{UAH} Minister Mao does not want us to call it a defection

Uganda's democracy is like a beautiful rose that grows to unreachable heights each season,surrounded by a deep thorny brush that engulfs any politician who makes an attempt to sniff it.

We have all read with incredible amusement, the polishing of Mao's defection from an opposition Party(DP), the political pundits have cleansed it so well, it gels right into our guts without being chewed first. Since when has it been accepted as principled for a Party leader to abandon their democratic values, stance or voting station?   

Shall we rejoice that an opposition Party has been orphaned by a lure of comfort and butter cushions, given the history of our nation? These are questions going through the minds of many Ugandans who are worried that this is yet another sell out to the leading Party.

The loss of a democratic flag bearer who's supposed to point out flaws that need to be fixed in our weak democracy should worry those who are applauding Mao's lure to a big executive position, because it will make him blind and unable to champion, with zeal -social, economic and political issues that have dogged us for decades. 

One recent memorable principled stand for Uganda's democracy was made against the Okello Government and it ushered in President Yoweri Museveni, it made him a champion of democracy and quite popular among Ugandans who'd painfully watched all the gains of the Moshi Accord, being squandered pound for pound measured against the big sacrifices that they had all endured during the years of violence and civil war. 

 

Moves that orphan Political Parties or weaken the multi party system in place cannot be good for Uganda's flaggering democracy and the existence of multi-parties that were fought hard for. Neither should they be regarded as principled moves, but rather defections that will hurt attempts to return to the democratic principles that we all espouse to achieve as a nation.

 Dr Kizza Besigye, and any other opposition  non-violent Party member should not be labeled as mean and bad agents for refusing to compromise on the fundamentals of a true democracy. If we really want to call Uganda a republic we cannot be wishy washy about the laws that govern a healthy democratic system and we cannot build it in the manner we like , it will not fly. 

Dr Kizza Besigye has worked with the president before and was a principal architect of the NRM agenda, and he will do it again, but let's get the fundamentals on the right path before we blame him for being the last man standing in the opposition. He ought not yield on principle, people expect him to be delivering even when he is on the opposite side of the aisle, because he knows and has worked with all of the big wigs in power now!

We have all seen the churning of the Ugandan political machinery and sometimes it isn't so pretty and leaves many victims scarred and strapped financially, that rose brush has a way of engulfing the most brilliant in our country, and at times they find themselves in a conundrum!

What happened to these brilliant fellows: Rt Hon.Amama Mbabazi, Gen Sejusa,the late Hon. Kategaya, Gen Mugisha Muntu, VP Bukenya to mention a few, all brilliant Ugandans in pursuit of that dream that has eluded us for decades, and we applaud them for standing in the opposition to keep these multi-parties alive!

Without vibrant and well led opposition -Political Parties will be dealt a death blow and we'll   have no democracy to celebrate.

Some among us remember the voice of the late Enganzi Hon, Kahigiriza, singing that famous song of kahurire aka Uganda Congress decades ago  when democracy was young in Uganda - He sang beautifully - that DP efiire, effire( is dead), calling folks to come and hear the drumbeat and agenda of Uganda Congress Party, who will remain to carry that torch forward, if UPC, NUP and DP are all engulfed by one big NRM camp? There must be some other way of working with the President and his NRM party while preserving a healthy multi-party system and funding their agenda towards the dream of a healthier democratic nation.

Tendo Kaluma

Ugandan in Boston

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