Is the ‘First Family’ ready of Uganda’s revenge?
By Dr. Vincent Magombe
17th January 2011
The Ugandan media, both independent and State run, are filled with ugly stories of senior politicians abandoning their own parties for greener pastures elsewhere. Crazed money-hungry politicians are out on the mad hunt, popping up at each and every campaign rally to declare personal allegiance and loyalty to the highest bidder.
In President Museveni’s Uganda, trying to find a morally upright and ethically refined politician is becoming as difficult as tracing a needle in a haystack. Politicians have become political nomads whose service motto is no longer ‘For God and My Country’.
In this new era that is defined by the ‘politics of the stomach’, there are hardly any progressive values, morals or principles to talk about. The prevailing maxim has become ‘For That Who Feedeth Me and My Stomach’. And if, as it were, the Highest Bidder in the Land is none other than His Excellency the President himself, then the befitting motto of our times is simply ‘For Museveni and My Stomach’.
One high-profile political nomad who recently abandoned his party for the ruling NRM said it all when he asked his new political boss [President Museveni] to ensure that he and his fellow defectors are “well looked after”.
The occasion was the launch of the NRM manifesto at Serena Hotel in Kampala and the new NRM brides were former UPC Vice President Haji Badru Wegulo and former Vice Chairman for Central Region Henry Mayega. Museveni of course duly welcomed them into their new home and promised to reward them abundantly.
The emerging evidence of political bribery
It is now beginning to emerge that the seemingly normal and innocent defections of opposition politicians to the NRM are anything but innocent. Recent news reports of alleged attempts by President Museveni’s household to bribe Francis Atugonza, an outspoken FDC politician, to leave his party for NRM must be an eye opener for all Ugandans.
The corrupt NRM on the other hand must be in shock. They must be amazed at how “stupid” Atugonza is to turn down that amount of money, and with it, the possibility of a very good life thereafter. Apparently, the bribe to Atugonza was supposed to be a whooping Shs1.5 billion. It is also revealing that some of the contact persons for the ‘deal’ were none other than Museveni’s own sons-in–law.
But here is the most serious bit: If Atugonza’s account of events is true, then President Museveni, as the so-called ‘Fountain of Honour’ and his NRM government have a real case to answer. There is no doubt about the criminality of this type of political bribery. Section 62 of the Presidential Elections Act clearly dictates that political leaders and their parties must desist from such bribery.
But the regimes criminal behaviour aside, there is another important dimension to this electoral misdemeanour. It is what Ugandan citizens expect of their leaders. In this particular case, I think Ugandans have the right to know where the bribery money is coming from. Is it personal money from the President, or is it public money drawn from the Sh600billion that NRM parliamentarians grabbed recently from Ugandans and gave to State House?
A catalogue of unethical political behaviour
Museveni and his NRM regime have vast experiences in the art of facilitating what can only be described as political prostitution. It should be remembered that just before the 2006 elections, MPs were given ‘kitu kidogo’ [something small] of Shs5 million to induce them to vote for the removal of term limits. That incident has now enabled Museveni to become a serial presidential candidate.
More recently, it was reported that NRM MPs were given Shs20 million each as ‘facilitation’ money. There is already widespread suspicion that Museveni’s ruling NRM party is once again dipping its hand in the public till. It is also no secret that the NRM’s campaign activities are heavily subsidised by the State and the Presidency. This is a massive disadvantage to the financially disempowered opposition parties struggling in the same political field.
One would have thought that one of the main functions of a government is to ensure that all the nation’s citizens respect the laws of the land; including the constitution. Not in Museveni’s Uganda! In Uganda today, political bribery in form of Presidential offers of jobs and endless privileges to a minority ultra-loyal cabal has become the norm.
The over-arching question that Ugandans should ask President Museveni and his NRM party in this election is this: Why have you failed, even after 24 years in power, to introduce a new political dispensation founded on the observance of constitutionally-based principles and ethical standards? The President must respect, not abuse the constitution of the Republic of Uganda.
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