Tag Archives: beyond

When people can’t take it anymore they revolt

There are examples from time immemorial which demonstrate that when people can’t take it any more they draw a line beyond which they revolt regardless of consequences. The peasants in feudal Europe had been taught by priests that they should tolerate suffering on earth because their rewards were in heaven. But when the burden of food insecurity and taxation among others became unbearable, they revolted. Since Uganda is basically a rural country of peasants, let us look at some examples of peasant revolts in Europe and one example in Kenya. The examples in Europe are drawn from Historical Facts by Robert Stewart (2002).

The Britons revolted against the Roman rule. The most serious revolt came in A.D. 61. One of the British tribes in East Anglia revolted because it was angered by loss of land to Roman soldiers and heavy tribute imposed on them. Thirteen years earlier, they had revolted because they were deprived of their right to bear arms.

In A.D. 220 there were revolts against China’s Han dynasty. The oppression of peasants by landlords and bureaucracy led to a series of revolts that ended the dynasty and left China with no central government for 350 years.

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Abuse and Exploitation of Women under Museveni’s Regime

By Dorothy Lubowa

Gender Department

May 8, 2012

When Museveni went to the bush in 1981, supposedly to fight for the restoration of democracy and human rights in Uganda, most Ugandans naively believed his political rhetoric. In fact some of his original fighters in the bush and throughout the war were women. For the first time in the history of Uganda women believed they had a political ally to advance their cause and protect their rights. The administrative structure set up by NRM soon after the war seemed to vindicate the erroneous conclusion that NRM, and Museveni as a leader in particular, was a progressive leader committed to the promotion of women’s rights. On each level of the Resistance Councils established after the war there was a position for a women’s representative. In parliament each district has a female representative. All this has turned out to be window dressing.

However, as history has unfolded and displayed the true colors of NRM and its leader Yoweri Museveni, the picture we get is one of a leader who exploits women for his selfish political purposes rather than advancing the interests of women. In some cases cited below women have been humiliated and grossly abused beyond imagination.

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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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