Our moral decay is Museveni’s legacy
By Chantal Kembabazi
4th Oct 2010
I have a confession to make: I am totally obsessed with the creation of new districts. But the government shouldn’t think it has won over one extra person to its side. My obsession is not because I think creating new districts everywhere three bicep-less half naked men in mud huts are spotted is such a wonderful thing; definitely not.
Rather, my obsession is with my disagreement [read rage] with the reasons that the NRM government gave us for introducing the districts proliferation policy. We all remember what the reason was, don’t we: Yes, “taking services to the people”.
Several months back, my obsession forced my brain to auto-save a story that appeared in one of our newspapers. The central message in the story was simple. It was about locals in one of the new districts [can’t be bothered about the name] complaining about the hopelessness of their new district.
They said even with their brand new district, they still had to walk over 20kilometres to find the nearest hospital or bank. At the time, not even the most aggressive salesmen of NRM policies came forward to try and put a positive spin to that damning revelation. They couldn’t. They couldn’t because deep down they knew the locals were dead right.
Now fast forward to 15th Sept 2010. John Njoroge’s report in one of the daily newspapers told us that according to a report compiled by the Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment [ACODE], “…districts are increasingly faltering in delivery of services”.
“Taking services to the people” is the very purpose for which the new districts were supposedly created and yet they were now “faltering in delivery of services”.
The ACODE report, which analysed the performance of local governments, said “…the revenue base for districts is increasingly diminishing—with most units now heavily dependent on central government disbursements mainly through conditional grants”.
And because of that, the report added, “…the quality of services such as health care, water and sanitation, primary education, roads and agricultural advisory services remain generally depressing”.
If you call me a fool for posing this question I will accept it; but pose it I must. Is Museveni’s obsession with creating new districts really about “taking services to the people”? The regime’s praise singers will of course stick to the script handed down to them from the top.
Indeed, Kibaale District Chairman George William Namyaka told his council members exactly that: “I beg to move that council approves the long overdue split of Kibaale district into Kagadi, Kibaale and Kakumiro districts for effective service delivery and taking services nearer to our people”, said Mr. Namyaka.
And then the bombshell came. “The creation of two more districts will reduce on competition on the existing political positions, facilitate development, and create employment opportunities”, Namyaka added. All this was part of the Observer newspaper report that Kibaale district had resolved to split itself into three new districts.
I have absolutely nothing against the NRM government. In fact, I don’t support any political party in Uganda because none of them has won me over. But I will tell you something. I hate liars. And I am convinced Museveni’s government lied to Ugandans when it sought to justify the senseless creation of new districts under the guise of “taking services to the people”.
Even those who didn’t know the truth then should surely know it by now. The new districts were never meant to be a vehicle for “taking services to the people”. They had a more important purpose that I hope we all now know: Hoodwinking uncritical minds into voting for the NRM! That is nothing less than criminal in my world.
In fact, I think that level of dishonesty coming from the highest political echelons in Uganda may just explain why corruption has not only become a tolerated evil but a sought after fashion accessory in Museveni’s Uganda.
For whatever it’s worth, in my eyes, Uganda’s present moral decay is the one thing that will forever define Museveni’s political legacy. I am truly saddened by it. Saddened because I know how long it will take and how difficult it will be to reverse that culture of dishonesty and corruption.
Just look at the Nigerians. As a country, Nigeria has built an unrivalled reputation for fraud. Some of the world’s top Public Relations consultants have tried in vain to “cleanse” Nigeria of that very uncharitable image. That should be a powerful lesson for Ugandans.
That while the NRM midwives who delivered that putrid image will one day leave the stage and wonder off into the distance smiling, that ugly image will stay with us, our children, and our grandchildren for a very long time to come. So for the sake of our future generation, I urge Ugandans to think very, very carefully before they cast their vote for Museveni’s NRM again. END. If it’s Monday, it’s Uganda Correspondent. Never miss out again!
Chantal Kembabazi works for an anti-corruption NGO based in Viena-Austria
