Kategaya was clean, so let us attack thieves when they die

The time to mindlessly and hypocritically praise the dead, even when they were diabolical creatures in life, is long gone. Thieves of public money must not be rewarded. They must be punished all the way to the grave and to hell, wherever that is. Good government men such as Kategaya, however, must be honoured.

Iam not betting my little finger, but I think Uganda may just be turning a corner over this corruption thing. Almost every public governmental and non-governmental function now resounds with passionate talk about corruption. It is never a bad thing when many more wananchi get talking about an issue, instead of leaving it to lip-service politicians.

The recent death of First Deputy Prime Minister Eriya Kategaya provided the latest opportunity for very public talk about theft of taxpayer money, abuse of office, and stupid posturing – all hallmarks of Ugandan politics today. It is both refreshing and strange that the death of Kategaya was framed entirely in terms of integrity, or the lack thereof, of government officials.

Refreshing because public sector corruption and incompetence are serious matters, so serious they are on track to undermining Uganda’s national security. So we should talk about these things. Strange because Kategaya was more than just a clean government official. One got the feeling that other aspects of his person were close to being drowned out. If Kategaya decidedly fell on the clean, non-thieving side of government service, then we must be ready to denounce the unclean, thieving officials when they die. That would avoid hypocrisy, while giving more meaning to the fight against corruption.

The time to mindlessly and hypocritically praise the dead, even when they were diabolical creatures in life, is long gone. Thieves of public money must not be rewarded. They must be punished all the way to the grave and to hell, wherever that is. Good government men such as Kategaya, however, must be honoured.
I got a passing encounter with Kategaya just over 10 years ago. It was the height of the debate on presidential term limits. To amend the Constitution to lift them or not was the question. And since President Museveni was running for his “last” term, who would succeed him?

Kategaya joined us – Robert Kabushenga, Ofwono Opondo, Norbert Mao and myself – on Capital FM’s Capital Gang talk show a few times to chew on these questions. No doubt Kategaya kept his voice low, that is to say normal, even as Opondo and Mao slugged it out noisily.

He opposed the constitutional change over term limits. Better still, he said several times that he would run for President if the Movement (as the NRM Party was then known) named him flag-bearer. I believe it is that interest in his old friend’s job that ultimately got him the sacking from Cabinet in 2003. He was actively crossing the red line by wanting his friend out and back in Rwakitura and Kisozi rearing cattle. His opposition to the removal of term limits was not the deal-breaker between the two foremost giants of NRM.

Much as he was a still a minister, Kategaya always showed up for the talk show in his red Volvo. The show was, as still is, held on Saturday midmornings. So this particular big man never saw the need to show up in a government car. He did not need to prove anything.

He would later rejoin government on some narrowly negotiated terms, particular that he would deal with regional affairs as minister in charge of EAC affairs. That was a job that effectively removed him from the rough and tumble of domestic politics even as he served concurrently as first deputy premier.
He was mercilessly pummelled in the media for his change of heart, for being politically unprincipled. I piled on too. Only he lived and died with that change in position.

The absence of a large enough private sector – with corporations, rich universities and think-tanks and foundations – to meaningfully absorb people like Kategaya who have been in government dealing with politics and policy all their lives makes their circumstances quite miserable once outside of familiar territory. They end up making some tough calls.

But recognising that none of us adults is pure, I would rather have a politician who changes his position, however dramatically, once or twice over his career than one who steals taxpayer shillings meant to build and equip schools and health centres.

Mr Tabaire is a media consultant with the African Centre for Media Excellence.
bentab@hotmail.com