Last Updated on: 26th September 2022, 04:12 pm
“If NUP thinks that NRM wishes dialogue more than they do, then it is a total fallacy.”
By Wawa Moses Onapa
Apac – Sept. 26, 2022: In George Orwell’s famous book titled ‘Animal farm’, there was one character called Major who once raised his trotter for silence: “Comrades.” He said, “Here is a point that must be settled. The wild creatures, such as rats and rabbits–are they our friends or our enemies? Let us put it to the vote; he asserted.”
I propose this question to the meeting: “Are rats comrades?” The vote was taken at once, and it was agreed by an overwhelming majority that rats were comrades. There were only four dissentients; the three dogs and the cat, who were afterwards discovered to have voted on both sides. Major continued to remind them of their duty of enmity to man and all his ways.
When you read this paragraph in totality, you will appreciate that the said situation is entirely true reflection of Ugandan style and way of politics. The political space has recently gone to extremism.
No doubt, NUP has continued to enjoy the waves of being the major opposition political party in Uganda but they have forgotten that even rats are comrades. NUP has remained glued to individualism as opposed to pluralism of Uganda. Though we all need change in the governance of this country, we should opt for a peaceful transfer as opposed to force or threats and intimidations just as it happened in Kenya before dialogue brought in a new Constitution in 2010.
We should appreciate that the young generation, especially NUP leaders, will live longer compared to Mr. Museveni whom I presume that in 20 years’ time, by standards of nature, he might be less productive and the young generation shall continue to enjoy the country. This is why I believe that their individualism and narrowing all Uganda’s problems to Mr. Museveni is premature and lacks content.
I happened to watch an interview of Mr. Kyagulanyi Robert Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine on NTV’s famous show, Morning AtNTV and all through his interview; he would slap it straight that Mr. Museveni is the only problem the country has. He might be right but what if Mr. Museveni retires from active politics, what new alternative have we prepared?
What if he resigns, what shall be our next blame station? We should start thinking bigger than Mr. Museveni. In fact, we should start eying reforms in the laws of the land so that we don’t repeat past mistakes or we prepare ourselves ideologically so as to make our people civically oriented and fit.
He was quoted jubilating about the withdrawal of IPOD funding by NIMD. I slightly went into thinking about who benefits more in the funding. In my thinking, am well sure that most political parties lack consistent funding save for may be UPC which has the Milton Obote Foundation that acts as the investment arm or custodian of UPC assets that bring in money and probably NRM who have unlimited access to state resources, the rest survive on donations and well-wishers.
Jubilation for funding withdrawal equates us to dimwits who rejoice for burning granary because rats were in the granary not remembering that in the same granary, there was food. If NUP thinks that NRM wishes dialogue more than they do, then it is a total fallacy. Let us accept to handle our issues on a round table for the cries we are involving our neighbors on are less of their concern.
Let’s first unite the opposition MPs for dialogue processes, all that the FDC and NUP tabled can only be handled once we embrace dialogue. Who knows, maybe even some of the opposition figures do not support your stand; no wonder, the three dogs and the cat voted on both sides and we have seen this very happening during speakership and Deputy speakership voting where opposition candidates have never voted in block.
Since it was agreed that ‘rats are comrades,’ let’s embrace the spirit of pluralism and co-existence where we fight for what is right within the structures of IPOD not outside. NRM should allow a cocktail of ideas and other players too should allow it to be flexible.
To the opposition, let us be magnanimous always; winners are those who never fail and those who never quit.
The writer is an educationist, senior citizen and a social commentator.