By Nathan Iron Emory

26^th Sept 2011: In the last ten months, North Africa has witnessed extraordinary political changes.  The people rose up to demand their basic human rights. Three long ruling dictators have been forced out of power. Although these countries are thousands of miles away from the shores of Lake Victoria, we know that we are bound by the same ideals of freedom and democracy that spurred them into action.

So today I would like to talk about People Power, the forces that are driving it, and how we in Uganda can respond in a way that advances our own quest for democracy, equal opportunities, human rights, and the rule of law among many other things of value to humanity.

Dictators are ruthless despots.  They wage war against their people [subjects in their minds], divide them into tribal cocoons, and then exploit them with impunity.  African dictators’ ruling strategies are purely informed by the pursuit of their narrow self interests, and very often, at the expense of millions of poor, sick, and starving people.

Ben Ali of Tunisia was no hero.  Hosni Mubarak of Egypt wasn’t either.  Col. Muammar Gadaffi was most definitely not.  In fact, even those who are still hanging on to power like our very own Yoweri Museveni are no more than viruses in the political, economic, and social lives of their people.  Take Mohammed Bouazizi [RIP] of Tunisia.

He was a young tout struggling to earn a honest living under horrible economic conditions when a police officer confiscated his cart.  Mohammed Bouazizi’s case was not unique.  The same kind of humiliation takes place every day in Uganda.  Market traders across the country have looked on helplessly with tears rolling down their faces as suspicious fires ravaged their merchandise.

The grapevine has it that all these market fires are actually not accidents.  That the fires are in fact deliberately lit [arson] in order to hound unsuspecting market traders out of “juicy” urban plots of land that the government wants to give to “investors” [read well connected people in government].

In the course of human history, simple actions of bravery by ordinary citizens who have been humiliated by their governments have sparked spontaneous uprisings for change.  Their brave actions succeed because they speak to the hearts of thousands upon thousands of citizens who empathise with them.  Think of the Rosa Parks story, the brave African American woman who refused to leave her seat for a white American.  Her defiance made an immeasurable contribution to the black “Civil Liberties Movement” in the USA.

In Uganda today, everyone [except the corrupt and those connected to Museveni’s ‘Thiefdom’] is feeling the heavy burden of the economic crisis.  Museveni will be absolutely stupid not to realise [now] that it will only take the brave action of one Ugandan and thousands more who empathise with that Ugandan will instantly pour onto the streets and jungles of Uganda to challenge his illegitimacy.

The never-ending strikes are the early signs.  All we need is one man or woman to do something amazing that others are dying to do themselves.  From then on, Museveni’s batons, teargas, and live bullets will be met by naked chests of young men who are prepared to die for their freedoms; largely because they have absolutely nothing to lose.

The revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya did not fall from the skies.  These countries attained independence long ago but their people did not. The post-independence dictators that ruled them concentrated power in the hands of a few kinsmen in order to stay in power.  Power and wealth was spent and distributed amongst their kinsmen; exactly as it is happening in Uganda today.

Like Ben Ali, Hosni Mubarak, and Col. Muammar Gadaffi, Museveni’s continued stay in power is also in the hands of his privileged kinsmen.  Museveni does not lose sleep over his starving population.  He is not even bothered as thousands of jobless youth trek overseas in search of degrading ‘kyeyo’ [odd jobs].  He feels no pain when millions of Ugandans keep dying of preventable diseases occasioned by corruption.

His mission is to keep his Generals happy; because it is people like Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, Gen. Salim Saleh, Gen. David Tinyefunza, Gen. Kayihura, and his brutal son Col. Muhoozi Kainerugaba who violently quell any hint of unrest that threatens Museveni’s hold on power.  Well, every do has its day.

In my view, there has never been a better time for Uganda to have its own Rosa Parks or Mohammed Bouazizi.  That is the challenge that I leave with you my fellow citizens today.  Do something amazing for your country today and you will occupy a very special place in our hearts for eternity.  END.  Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.