Obote government had better policies – Tanga Odoi

National Resistance Movement (NRM) electoral commission boss Tanga Odoi. FILE PHOTO

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  • Prof Wasamba, who presented the keynote address on intellectual engagements and the role of humanities and social sciences in the age of digital disruptions, said the reasoning that arts and humanity courses are no longer relevant in the digital age are unfounded.

National Resistance Movement (NRM) electoral commission boss Tanga Odoi has said intolerance within his own party to divergent views is breeding petty thinkers who cannot generate critical ideas to steer and propel the party and country forward.

Speaking to Makerere University graduate students during a humanities and social sciences symposium at the University Main hall yesterday, Dr Odoi said it is wrong for the NRM party government to rely on security analysts such as the inspector general of police, and the head of Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence as its intellectuals to direct the affairs of the country because they are too incompetent to run a country.

“We need policy thinkers for budgets, like [UPC’s Dr Apollo Milton] Obote had five-year-development plans; we all know whose results you could see. We lack critical thinkers to criticise and direct government that is why all parties are dying due to petty differences,” he said.

Booed
Dr Odoi said whenever he tries to criticise some NRM government policies, he has been booed by petty-thinking politicians who treat history selectively and have denied Ugandans the opportunity to appreciate late President Obote’s heroic acts.

“Ministers must interact with thinkers. I am writing a book on the problems of political parties and secretaries general. I have been talked about using statements worse than those [against Kenya’s opposition leader] Raila Odinga,” he told Prof Peter Wasamba, the dean School of Humanities, Nairobi University.

Prof Wasamba, who presented the keynote address on intellectual engagements and the role of humanities and social sciences in the age of digital disruptions, said the reasoning that arts and humanity courses are no longer relevant in the digital age are unfounded.

He said despite its many advantages, technology has come with many negative attributes, which arts and humanities can intercept.