list this time.

A couple of years back, oil prospector Heritage had sold its interests to Tullow, and the Uganda Revenue Authority duly gave it a bill for capital gains tax. The oil prospectors were not keen on paying and the matter ended up in a London court.

The legal team hired by Uganda settled for half the invoice value and came home. It now it transpires that even then, the state gave a handshake worth two million dollars to a team of about 40 people for their half victory.

Two million dollars for 40 people is relatively small, but the news came at a time of economic downturn, a weakening shilling and all the post-Christmas woes. Then it emerged that some chaps on the handshake list had never heard about the money they supposedly received.

It may sound funny, until you put yourself in the shoes of a person listed as having got a $70,000 handshake when their kids are hungry and the rent is overdue. So another list had to emerge showing people who did NOT get the handshake! On and on our tragicomedy went.

In our republic of lists, your name being on one isn't always good. Back in the early 1980s, opposition leader Paulo Ssemogerere hinted that he was compiling a black book, listing violators of human rights. The powerful leaders who had been ridiculing Ssemogerere for being a pacifist started fearing the man, praying that their names weren't on his list.

Later in 1998, the Sixth Parliament tested its constitutional power to censure ministers, and General Jim Muhwezi was their guinea pig. Since he was influential, a rumour of an impending Cabinet reshuffle emerged and Jim was said to be the one compiling the list of new ministers.

Jim's list became the talk as MPs scrambled to submit their CVs to the embattled minister for inclusion. It did not save Jim's job – but it made the battle to censure him harder.

There is a current list of endangered "Muslim sheikhs" (as if some sheikhs are Christian). Some terrorists apparently listed some two dozen sheikhs to be killed for betraying some cause or the other. One by one they have been gunned down and only half on the list remain. Fear reigns. Uganda's lists cause fear, anger or shame.

Joachim Buwembo is a social and political commentator based in Kampala. E-mail: buwembo@gmail.com

Uganda's lists cause fear, anger or shame - Comment
http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/OpEd/comment/Uganda-lists-cause-fear-anger-or-shame/434750-3522558-l3nkcy/index.html

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