Message delivered in English and local languages
Fellow Ugandans and friends
I come from Rujumbura County of Rukungiri district in southwest Uganda.
I want to thank the organizers of this event especially Mr. James Semakula for inviting me to participate in this conversation (February 5, 2011) which is taking place at a critical juncture in Uganda’s history. Ugandans are more enlightened about their rights and the role of government which is to serve the people and not be their master. Ugandans understand that elections create a contract between the government and the people. When that contract is not implemented as agreed there are repercussions.
I have a short introductory message which I will deliver in my native language and then revert to the English language for the balance of this event. Here is the message addressed to all Ugandans.
1. Abanya Uganda mwena nimbaramusya kandi nimbendeza omwaka murungi.
2. Omwaka ogu nogwomutano. Ebiro 18 Okwezi oku nimuza kuronda abarabebembere emyaka etano yomumaisho omu mataunu, omumadisiturikiti, omurukiiko rwensi yona (parliament) ahamwe na President. Omumyaka etano mwine eizoba rimwe ryonka okuronda abebembezi. Nahabwekyo mureebe ngu mwaronda abantu buzima abarabakorere mukatunguka.
3. Nobuntarinaimwe omumubiri omutima gwangye guri naimwe. Omukwega kwangye, okupakasa, okuhandika ebitabo, nebinkozire bikyeho ebyentunguka Uganda tekanyebaga.
4. Ebitekateko byangye ahari Uganda nabanyauganda biri omubitabo ebimpandikyire. Ebimwe nimubishoma omu Observer, New Vision, Monitor, foramu yabanyauganda (Ugandans-at-Heart Forum) hamwe naforamuzi ezindi. Nkataho na website www.kashambuzi.com kuguma nimanyisa abanyauganda ebindikutekateka.
5. Abatungire omwanya kushoma ebimpandikyire ebiri ahawebusite yangye ningyira ngu murebire ebimpandikyire aha bururu bwa Uganda kwiha omu mwaka gwa Rukumi namwenda nkaga nagumwe kuhisya enkumi ibiri na mukaga.
6. Ebimpandikyire byona nibiruga omukuganira nabantu baUganda omuri Uganda hamwe naheru. Kandi ebintu ebi byona nkabitandika nkiri omusigazi omu sinia ya kashantu.
7. Okukorera omu Mahanga agetairaine (United Nations) kukampa omugisha gwokutambura hamwe nokukora omunsi ezindi okureba okuzirikukora, ezirikugyenda omumaisho, nezikiri emyima kandi nenshonga ezirikureta ebyo byona.
8. Ensi yeitu Uganda nensi nungi munonga, eine obugaiga, eine abantu barungi bamagyezi hamwe nemitima mirungi kandi barikukoresa amani. Kwonka Uganda eremirwe kugyenda omumaisho. Ekiri ahansi yensi nyingyi.
9. Obworo bukiri ahaiguru munonga, abantu baingyi nibarara nenjara, abaingyi barwaire, abamwe baremirwe okushoma, kandi eminyeto yaitu ahabwokuburirwa emirimo kitumire batandika kukora ebintu ebitahikyire.
10. Ekintu ekyokutatunguka nikyiretwa abembezi batari barungi (bad leaders) omu politikisi hamwe nomubyentunguka.
11. Kwiha omumwaka Rukumi namwenda nkaga na mukaga, ensi yaitu Uganda etaha omundwano zomunda hamwe nezaheru kandi abategyeki befwaho barya bonka. Ahabwekyo bebwa abandi. Nikyo murikurebera twine abagaiga hamwe naboro. Obugaiga butwine omunsi yaitu buri muntu akabaire natunga ekirikumara. Ekirikwija kwiha Uganda omubizibu ebi byona nokuronda abembezi abarikwija kukorera abantu bona omumyaka etano yomumaisho. Nahabwekyo omukaruru aka murebe ngu mwaronda abebembezi barungi.
Kare mugume nobusingye. Mukama abebembere omukutera akaruru nomumirimo endijo eyaburiju.
Bank into the English language, I said that elections should not be seen as a stand-alone phenomenon but must be considered as an integral part of democracy and peoples’ welfare. Elected representatives through legislative and executive branches of government must create space for individual, family and community initiatives to produce goods and services that improve their standard of living.
Regarding elections I observed that there are three phases: registration of voters (registered voters must equal the number of people eligible to vote. When registered voters exceed the eligible voters there is an irregularity that must be corrected); a level playing field (all contestants and their supporters must be subjected to the same conditions. When one contestant or party has an advantage over another it constitutes an irregularity that must be corrected); and post-election accountability (elected representatives and the winning party must implement what they promised. The opposition must ensure that the government sticks to what it promised and should present alternative policy proposals to make things better).
I addressed the distinction between national security – protecting the country against external aggression which is the responsibility of the military – and human security which is about the individual (education, health, food, job etc) security.
Finally I talked about political and economic stability. Uganda government and donors see political stability in terms of absence of agitation and demonstrations which in Uganda has been maintained by an authoritarian regime. Economic stability as understood by the government and donors is low inflation (reduced money and credit in circulation) which means that interest rates have to be so high as to discourage borrowing and investment in labor-intensive activities that create jobs, promote equitable economic growth and development.
This introduction was followed by a vibrant, interactive, action-oriented and problem-solving debate.