FDC Politics
I am not FDC card carrying member but I am fond of my
contemporaries in that Party. FDC is the largest opposition Party today in
Uganda and should any misfortune happen to the NRM, certainly, the odds for FDC
to become the next managers of state affairs would get enhanced enhanced. When Thursday
November 22nd, 2012 comes to an end, someone will have been declared
FDC President. Three candidates are vying for the position of FDC Presidency to
replace the charismatic and courageous Rtd Col Dr Kiiza Besigye Kifefe. The
candidates are: Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu; Toronto County MP Geoffrey Ekanya; and
Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Hon David Mafabi.
The above established, my purpose is to discuss the implication(s)
of the candidacy of Maj General Gregory Mugisha Muntu. Proponents of the
candidacy of Muntu have argued that since he was a decorated soldier and an
army commander for eight years, then he is the best suited candidate to replace
Dr Besigye as if FDC is a military regiment. They also argue that given Muntu’s
military background, he is best suited for challenging President Museveni’s
tenure.
The implication of these arguments situates the military at
the heart of governance of Uganda. It tells us that unless you wear uniforms,
your chances of becoming President of Uganda are much diminished. I have issues
with this kind of attitude. World over, democracy has required constitutionalism
to prevail in countries where the power is vested in the common people. The military
is not expected to be partisan as it has been in Uganda since independence.
Uganda has never had a truly national army and this has always given our
democracy a lot of stress.
It is this culture of militarizing politics and civil life
that has placed Uganda in vicious circles of violence and conflict.
Unfortunately, as real as it is, I find it very obnoxious that a section of FDC
still believes that they can win away a composite of Museveni’s personalized
military support when a person with military background becomes its leader.
The contrasting reality does prove this to be a classical
form of an intellectual fallacy or simply put an informal logic. Col Besigye
was a decorated general in NRA with a lot of clout, influence and prestige.
When he fell out with President Museveni, his army connectedness was decapitated.
His record of service in the army became a reference that only appealed to the
civilians who have bore the brunt of chaos and have deeply seated apathy
towards the army.
If being in the army could create a balance of power,
certainly FDC’s fortunes could have improved each of the years they contended
for state power. To the contrary, Besigye’s percentages waned and so was his
real support, even among intellectuals because such expectations were never
realized.
FDC could have thought about these unfortunate developments
to enable them transform the candidacy of Col Besigye to that of a civilian
victim of state machination. I still believe that the true support for Besigye
struck the highest pitched when he was manhandled by that tiny, ruthless infamous
warped undercover cop Gilbert Arinaitwe.
So, does being a military man or having military past make
one a viable Presidential candidate? This is debatable but it is also a
cultural thing borne out of fear and yet we all know that Muntu would never
dare challenge the system as Besigye did. This is because none of the Presidents
of Uganda have been able to effectively demilitarize Ugandan politics. Instead,
they have ridden on the backs of their armies to procure long and cumbersome
tenure in power.
From an etic perspective, FDC has lacked in few aspects. I
think FDC may need a leader who is grass-root oriented and is as astute in
mobilizing the grass-root as in reaching out to the middle class, the
unemployed and the wealthy. I am certain that across the Ugandan society,
everyone bays for personal safety and that of their property (for the hard
working). I also believe that Besigye was positioned and gifted in with such
peculiar trait.
Although Muntu is calm, sobre minded and disciplined person,
his military background alone may not inspire many to guarantee their allegiance
to FDC. Further, sustaining the militarization of our politics provides a
recipe for commotion and confrontation leading to loss of life.
I contend that past membership in UPDF has never been a successful
and prudent on its own as an asset in shaping our democracy without other
pertinent traits. Indeed, there is a strong degree of agreement across our
society against the NRM regime. The real challenge is that we have failed
ourselves by always opting for small pushes towards the windows of opportunity
that beckons on us for change.
