Protests and rebellions are the way forward
By Nathan Iron Emory
31st Oct 2011: Africa’s experience with constitutionalism for the last half century has been very absurd. Between 1960’s – 1980’s, great enthusiasm greeted numerous new constitutions. These constitutions promised multiparty democracy, the rule of law, and human rights observance throughout the emerging states.
However, these great expectations and hopes were quickly erased by greedy, selfish, corrupt, despotic, abusive rulers who obtained their brutal authority from a blatant abuse of the same constitutions as well as misuse of the military forces and equipments at their disposal.
Today, Africans are probably the most depressed lot because of the unending governance crisis they continue to face. Out of a total of 54 States in Africa, only eight have not experienced a successful or at least a failed military coup or armed rebellion. Africa’s earliest coups targeted monarchical rule.
For example in 1952, Colonels Neguib and Nasser overthrew King Farouk of Egypt. In 1965, the Rwandan monarchy was overthrown and abolished. In 1966, Prime Minister Milton Obote ousted Kabaka Edward Mutesa II of Buganda and declared Uganda a republic. In 1969, Col. Muammar Gaddafi overthrew King Idris I of Libya. The list is endless!
These revolutions were following the footsteps of the Americans (1776), the French (1789), the Russians (1917), and the Spanish. Today, Africa’s coups and revolutions tend to target bad governance and those who overstay in power.
In Uganda, the independence constitution clearly inherited British principles which decreed that the army MUST be politically “Neutral”. The military establishment is an important tool for asserting state authority. The military is the custodian of national symbols, flag and anthem. In Uganda however, the military have either by intention or ignorance chosen to abuse their role in society.
Museveni’s ambition for power has reduced the national army to a personal army. He has established a robust private Presidential Guard Brigade known as PGB and made his son Col. Muhoozi its commander. Museveni must however know that “no army can stop an idea whose time has come”.
The national army is being used now to intimidate and destroy political opponents and deprive citizens of their freedom and other basic human rights. UPDF has become something of a Frankenstein monster. It’s tribalised and feared by citizens. Its purpose is no longer to defend the country from external aggression but to define it.
The Uganda Police Force has not only been militarized through training, but in weaponry and rank too. The distinction, if at all, between soldier and police officer has become very blurred. It is therefore public knowledge that NRM security agencies have become dangerous to the liberties of a free people and have been generally converted into destructive engines for asserting despotism.
This has resulted in repression and brutality against the opposition leaders and the population. Let us not hide the truth beneath the carpet. The public now view the military negatively and as a result, with regret in fact, I think only a mixture of protests and rebellion can get rid of Museveni; not least because he has forcibly stolen people’s integrity by converting the republic of Uganda into a monarchy.
Most Ugandans are aware of Museveni’s hereditary succession scheme. They know this because Museveni has out-rightly, through his actions, rejected democracy and stifled the attainment of constitutional governance. For the last 25 years, the repressive cabal has presided over a rotten and corrupt regime, making a mockery of the people of Uganda and the international community.
Military intervention for the common good would therefore be welcome under such circumstances. Such intervention is consistent with the mandate to defend the nation and save people from the internal predators. This would be termed a revolution.
Libya has set the perfect precedent and there is no doubt in my mind that Museveni is worried. He has just seen the brutal demise of his godfather Col. Muammar Gaddafi, Africa’s most ruthless dictator who was cornered in a manhole. Museveni’s fear is who next? That is why he has resorted to charging people who are merely walking with treason.
See you next week when I come back with more reasons why Ugandans should take to the streets to protest against dictatorship. END. Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.
