It is no longer a debatable issue even among once staunch supporters of NRM government at home and abroad. Uganda has become a divided, corrupt, sectarian and retrogressive state. It has remained absolutely poor, hungry, thirsty, sick, illiterate and degrading very fast environmentally and diplomatically.
Uganda image in the Great Lakes region, in Africa and in the rest of the world has been dramatically tarnished. Museveni is no longer regarded as the dean of the new breed of African leaders, peace maker, star performer and blue eyed boy of the west but as a dictator who has presided over a failed state now characterized by resurgence with vengeance of diseases that had disappeared including scabies and jiggers which are undeniably external manifestations of absolute poverty, notwithstanding economic growth, export diversification, privatization of public enterprises, downsizing public service and controlling inflation.
That Uganda is in trouble came out clearly during the Jubilee message on October 9, 2012 when the president could not record in any meaningful way what NRM has done to raise the overall standard of living in view of the fact that it has been in power for more than half of Uganda’s fifty years of independence.
The NRM government is no longer receiving praises for its economic record and peace maker in the Great Lakes region but warnings against abuse of human rights and fundamental freedoms at home and interference in domestic affairs of neighboring countries and alleged involvement in genocide against Bahutu people.
Instead of reforming in line with domestic and external opinion, NRM is demanding that its actions in Uganda and/or abroad must not be questioned by anybody because in retaliation it can easily withdraw its troops from peace keeping operations with dire consequences to international peace and security. In other words, NRM government is saying that in order to keep its troops in peace keeping operations, it must be allowed to do whatever it wants. Many don’t think Uganda and the rest of the world is ready for that kind of attitude. A new pragmatic government needs to be formed and led by a person with a different profile from the current one who has an ingrained military culture that must be avoided in future leaders.
Let me restate my position upfront. Uganda should not have another military leader. Thirty four years and still counting of military leaders (Amin and Museveni) have given us enough information and evidence to resist another military leader. Regarding aspiring soldiers whom I respect as individuals and should not take my position personally, military leaders are not trained to deal with civilian populations especially in situations where checks and balances don’t exist as in Uganda.
Ugandans have been warned and even suffered much from military rule. If they go ahead and choose another military leader for any political party they will have themselves to blame if things go wrong again. Thirty four years is long enough to drive the point home. And the writing is still on the wall: read it and act accordingly and be held responsible for any consequences!
The new leader who must be a civilian must declare and be held accountable for that declaration that all Ugandans are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are entitled to all rights and freedoms including property ownership especially land the only asset and source of livelihood for the majority of Ugandans. No government, military or civilian, should dispossess Ugandans of their inalienable right to own land. Those who are being advised to sell land and start business in towns are being deceived. Should business fail, you have nothing to turn to: remember that!
In Uganda today, land is the only reliable asset for present and future generations. Therefore, Ugandans should avoid selling land: at least not all of it. Remember that our independence and sovereignty as a nation, households or individuals is dependent sorely on Land. That is why you see other countries going to war or threatening to go to war even over a small rock in the middle of an ocean. Do you remember the Falklands war between Britain and Argentina? And do you know the size and quality of land they fought for and lost lives and properties? What does that tell you? Please reject Museveni’s idea that to develop you must sell your land and start business in town. If land was not a good investment, why is Museveni acquiring huge ranches and other pieces of land together with his kith and kin that are buying Uganda land at a frightening rate and resettling non-Ugandans on Uganda land? This is not a sectarian issue as detractors will quickly point out but a matter of survival for the vulnerable, powerless and voiceless people of Uganda whose interests I have dedicated the balance my life to protect and defend regardless of adverse consequences. But I will need Uganda backing and mandate to do even more.
As we speak, Uganda is a broken country in an intensive care unit and needs to be healed and reconstructed. Here is what the new patriotic leader and his/her team should do.
1. Assure the people of Uganda that not all is lost: hope is still alive and that the Almighty has not forgotten us. This is important psychologically.
2. Prepare the country to debate the merits and demerits of unitary and federal system of governance and decide which one they prefer and adopt it.
3. Create a climate of peace, security, stability and confidence so that Ugandans develop their potential to the maximum extent possible.
4. Restore Uganda to a full status of food and nutrition security. Food is the foundation of life. Undernourished women produce underweight children that are permanently physically and mentally disabled if they survive. Undernourished children can’t learn and adults can’t become productive.
