Ugandans, the NRM and their thieves

In a situation where external pressure (like from donors) forced the NRM government to at least appear to be crucifying someone over corruption, there was already enough on file to make former junior Health Minister Mike Mukula a suitable candidate.

The word is disgust. Yes, disgust. Ordinarily, the things that provoke disgust are associated with filth; be it extreme physical or moral uncleanliness. There is also usually an organic aspect to the dirt; the suggestion of soggy rotten rubbish; the sight of unbecomingly exposed excreta. You do not want to open your mouth in the area; you do not want to put your foot on the ground. You want to get away from the scene as fast as possible.

The whore and her partners; the repetitive exchange of body fluids; the unwashed anatomy; the trenches around them oozing with dark semi-solid refuse; the stifling stench; the enormous flies; the vulgarity of the foul mouths in the slum. These are the sorts of things that cause disgust.

When a man in pristine white collar, matching tie and perfectly pressed pin-striped suit, smiling and waving to his supporters and spectators, evokes the same kind of revulsion, there must be something profoundly wrong going on.
When a section of citizens vow that they would demonstrate to protest the imprisonment of the man, who is no longer alleged, but has been proven by court to be a thief, having stolen money meant for helping people suffering and dying from HIV/Aids and tuberculosis, then the layers of filth seem to multiply.

Many commentators have remarked on the absurdity of this phenomenon; that after a generalised cry for thieves of public funds to be punished, specific groups of citizens rise in protest when someone they identify with (usually on tribal grounds) is subjected to the court process. It is as if they are saying: “Look, we don’t want thieves, but this is our son, daughter, brother or sister. He or she is our thief. You should only touch him if you do the same with all the other thieves. Or better still, you should deal with all the other thieves severely but leave ours alone.”

Now, when President Museveni was choosing from among Uganda’s thieves and allocating them juicy departments, he was careful to do a fairly broad mix; call it tribal/regional balancing, the democratisation of evil. So, after those raids that catch public attention have been uncovered and a roll-call of the vampires prepared, you cannot say that only President Museveni’s kinsmen were thieves.

Meanwhile, the thieves are making a different calculation, weighing their chances of impunity, which partly depends on their position in the hierarchy of the ruling clique. Not always an easy task, since the nominal position is not necessarily the true one. You can be the Vice President of the republic but well down at number 10 or 15 in the hierarchy.

As a rough guide, the lower in rank a thief is, the higher their protector(s) or accomplice(s) must be. By the same token, the higher in rank a thief is, the lower they can go in identifying possible accomplices, if he or she chooses.

In a situation where external pressure (like from donors) forced the NRM government to at least appear to be crucifying someone over corruption, there was already enough on file to make the Soroti Municipality MP and former junior Health Minister Mike Mukula a suitable candidate.

Whether the claim is true or not, Mukula’s repeated allegation that some of the money he stole from the GAVI fund was on behalf of the First Lady suggests that he probably considered himself of rather low rank in the hierarchy. At bottom, he and his supporters are vying for rank in the hierarchy. They want him to be raised to the level where impunity is virtually assured. Having apparently failed to achieve that goal, Mukula has found no alternative but to attribute his current troubles to “persecution”.

This is what is so disgusting. Clad in perfect clothes, the enemy of TB and HIV/Aids patients has nothing to draw from his NRM soul but the morality of the pig.

Allan Tacca is a novelist and socio-political
commentator. altaccaone@gmail.com