By M. Suleman

19^th Nov 2012:  There has been change of leadership in China, and Sierra-Leone is having democratic elections.  So many countries are changing leadership except Uganda.  Since Museveni came to power, the USA has elected three Presidents.

Each president comes with different ideas and competences, and he/she pushes the country from one level to another level.  Museveni’s system of “elected Monarchs” is an outdated pre-independence fashion which sought to reward charismatic post independence leaders.

Over time, it has been found to be hollow, meaningless, and a drawback to any nation’s progress. Tanzania’s founding president Julius Nyerere realised the flaws of the system he used, apologized for it, and paid Tanzania back by laying a firm foundation for multi-party democracy.

Zambia’s Keneth Kaunda and Kenya’s Arap Moi did the same.  If Mandela could hand over power to young inexperienced ANC leaders, then there can be no reason for any president to stay more than two terms. This is the 21^st century for God’s sake.

Museveni’s life presidency project is primitive, and anyone who presides over a primitive system is himself nothing less than a primitive tyrant.  In fact, the argument may be made that the whole citizenry of Uganda could be presumed primitive for tolerating such a primitive system of governance. 

Nations are perpetually faced with different challenges which need fresh ideas, competences and timelines. In America, President Bush, Clinton and Obama have faced different challenges and each was worn down by the challenges he encountered. None wishes to have encountered the other’s challenges. 

In a mere four years for example, Obama’s head is virtually covered in grey hair.  Leading a nation is not a joke – it is serious business requiring sleepless nights, and after two terms, a honest leader should quit without being begged or coerced.  This means after 10 years in 1996, Museveni should have had no business with government.

History has already shown that staying beyond two terms is detrimental to the country. If (God forbid) Museveni were to be forced out of office by some divine intervention today, I suspect that millions upon millions of Ugandans will celebrate his demise in the best way they know how.

For a start, Museveni’s departure from the political scene will finally give Ugandans the freedom to elect their leaders through transparent and competitive process – one where individual parties and prospective leaders would have to prove their abilities, commitment to the country, and the plans they have for the country.

They need to be grilled on various aspects of their policies, they need to compete within their own parties like FDC is doing now, they need to compete with other opposition parties, and they need to debate and sell their manifestos to the nation.

That is what Obama went through – because the world demands that today.  Secondly, as the symbolic embodiment of the country, a leader should be a person whom the citizens approve and are proud of.  Leaders should not kill their way to power.

The Kyankwanzi ideological school styles are bush illusions, they have not helped the country, and they will never help. Cold war obsessions with ideologies are outdated and opportunistic. 

Uganda deserves leaders who are rich at heart, not impoverished ones who look at the treasury as a salvation from poverty.  Uganda deserves a honest and trustworthy leader – and Museveni is not that person.  END: Login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories mid-week for our updates

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