5. Regenerate education and reform it at all levels to make it relevant to the labor market. Schools, ministry of education and private sector should work in partnership to create an enabling environment. School lunches should be adopted as a national policy and provided free or subsidized because they improve attendance and performance especially of girls. Keeping girls in school longer delays marriage and lowers fertility rate and overall population growth. Given Uganda’s high level of poverty, education should be subsidized.
6. Regenerate the health care system with a focus on primary health including safe drinking water, good sanitation, washing hands with soap before touching food, draining standing water to eliminate mosquito breeding places, decent housing and washed clothes as well as vaccination. Hospitals and dispensaries should be within walking distance with adequate and motivated staff. Given Uganda’s high level of poverty, healthcare should be subsidized.
7. Housing especially in rapidly growing urban areas should be improved. Affordable building materials should be developed, sighting of houses should be away from unsafe places such as industrial plants and provided with recreational facilities.
8. Infrastructure especially affordable energy and all weather roads should be provided and maintained. The construction and maintenance of permanent bridges is especially important because without bridges which are expensive to replace after destruction transport is handicapped.
9. Agriculture should regain its primary role in Uganda’s development through preference for small holder farmers and commercialized with high yielding seeds, fertilizers; irrigation and extension services. There is scientific evidence that small scale farmers are more productive, more efficient, more environmentally and socially friendly than large scale farmers. The prime minister’s argument that large scale farmers are more productive than peasants as the reason for his plan to transfer land from Uganda peasants to rich large scale farmers (domestic and foreign) is false. He wasn’t properly advised. In fact the international community has emphasized small scale farming and Uganda has been listed among countries to receive international support. Not least, agricultural produce should be processed in Uganda to add value, create jobs and extend longevity of the product.
10. Environmental rehabilitation and management in rural and urban areas should receive urgent attention through reforestation, wetland restoration, and containment of nomadic livestock herding as well as improvements in housing and sanitation in towns.
11. Economic growth should be in the domain of the private sector combined with equity to minimize skewed income distribution being experienced under the NRM government. State role should be strategically designed to facilitate and not obstruct private sector performance.
12. The people of Uganda must be reminded that they have primary responsibility for the development of economic and social policies, programs and their implementation as well as their ownership and sustainability. Foreigners will only assist in areas where specialized support may be needed.
At the political and external levels the following actions should be taken:
1. A truly multi-party political system should be established underpinned by an independent electoral commission, standardized campaign finance and term limits especially at presidential and parliamentary levels. Free and fair elections should be conducted every five years and monitored closely by domestic and international observers from voter registration through announcement of results at polling stations and whose recommendations should be taken seriously.
2. At the external levels Uganda should pursue a policy of good neighborliness and promotion of Uganda interests so that gains exceed losses especially in the East African community. Relations with our traditional partners should be strengthened within the overall policy framework of non-alignment. At the UN level and especially in economic and social areas Uganda should continue to work closely with the Group of 77 (G77). Uganda should identify areas that should not be negotiable in regional and international forums. For example, land ownership by foreigners and altering national boundaries are not negotiable.
3. Uganda missions abroad should be staffed with professionals in their areas of expertise to be able to negotiate deals that benefit Uganda. Political appointments to ambassadorial posts should be limited.
These ideas have been reflected in UDU’s National Recovery Plan (NRP) available at www.udugandans.org. Right now, UDU is the only political entity at home and abroad that has a clear and credible mission and plan which were designed, debated and adopted by Ugandans and have been well received by some development partners. UDU’s civic education has been admired at home and abroad.
UDU also has a leadership that is eminently qualified, experienced, broad-based, pragmatic, bold, patriotic and transparent with clearly articulated messages that have created space for discussion including of controversial issues with a view to getting to the root cause of Uganda’s development problems before a cure is recommended. This is reminiscent of a good medical doctor.
UDU has established diplomatic links with state and non-state actors. We are now compiling a list of professionals at different levels ready to govern should we get the nod of the people of Uganda and our development partners. This is a formidable alternative to the NRM failed regime.
To give Ugandans an opportunity to make informed decisions, aspiring leaders should make themselves well known to the people of Uganda by declaring their education background, record of public service, character and their historical background and roots in the interest of national security. Put differently, it is the right and duty of all Ugandans to demand that this information be made available before an informed decision is taken on the suitability or otherwise of any candidate wishing to lead Uganda.