STRATEGY
We
learnt long ago that Political Parties are formed to vie for power, and capture
it. Once in power, it must fight as much, to retain it. A success of a
political Party is judged by its abilities in these regards, criticizing the
strategies of the other, is only part of the game. Parties reflect an aggregation
of ideas and convictions, which must contend to gain dominance of public space. In Hon. Mao’s absolution of Andrew Mwenda’s
blatant and cruel assault on the critical and monumental role that Dr. Kizza
Besigye plays in changing the tempo and rhythm of politics in Uganda (read: The
hazard of Besigyeism in the Opposition: Has Mwenda got a point? In DM of
January 22, 2017), lies a conflicting perspective on Opposition strategies.
Hon. Mao
claims that Dr. Besigye’s obsession with capturing power concentrates the
energy of the NRM; engaging in the countryside, disperses the energy of the NRM
and blunts its blows. Accordingly, Mao’s virile prescription is the attack from
the flank. Hon. Mao believes that when
the Opposition succeeds in challenging the NRM from the flank, then the direct
challenge focusing on the Presidency shall bear fruits.
This flank
approach would have worked in 1980 where the government of the day was formed based
on the number of Parliamentary seats a Party had won. Unfortunately, Museveni
rules by the gun such that victory at the flank does not necessarily translate
into defeat, or a reduction of his omnipresence over the army and thus, as
President.
Hon. Mao’s
prescription is therefore an under-dose from an expired medicine vial. The limitation of flank approach is an over
assumption that the NRM is rigid, lacks fluidity and would not be concerned
with defeat at the grassroots. The struggle for liberation of Uganda needs both
protracted and short-term goals, each with clear strategies and tactics.
Obviously,
the flank approach is resource heavy, requiring money that all the traditional
Parties and their followings do not have. Hon. Mao is aware that DP alone cannot
field and fund candidates at every flank position in the country, not even in
Buganda, or in Acholi. UPC, CP and whatever Party simply lacks the resource
capacity to out-do the electioneering, bribery, and vote stealing machinery of
the NRM.
To
counter this challenge, the Opposition must emphasize on the implementation of
the law that bans vote bribery. Museveni
has defended his flank and he will do so even at the forthcoming LC elections
by bribery and coercion. To assume that Museveni is insensitive to his flank is
a “strategy” suicide!
The
strength of the flank approach is to reawaken the traditional support base of
old Parties. Unfortunately, after 30 years of hegemonic Musevenism, most of the
Party activists and enthusiasts in the countryside have died, aged beyond
relevance, or disinterested themselves with politics of corruption. Yet, many in
DP have lent their loyalties to Museveni.
Criticizing
Dr. Kizza Besigye’s may be a past time because insects naturally eat each other
when locked in a bottle. KB’s campaign is effective, albeit with some
limitations. One of it is the treacherous Opposition members who double deal for
breadcrumbs from the regime. KB has exposed the regime sufficiently. It would
be fruitful if Opposition players like Hon. Mao and contemptuous critics like Andrew
Mwenda harnessed the opportunities to finish the dictator off, rather than slam-dunk
on KB.
Let KB and
his Party focus on their agenda; DP and Mwenda should focus on theirs. To
suggest that Besigye should first stop, such that you start, is like pygmies engrossing
in a height contest. To reclaim Uganda,
we need multiple approaches and broader collaborations. After three decades, we
now recognize that no one strategy is superior to the other. As long as such approaches
fall outside of challenging the military might behind dictator Museveni. Whoever
can liberate Uganda from dictatorship, will be the real hero. Hon. Mao should
let the end justify the means.
End.
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