Museveni and NRM have outlived their usefulness
By Dr. Vincent Magombe
6th Dec 2010
When George Orwell said in his ‘Animal Farm’ that “…all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others”, he was referring to the hierarchical dynamics within the political infrastructure of Communist societies.
Museveni’s Uganda is far from being a communist nation. But the way sections of Ugandan society are being rewarded for being loyal citizens (read supporters of the NRM regime) and others punished for their ‘disloyalty’ (read supporting opposition parties) cannot be any less similar to George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’.
Museveni has on numerous occasions categorically stated that only those Ugandans who pay homage to him and support his NRM party will be rewarded with jobs, financial assistance, and development programmes in their districts and regions.
President Museveni’s ‘reverse patronage’ inevitably means that whole regions, districts, and localities are often starved of public finances and resources unless they don yellow t-shirts and yellow hats. Simply put, to ‘eat’ in Museveni’s Uganda you must be an avid disciple of His Excellency’s ‘Yellow Revolution’.
Desperate times call for desperate measures
For Museveni, these are truly desperate times and they call for desperate measures. The urge to dish out cash loads of public money and a variety of “small small things” like posh cars and houses has become more prevalent in this election.
One wonders what else he might pull out of his magic bag come the last days of the election campaigns. Helicopters perhaps! Or will it be squads of Presidential Guard Brigade soldiers to guard the rewarded chiefs!
But why should anyone be surprised about Museveni’s ‘kind-heartedness’. President Museveni and his NRM are now being perceived by an increasing number of Ugandans as guests who have over-stayed and outlived their usefulness.
This is a regime that once exuded such pompous and obdurate confidence in victories of all sorts. Today, it is unsure of winning a mere 51% of votes required to retain power.
It can also be argued that NRM’s desperation is instinctive – an in-born quality. After all, the NRM was born out of a desperate intolerance and impatience that saw the military-minded Museveni and his lieutenants launch a war against what they said was lack of democracy in Milton Obote’s Uganda.
Today, we all know that it wasn’t the lack of democracy that sent these citizens to the bush. If it was, Uganda would be swimming in very warm democratic waters.
A President swimming above the currents of the law
Museveni is a ‘legally lucky’ man. He is clearly engaging in illegal and unconstitutional actions for which ordinary Ugandans would be prosecuted at once. This is what is referred to as ‘swimming above the currents of the law’. On the other hand, some ‘unlucky’ Ugandan politicians who were found to have bribed voters have been strangled by the long arm of the law.
The law bars serving government officials from using state resources during campaigns. And we all know that as President, Museveni is a government official. It is therefore possible that some concerned Ugandans may use the unfairness inherent in Museveni’s incumbency benefits to challenge his ‘victory’ if he rigs again.
The more plausible scenario however would be for Museveni to be decisively rejected with a massive anti-NRM verdict at the polls. Most Ugandans who have for a long time been suffering from an indescribable ‘political sleeping sickness’ seem to be steadily waking up. Ugandans may be hypnotized by extreme poverty but they are not stupid.
Evidence of this was seen in June 2008 when a traditional chief and a senior army commander were chased from a village in Northern Uganda where they had gone to regularize a controversial acquisition of 10,000 hectares of land. The army officer was nearly lynched by wanainchi.
The people of Acholiland and Uganda as a whole should now remember and reflect on the ‘hook and crook dynamics of Ugandan politics’ that the late Okot P’ Bitek wrote in his famous poem ‘Song of Lawino’. Published in 1966, Bitek wrote:
“…And those who have fallen into things…throw themselves into soft beds. But the hip bones of the voters grow painful…sleeping on the same earth they slept before Uhuru. And when they have fallen into things…they become rare…like a bull water buck. In its tummy, they hibernate and stay away…and eat! They return to the countryside…for the next elections…like the kite that returns during the dry season. When the kites have returned…the dry season has come!”
As all that goes on, Bitek continues, “…the pythons of sickness…swallow the children…and the buffaloes of poverty knock the people down…and ignorance stands there like an elephant”.
The people’s verdict will be known on election-day. END. Please log into www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.
Dr. Magombe is a UK based Ugandan Journalist and Director of Africa Inform International
