When most of Africa kept quiet

In Uganda government calendar, today is a public holiday called “NRM Day,” but for many Ugandans it’s a day of infamy which one would rather forget and not remember. Thirty four years ago, heavily armed guerrillas of the National Resistance Army (NRA) stormed Kampala and grabbed power by the barrel of the gun. Some leaders of that coup d’état have clung onto power tenaciously ever since, using the gun, deception and intimidation.

The title of today’s opinion is adapted from the heading of Chapter 18 of a book published in 1992 titled, What is Africa’s problem? The author of the book, Gen Yoweri Museveni, gave a correct answer to that loaded question which one hopes he remembers.

In 2017, at a function held in Masindi District on this very day, Sabalwanyi gave Ugandans a piece of his mind, in a speech which was broadcast live by UBC Radio and TV. Since some Ugandans tend to have short memory, let me remind them of what he said on that sad day.

“I hear some people saying I am their servant. I am not a servant of anybody. I am a freedom fighter; that is why I do what I do. I don’t do it because I am your servant. I am not your servant. I am just a freedom fighter. I am fighting for myself, for my belief; that is how I come in. If anybody thinks you gave me a job, he is deceiving himself. I am just a freedom fighter whom you thought could help you also.”

Three years down the road, I find those remarks disgusting, offensive, insensitive, mindboggling and unacceptable, especially coming from an elected leader of a country which claims to be a multi-party democracy where constitutionally power belongs to the people; hence elected leaders, at all levels, are servants of the people.

It’s an insult to millions of Ugandans, especially to thousands who died needlessly and in vain, in the bush, like Richard Ssegirinya (RIP), who was a colleague and fellow diplomat in the 1970s.

I don’t know what Sabalwanyi has in store for wananchi today, but Ugandans should not be surprised if he offloads another dose of absurd, and outrageous remarks. In the final analysis, there is a limit to humiliation and insults any society can take.

Why is Africa keeping quiet?
Chapter 18 of Sabalwanyi’s book, What is Africa’s problem is the text of a speech he delivered on July 29, 1986, at an OAU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which reads as follows:
“I must state that Ugandans are unhappy and felt a deep sense of betrayal that most of Africa kept silent while tyrants killed them. The reason for not condemning such massive crimes has, supposedly, been the desire not to interfere in the internal affairs of a member state. The United Nations charter reaffirms faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person.”

He continues, “Tyranny is colour-blind and should be no less reprehensible because it is perpetrated by one of our kind. It was because of our deep commitment to the sanctity of the lives of our people that we waged a people’s struggle in Uganda, under the banner of Fronasa and later the National Resistance Movement.” (p.168)

What a tragic irony of history that the accuser of 1986 has recently been accused by some Ugandans of committing crimes against humanity and he could one day face the ICC.

The two safety nets wisely provided in the 1995 Constitution, namely, the two-term limit and the age limit for presidents were corruptly and fraudulently removed by the toothless Parliament in 2005 and 2017 respectively. These treacherous and unpatriotic actions by Ugandan MPs have opened the floodgates for life presidency which the vast majority of Ugandans detest and find unacceptable. May the Lord judge and punish the traitors severely, as they deserve.

As happened during the Amin regime, African countries have kept quiet while callous, greedy and lawless men have exploited, plundered and imposed tyranny upon Uganda. Mwalimu Julius Nyerere was a lone voice who stood up for Uganda and challenged Gen Amin in the 1970s. Nyerere, Kwame Nkrumah and Nelson Mandela must be restless, turning in their graves and wondering who will stand up for Uganda during these difficult and trying times.

The people of Uganda, especially the gallant youth of Uganda, must wake up, search their souls, and wage a just, peaceful and principled struggle against tyranny, corruption, nepotism and tribalism. Uganda deserves better.

Mr Acemah is a political scientist and retired career diplomat.
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