FEARMONGERING
The Uganda elites have been most unfair to Hon. Kyagulanyi since
he emerged as a firebrand opposition leader. They have treated Kyagulanyi
condescendingly without letting up. Kyagulanyi, however, has continuously
manifested himself in the total opposite of those who frame him as an elusive
object of fear. The groups most vicious in their onslaught are even embedded within
the enterprise opposition.
In politics, we understand the role of paid propaganda as
part of the discourse production to sustain the status quo. A discourse is
usually evidence-driven views, both textual and discursive that prevails in
society as part of the dominant idea. These are transmitted either consciously
or unconsciously to the masses to shape perspectives and decision-making in
favour of those who produce it – those in power.
In the Ugandan context, “innuendo and rumours” have “replaced
evidence-based” in as much as violence and impunity have replaced due process
in laws. The rumours and innuendos gain legitimacy through certain individuals
with power. Their sources of power could be patriarchy, crooked professionalism
and experience, wealth and marital polyandrous status drawn from having regime
ties and privileges.
Over time, the core arguments levelled against People Power Movement
have varied and some, strange; yet unchallenged.
That Kyagulanyi’s group draws mainly from low life rascals,
the “unwashed” of slums and are to be feared – as if Kyagulanyi produces slum
dwellers.
Another group claimed that Kyagulanyi is violent,
unpredictable and capable of derailing the rented elite conveniences under the repression
– these hate to hear sentiments such as freedom or liberation.
Other groups argue that opposing Museveni’s tyranny and
draconian laws equate to triggering a war – these pessimists do not realize
that Hon. Kyagulanyi does not command an army or speak the language of violence.
Then there are the “Obama birthers” equivalent among desktop
academics - these claim that Hon. Kyagulanyi is not academically sophisticated
or experienced to lead Uganda - such groups fail to produce desktop evidence showing
that high-level academics have delivered transformational corruption-free leadership
anywhere in African since independence.
The non-Baganda groups argue that the People Power Movement,
and now the National Unity Platform Party is a Ganda-centric ethnic
consciousness whose central leadership is exclusive and hostile to non-Baganda –
this group sits by and does nothing to probe up their own ethnic consciousness against
misrule.
However, the most prominent of the siasa discourse
emanates from the sensational propagandist, Mr Andrew Mwenda – that people
power is a group of radical intolerant extremists capable of lynching anyone with
whom they are disagreeable – this line disregards the main source of violence as
Mr. Museveni, whose regime “crushes” any forms of organized opposition.
Of course, all of these claims are contrived and lack both
substance and good intentions. Time has decomposed some of them with the failing the reputation of their proponents such as Mwenda.
Absolutely, it is not my place to speak for PPM or Mr.
Kyagulanyi. However, as a righteous citizen of Uganda, it is important for me to
redirect the masses away from the petty politics of fear and defending rented convenience.
I know that Mr. Museveni and group came to power with a
one-way ticket and will do anything to retire in power. Thus, exposing Uganda’s elite pretensions in
this repressive environment can alleviate the fear levels.
Uganda is one of the many African countries where unconscionable
elderly statemen are in charge of a very young population. These fellows are far
more concerned with the hereafter than us who should concern ourselves about our
future.
In generating and sustaining fear-mongering propaganda
against Hon. Kyagulanyi, we collectively violated our own civic rights as citizens
of Uganda with contempt and narrow the democratic space.
In sum, we are consciously digging our graves wider and
deeper beneath the Museveni’s decades-long entrenched dictatorship by embracing
fearmongering discourses.
END.
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