Emulate Byanyima, MPs tell Museveni

Parliament. President Museveni should follow in the footsteps of Mzee Boniface Byanyima if the socio-economic political fortunes of Uganda are to be turned around, Opposition MPs echoed during a special tribute sitting for the deceased Democratic Party icon.
In the parliamentary homage to the late Byanyima last Friday, MPs extolled one of Uganda’s eminent pre-and post-independence politician as a leader who never compromised in what he believed in unlike the current crop of politicians.

With Mr Museveni having been a student of Mzee Byanyima at Mbarara High School who later offered him temporary abode at his Mbarara-based Ruti Cottages in the 1950s, MPs held that the President could do well by picking lessons from his ex-teacher.
Busiro East MP Medard Ssegona used Mr Museveni’s remarks at a vigil where the President said Mzee Byanyima had revolutionised modern farming, education and politics in Ankole, to illustrate how the three sectors are now in ruins.
Speaking on last Thursday night at Mzee Byanyima’s vigil, the President eulogised Byanyima as a pioneer who developed ranch farming to replace subsistence farming, taught at a time when qualified teachers were a handful and practised principled politics.
Mr Ssegona said under the stewardship of President Museveni, farming has been pegged back by unequitable distribution of resources, the education sector wrecked by run-down schools while democracy is stained by documented reports of torture orchestrated by security agencies.

“As we celebrate his good life, we are not celebrating good schools in this country. Schools are in shambles and tatters. I know he is grieving and disgusted. Can you talk about democracy and human rights, things that he stood for in the Parliament when we have people rotting in Nalufenya? Is that how we celebrate a good life?,” Mr Ssegona said.
Mr Ssegona, the Shadow justice minister, referenced the attacks that the police frequently mete out on Byanyima’s son-in-law Dr Kizza Besigye, and Winnie Byanyima, the daughter.
“Let us go back and reflect how many times you have been battering his children on the streets. Is that how we do justice to men and women in this country? ” Mr Ssegona paused.

The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Ms Winnie Kiiza, said Mzee Byanyima would have been happy to witness a peaceful transition of power from Mr Museveni. She challenged the current leadership to pull this feat off.

“Unlike the politics of today when people have price tags, Mzee Byanyima did not have a price tag. It is unfortunate that he has not seen a transition from Mr Museveni to another person. All he has seen [since 1986] is Museveni to Museveni,” Ms Kiiza said.
In a thinly veiled salvo at Mr Museveni, Buhweju County MP Francis Mwijukye said the President did not pick any lessons from Mzee Byanyima even after interacting with him as a student and later at his home.

“Anybody who passed through his hands and did not become exemplary is really a hard-hearted person,” Mr Mwijukye said.
Budadiri West MP Nandala Mafabi said Uganda’s fortunes have not improved even after Mr Museveni fought a costly war between 1981-85.
“What they were supposed to bring they have swallowed it. They have made this country full of corruption. In fact, Uganda is now managed by a batch of people,” Mr Mafabi said.
Mzee Byanyima will be buried today afternoon at his home in Ruti after a morning ecumenical service.

[email protected]