REFORMS
Post election times in Africa are difficult times to fathom
with as it often erupts into vexatious disputes and violence. Democracy itself
has proven a costly practice everywhere in Africa. The democratic societies
seemed to have arrived at a convergence that the net worth of their societies supersedes
that of an individual or their ambitions. They then use democracy as a tool to
sieve progressive ideas that adds value to their societies by resolving social,
political, and economic questions.
In Africa, we still believe that individuals and their
ambitions supersede the very existence of a state, such that without these individuals,
these states naturally collapse.
The biggest dilemma in our Uganda is such a myth. We do not
even belief in it, but we are too afraid to admit that it is just what it is –
a myth.
In my humble view, Uganda is at such a critical stage where
its priorities are no longer destructive wars and insurgencies to obtain peace
and stability. Uganda yearns for unity of its rich diversity. Many countries
have made profitable gains in harnessing its diversity in ethnicity, ideas, ecology,
and beliefs to become wealthy, stable, and progressive. Even countries without endowment with natural
wealth as Uganda, have prospered out of harnessing its diversity. Take for
instance, most world cities are now competing to clinch the most culturally diverse
city status in the world. They have realized the numerous benefits of diversity
- tourism, cultural capitals, livability, intellectual growth, and profound tolerance.
The respect for diversity is the cornerstone of Dr Kizza
Besigye’s advocacy for wide ranging reforms in electoral laws and in governance
using non-violence means.
Uganda need these reforms very urgently. To achieve these
reforms, some respect, tolerance, and sacrifice have to be made by all parties
involved. The government needs to tone down on its contempt and arrogance
towards the Opposition elements and; the opposition ought to pursue principled
positions that allows for transparent dialogue. The opposition led by Dr Kizza
Besigye has always fronted dialogue and peaceful propositions for reforms. The
2015 Citizen’s Pact is one such example where members of the opposition worked
well with civil society organizations to build a strong proposal for electoral
reforms. The people in power snubbed these noble efforts.
The struggle that Dr Besigye has waged is a protracted
peaceful struggle rooted deeply in creating in vision of a peaceful, stable,
just, tolerant, and predictable Uganda that embraces our inherently
diverse society. For foreign investments and tourism to flourish, the political
developments in Uganda must be predictable. Investors and Tourists want to know
that when elections come, it will be fair, peaceful, and that any outstanding
contentions are resolved amicable by courts of law - that the rule of law and
the due processes work.
Further, to achieve a sustainable middle income economy,
some form of economic and social justice needs to prevail. As is, Uganda is a
sharply unequal country with much volume of wealth accumulated in Central and
Western Uganda.
This ambition of middle income by 2020 clearly is exclusive
of the Eastern and Northern part of this Country. Here, much of the environment
is under stress, and people are poor to the core with no proper education, lack
of functional healthcare services, and are occasioned by natural calamities -
landslides, El Nino, prolonged draught, mental health issues, and high cases of
HIV, etc.
So, while some people are mission hungry, it is equally important
to conceive those missions with the nation, not individuals using the nation
for their ends. As it is, we all agree that there is a whole lot that needs fixing
in our politics and avidly corrupted society.
It is my conviction that only the people can better guarantee
peace and stability when properly united, not guns and prison walls. Those
incubate instability.
The government should engage Dr. Besigye, the Opposition,
and civil society in meaningful dialogues to embrace wide-ranging reforms that
will restore confidence in our democracy, and the conduct of elections.
What it is now, is nothing but a bully using the army and
Police to snatch power from the people to rule perpetually. It is simply not
sustainable in the long run. It is the reason Dr. Besigye vows not to support
an armed insurrection whose end will further subordinate the people to the
power of the guns.
END
