{UAH} Boniface Byanyima, A True Tale of Truth and Justice; Adoko Nekyon

Boniface Byanyima, A True Tale of Truth and Justice; Adoko Nekyon

By

 Spear Team

 -

21st May 2017

0

113

Share on Facebook

 

Tweet on Twitter

  

Veteran politician Akbar Adoko Nekyon

On the day Boniface Byanyima is buried in Ruti Mbarara district, one of his contemporaries in Parliament has described him as a straight-talking, principled and kindhearted character who easily created friends across the political divide.

While many have eulogized him pointing out his uncompromising principles, perhaps no one describes Byanyima better than 86-year-old Akbar Adoko Nekyon, post-Independence Uganda's first Minister of Planning and Community Development.

Both Nekyon and Byanyima were in Parliament from 1961 to 1971 when Idi Amin overthrew the Obote government and suspended parliament. Nekyon told URN in an interview this week at his home in Kampala that his political differences with Byanyima did not stand in the way of their friendship. Nekyon, a cousin to the then Prime Minister and later president, Apollo Milton Obote, was a member of the Uganda People's Congress (UPC), while Byanyima was a pillar in the opposition Democratic Party.

Nekyon remembers Byanyima as a very well organised person who did research on whatever he was going to say in parliament. He says that whenever Byanyima stood up to speak, people would listen to him and he would be brief but factual. Singling out courage among other attributes, Nekyon says Byanyima stood for what he thought was right and it was not easy to sway him from his position.

On the relationship between government and the opposition in Parliament, Nekyon says it was one of mutual respect with politicians mixing freely without thinking about who belonged to what political party.

Nekyon talks of how the two visited each other at their homes, went out to social places such as Uganda Club and even discussed business together.  Later in the 1980s when Byanyima was National Chairman of DP, Nekyon worked as vice chairman, having crossed from UPC.

Perhaps as a way of demonstrating their friendship, Nekyon talked of how he sent one of his daughters to stay at Byanyima's home in Mbarara when she was studying at Maryhill High School. He however expresses sadness that the two veteran politicians had not met in the last 10 years because of their failing health. While their friendship withstood political differences for decades, age and sickness appears to have kept them apart in later years. And having undergone a spine operation recently, Nekyon says he won't be making the journey to Ruti, Mbarara for his friend's burial.

As minister for Planning and Community Development, Nekyon appointed Basil Bataringaya as chairperson National Council of Sports. Bataringaya was then the secretary general of DP and leader of opposition in parliament. This, he said was a sign of maturity in politics. Bataringaya, with four other DP legislators would cross the floor in 1964 to join UPC where he was appointed internal affairs minister.

Shortly after they met in the Legislative Council (Legco) in 1961, Byanyima was working as minister for public service in the short-lived DP government of Benedicto Kiwanuka that preceded independence. This, however, did not stop Byanyima from recommending Nekyon for a training opportunity to go to England in the House of Commons. He and Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere spent months in London studying how democratic multi-party politics functions. Coming from the opposition then, Nekyon says they came to realise that both the opposition and government were two parts of the same government but doing different roles.

On the fallout between Obote and Sir Edward Muteesa that culminated in the 1966 attack on Mengo Palace, Nekyon says that since both Muteesa and Obote were in the government, Byanyima who was in opposition did not say much.

In December 1964, several DP members in Parliament, including the leader of opposition Basil Bataringaya, crossed the floor and joined the ruling UPC. But Byanyima did not follow them. Nekyon now says his deceased friend stood on his principle above personal fights. He says the crossing was a culmination of a power struggle within DP between party president Ben Kiwanuka and Batarigaya who was secretary general. Although Bataringaya was from Ankole just like Byanyima, Nekyon says this was not reason enough him to join the fight.

Asked whether he as minister made attempts to convince his friend to join government, Nekyon says he did not, arguing that he knew that the opposition had a role to play. He emphasises that he saw Byanyima as a mature leader with a conviction and highly respected in his constituency. He did not, therefore, think of convincing him to join UPC. In the same way, he says Byanyima did not at any one time convince him to join DP.

On whether Byanyima died a happy man, Nekyon refers URN to the much-talked-about incident in the early 1990s when government grabbed his two-square-mile ranch in Nyabushozi, Kiruhura district. Byanyima lost at least 1,200 head of Frisian and Boran cattle when squatters settled on his land.  Since he himself has not been getting pension, he is unsure if Byanyima got his before he died. He doubts his friend died happy.

Now retired, Nekyon also served as a member of parliament for 18 years including in the constituent assembly that made the 1995 constitution. Other ministerial positions he held include Information and Broadcasting; Tourism; Agriculture, Forestry and Co-operatives; and Health.

--

Allaah gives the best to those who leave the choice to Him."And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is Able to do all things." (6:17)

--
Disclaimer:Everyone posting to this Forum bears the sole responsibility for any legal consequences of his or her postings, and hence statements and facts must be presented responsibly. Your continued membership signifies that you agree to this disclaimer and pledge to abide by our Rules and Guidelines.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com