Has Uganda’s ruling class run out of ideas?

There is a saying that what goes around comes around and the essence of that saying seems to have caught up with Uganda’s arrogant, callous and know-it-all ruling class. The verdict of history on exploiters, deceivers and oppressors of wananchi will be merciless!

The story of Sabalwanyi’s speech for the 56th anniversary of Uganda’s independence has exposed the rot and mediocrity of the ruling class, a cabal which has been imposed for 30 years on Ugandans by force, bribery and chicanery, against the will and wishes of wananchi.

Let me at the outset thank Daily Monitor for an article published on October 11 titled, “State House recycles Museveni Independence Day speeches” which exposed the tragedy of contemporary Uganda.
According to the story, Sabalwanyi’s 56th Independence anniversary speech “shows the first four paragraphs are word-for-word a reproduction of what he spoke at last year’s celebrations”.

“The heavily replicated parts of the speech follow immediately after the preamble in the same order as in the October 9, 2017, Independence anniversary remarks and, counted together, run 167 words.”

It’s unbelievable and a disgrace, but does not come to me as a surprise. Observers of the corrupt, decadent and incompetent regime do not, in any case, expect anything better. In fact, most Ugandans do not bother to listen to or read Sabalwanyi’s speeches anymore because there is nothing new he can offer Ugandans except “no change” pakalast.

Why bother writing a new speech when nobody is listening? Many Ugandans who attend official functions tend to doze off and never get to know whether Sabalwanyi’s speech is new or recycled. The difference is the same, as wananchi say. As long as the political class is eating and there is enough food to go round, nobody cares!

The Daily Monitor continues that State House speech writer, Ms Alice Muhoozi, “declined to comment on the matter when this newspaper contacted her last evening (October 10) to explain the duplication or mix up”.
In economics there is something called, “the law of diminishing returns” which, I believe, is now being applied wholesale in Uganda. It is lamentable that our country has sunk so low that well paid public servants cannot produce a credible speech for delivery on Uganda’s national day and must resort to a cut and paste strategy to dupe millions of hard working citizens and foreign guests.

Uganda deserves better! Ugandans deserve a better government and better leaders than those who have taken wananchi for a ride for 30 years!
In 1986 when NRA guerrillas stormed Kampala, the new ruling elite promulgated a blueprint called, “The 10-Point Programme” which appeared progressive and was supposed to be a panacea to all economic, social and political problems afflicting Uganda which according to the new rulers were caused by “primitive and backward forces” by which they meant anybody from the greater north of Uganda.

Point number one of the blueprint was democracy, followed by security and thirdly “consolidation of national security and elimination of all forms of sectarianism” but the one which used to amuse me is point number 5, “Building an independent, integrated and self-sustaining national economy.”

With the benefit of hindsight, the famous or infamous “10-point programme” was a fraud designed to hoodwink Ugandans and our development partners who poured billions of dollars to build a new economy in Uganda. Much of the funds went into the pockets of a political class which has been eating pakalast since 1986!

The programme’s point number 7 is the most ironical. It reads, “Elimination of corruption and misuse of power.” If there is a gold medal for corruption and abuse of power, the NRM regime would win gold medal hands down, every year.
How low must Uganda sink before patriots and people of goodwill in this potentially great country stand up and say enough is enough?

It is the moral equivalent of committing a crime against humanity for a person of sound mind to watch and do nothing when his or her house is on fire and burning profusely! Cry the beloved country!

Mr Acemah is a political scientist and retired career diplomat.
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