Uganda's Long Walk to Political Freedom
Somewhere I have read that democracy is the worst form of governance there has ever been expect all the forms of government that exist.
It does not matter the creed of the peoples debating the subject of democracy; the truth is..
it is such a messy subject. Politicians will do anything to get votes and what ever they do; they will justify it as being a democratic move, as being done for the good of democracy. In a democracy, voters can be played, lied to and or promised just open air for the sake of democracy.
Democracy is not all safe, not all peaceful, or else government wouldn't have tanks of teargases, democracy is not always fair or just and in governments with strong man leaders like Uganda and many other parts in Africa.
Democracy as the western hemisphere understands is nothing but illusion to the masses.
If the wisdom that "Democracy always corrects itself" is true. Then Ugandans have been waiting for that theory to also be true for our nation since our independence from the British.
Since Independence Uganda has never experienced a peaceful transfer of the president's office.
All the men that have been president to the nation have taken the office through a civil armed war or coup, the current president included.
so democracy to transfer office has not been true for the nation. And over the last thirty plus years, Ugandans have seen one president who can at anytime rally his supporters in the name of democracy to change the rules to which democracy is to be played.
Every rule in a constitution that was added to stop the office of the president from serving one person can be amended and will be amended to serve one person.
There is no doubt for any of us that follow these politics to conclude that since Uganda gain independence all of the wisdom of the population has not been asserted but deserted.
Currently democracy has failed in Uganda. Politicians in the ruling party (NRM) makes choices that are not only bad for Uganda but bad for the process of democracy.
In so doing, they have killed democracy and the process to which democracy can save and correct the country's mistakes has been kicked around.
Democracy in Uganda is a delusion packed well and rule by the people has been lost.
These party politicians can easily be bought/bribed to chance the law. They are so cheap anyone in the western working democracy with a nine to five can buy them.
In Uganda, politics has become everything. There is no day that goes by without hearing or experiencing a political events.
In Uganda the talk has gone from how to develop into a middle class economy to who is going to be the next president of the land.
This has not come easy on the country and it's economy. Teargas and bullets are the norm of the day for anyone trying to oppose the will of the ruling part, The National Resistance Movement (NRM).
The NRM was formed many years ago and it was born out of a a rebel group that took government by a coup known as the National Resistance Army (NRA).
The NRM was formed many years ago and it was born out of a a rebel group that took government by a coup known as the National Resistance Army (NRA).
Uganda suffers from a curse. A simple curse that has hunted many other African countries. A curse of elderly leadership who took by through a rebel lead arms coup.
Now thirty one years down the road. The same problems that faced the country back then and led the country into a civil war are still at bay. The political class in Uganda has grown to only promote their interest
Bobi Wine oba Robert Kagulanyi is a Ugandan musician turned politician. He is young for politics, only in his early thirties but he carries a message that resonates with the majority of young Ugandans.
This morning he was supposed to be hosted by Capital FM for Capital Gang. A popular political radio show here in Uganda.
He was instead rhat that the radio was directed by UCC; Uganda Communication Commission and security operatives not to host him.
He was alos notifified by other radio and TV
Stations and they confirmed that they received the same order- with threats that if he appears. Their stations will be out of commission.
Bobi Wine accusses the Ugandan government, led by President for life Yoweri Museveni, "of doing things not different from what they claimed to fight against." The MP is speaking from historical facts of how the current government came to rule.
The MP belives and has a case aganist the government for violating Article 29(1) (a) of the Constitution of Uganda, which provides that, "every person shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression which shall include freedom of the press and other media.’
The MP also quoted a ruling by Uganda's Supreme Court which has ruled that “the right to freedom of expression extends to holding, receiving and imparting all forms of opinions, ideas and information."
