{UAH} Where are Uganda’s intellectuals?

If Ugandans can begin to turn to Mr Bob Wine as a leader at a critical juncture in its history, it seems the biggest crisis the country faces then is the total collapse or disappearance of its intellectual class. Yet no country can get out of a hell hole, let alone develop without intellectuals leading the efforts. It just shows we still have a very long way to go. The phase after Kayibanda Museveni will pretty much have to be written off, and things are going to get worse for Ugandans before they get better- with or without Kayibanda. The intellectuals have to wake up and assume their responsibility- otherwise our country is doomed..

Bobby

Where are Uganda's intellectuals?

     

Makerere University's main building. Public lectures were organised without any restrictions and writers did a lot more than the professional task of producing stories, poems, and plays and developed worthy essays. 

In Summary

• Between 1960 and 1990, this country was so much fascinated with brilliant ideas and it was as if the public mind was on fire.
• The academics from various disciplines took a keen interest in the prospects of the new Uganda, and went to the public arena to generate ideas. The journalists at that time were vibrant and objective.

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By Ivan Munguongeo

Something bad is happening in our country - the apparent absence of public intellectualism. In the past, Uganda was dominated by people with rich ideas. Everything about the country was promising. They had ideas that pushed boundaries, destroyed illusions and were liberating. Those days, the intellectuals would exert great influence on public policy discourse and their views were of great significance to the nation.

The academics would go beyond the narrow specialisation for their degrees and university-based scholarships and took keen interest in public affairs. They would use their expertise and exposure to shed light on a broad range of issues affecting society. The journalists, writers and other professionals would question the direction the country was taking and offered alternative views. Their ideas were generated not for personal aggrandisement, but for the common good.

Without taking you to a history class, let me just say between 1960 and 1990, this country was so much fascinated with brilliant ideas and it was as if the public mind was on fire. The academics from various disciplines took a keen interest in the prospects of the new Uganda, and went to the public arena to generate ideas. The journalists at that time were vibrant and objective.

Public lectures were organised without any restrictions and writers did a lot more than the professional task of producing stories, poems, and plays and developed worthy essays.

The politicians who appeared on national televisions were also articulate and those in the corridors of power would take their ideas seriously. But as years went by, we started seeing the decline of public intellectualism, especially from 2001. This was a time when a host of leaders joined the political podium.

These kinds were interested in assuming power and had less trust in public debates. This trend has continued to today worsen by the stringent policies and laws on public gathering.

Since then, it is as if our academics have lost interest in public affairs, Only a few of them maintain a column or write an occasional piece or take on public issues seriously. The creative writers are in hiding. Their silence has grave implications because we are in the age of clichés, of jargon writing, mundane and unimaginative commentary.

Whatever appears intellectual is written off as arrogant and there is no quality debate on anything in this country any more. We need the public intellectuals because certain issues cannot be discussed on the social media or be reduced to a mere tweet. 
ivantorres967@gmail.com

     

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