Tag Archives: message

Message from UDU Chairman

Dear Members of UDU:

    Attached please find an essay explaining the nature, history and causes of our political problems in Uganda. The essay is long and therefore those of you who do not have time to go through the entire essay may choose to read the diagnosis and the prognosis. The prognosis will show you that democratization is far more complex and difficult than many of us have assumed; it involves more than removing a bad regime from power. Democratization involves changing the entire society. This is an issue I find many people have yet to understand. Our problems are more than Museveni.

    One of the problems Uganda is facing today is corruption. In my opinion there is no prospect of solving the problem of corruption in Uganda without regime change. I request that this problem be taken seriously and I would appreciate any comments from you on this subject. Because corruption is deeply institutionalized within the NRM regime democratization cannot take while NRM is in power.

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Message to all branches of Uganda security forces

Dear brothers and sisters

As you may have noticed, I have since the beginning of this year (2012), sent messages to Members of Parliament, religious leaders, youth and women. Regardless of our profession, region, ethnic group, faith, age and gender, we are all Ugandans with a common destiny – to live in peace and security, create wealth and enjoy happiness. When this does not happen, we should all come together and find a mutually acceptable solution. Since 1966 Uganda has suffered serious political, economic, social and environmental deficits.

When NRM came to power in 1986, it declared that it was going to end the long suffering of the people of Uganda and even “put back the ‘hair’ on the bald heads of Uganda hills”. These announcements endeared the government to the people of Uganda, friends and well wishers. In response, Ugandans sacrificed and tightened their belts to give all the support the government needed in the early years of its administration. Our friends and well wishers donated generously in money and experts. Notwithstanding these efforts, suffering has spread and deepened and Uganda hills have lost more hair. The suffering of the people of Uganda is everywhere for all to see and cannot be denied. It was adequately summarized during last year’s (2011) Christmas sermons.

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Message for NRM legislators (MPs) on East African cooperation

I have learned that one of the principal purposes of the just concluded Kyankwanzi week long seminar for NRM legislators was to discuss acceleration of the East African economic integration and political federation. I have written extensively on this subject and posted articles on Ugandans at Heart Forum and on www.kashambuzi.com. Therefore the message to NRM legislators will be brief.

As a majority party in parliament you have a special responsibility to promote, defend and protect the interests of Ugandans in whatever you do. Any negotiation must bring net gains to Uganda. The history of the East African cooperation appears to have yielded fewer benefits but more losses to Uganda. This must be avoided in the current and future negotiations. To prepare yourselves well you may need to look at what has happened or is happening in other parts of the world engaged in a similar exercise.

Regarding political federation MPs are urged to study why the following failures have occurred:

1. The Central African federation of Northern and Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland;

2. The Yugoslavia federation;

3. The czechoslovakia federation

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A message for Nyakairima and Kayihura

You took oath to defend the country and protect the citizens of Uganda so that they exercise freely their God-given human rights including the right to elect their leaders at all levels. As professional security officers you have a solemn responsibility and duty to protect the people of Uganda as they prepare to elect their leaders on February 18, 2011.

The country and people of Uganda are in your hands. Please ensure that the rules governing the electoral process such as absence of intimidation and bribery are respected. These rules must be obeyed by every Ugandan irrespective of their status. Violation of these rules will be challenged.

Since 1980 Uganda’s elections have been defined by serious irregularities that have undermined the usefulness of the exercise. Hopefully, your professional determination will ensure that – for the first time – Uganda will have free and fair elections on February 18, 2011.

Good luck.

Eric Kashambuzi

February 16, 2011

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First message to Ugandans through Radio Munansi – Kashambuzi

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.

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A message to voters in Rujumbura constituency

Next month (February 2011) you will exercise your right and elect a president, a member of parliament and district councilors for the next five years. The purpose of elections is to choose people that will represent the interests of all the people in their respective constituencies through for example building schools (and providing school lunches), hospitals and clinics, constructing roads, providing affordable energy, improving agriculture, storage and processing facilities. Representatives should implement development promises they make during campaigning time. When a representative does not deliver as promised he/she should not be re-elected.

Like other constituencies in Uganda, Rujumbura has had elections since 1961. For most of the time (some 95 percent) Rujumbura has been represented in parliament by Bashambo clan of Bahororo people.

By way of background information, Bahororo are Batutsi from Rwanda (not Bahima as previously thought. There are no Bahima in Rujumbura) who came to Rujumbura around 1800 as refugees when Bahima overran their short-lived Mpororo kingdom (after it had disintegrated) in present-day Ntungamo district. In collaboration with Arab slave traders who came with superior European weapons, Bahororo managed to defeat and enslave, exploit and marginalize Bantu people they found in the area. Bantu people who were dubbed Bairu (which means slaves) lost their short horn cattle and industrial enterprises. They were reduced to cultivators growing food for and providing free labor to the new masters in a master/serf relationship as existed in pre-colonial Rwanda and medieval Europe. Punishments were severe to prevent rebellions or when they occurred.

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A message for 2011 and beyond

Fellow Ugandans

As 2010 folds and 2011 unfolds I want to thank you all and share with you a few principal points.

Twenty ten (2010) has been an important year of reflection and debate made easy by the internet. Twenty eleven (2011) should be a year to launch real action to implement for present and future generations the outcomes of the 2010 debate. We shall need collaboration with friends, neighbors, well wishers and partners to put Uganda onto a growth and development path that is equitable, sustained and sustainable taking into consideration the following points.

First, a society that develops and matures must enjoy all the rights and freedoms that include good education, healthcare and adequate and balanced diet; decent jobs, housing and clothing as well as freedom of expression and assembly. These rights and freedoms can only be enjoyed through a free and fair political system, an independent judiciary and a security system that protects citizens’ lives and properties through established peoples’ institutions and rules.

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A message for Uganda security forces

The message is addressed to intelligence, police and military forces.

You are Ugandans like the rest of us. We are all brothers and sisters. Article I of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states in part that we “should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood [and sisterhood]”. Thus, in our specialized areas, all Ugandans have the responsibility to act towards one another in that spirit. Yours as security forces is to protect Ugandans from being hurt and/or losing their lives and properties. As such you should be loved by all Uganda citizens. When you enter an area you should be welcomed and helped in doing your job of protecting their lives and properties. You should do your job professionally and strictly according to the book.

You belong to the people and serve the people of Uganda through public institutions. You do not belong to or serve an individual whether he gave you a job and/or promoted you. These individuals do that in their official capacity as president or commissioner of police etc. As professionals you do not make or unmake governments. That is done through a democratic and electoral process like Uganda is going through right now. Your job is to serve all the people of Uganda fairly, equally and transparently through established public institutions.

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