Musisi, Lukwago handshake is a nice way to end 2018

Recently, the media was awash with photographs of smiling faces and the unexpected handshake between outgoing Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) executive director Jennifer Musisi and Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
The handshake came as a big surprise to many people since the acrimonious relationship between the two parties has always been laid bare in the media. Rumours in the public arena were always that the rivalry between Lukwago and Musisi was fuelled and encouraged by higher up political powers for different interests.

The question for most people was always, why didn’t Lukwago and Musisi realise that they were being manipulated by political forces that consistently caused division in their professional and personal relationship?
In October 2012, we saw the first handshake and smiles between the two parties as they expressed some reconciliatory interest shortly after they appeared before Parliament’s Local Government Committee to answer questions regarding the contract awarded by KCCA to Pioneer Easy Bus Company.

The cease fire, however, did not last long as it was followed by other intense fights and battles. In one of the most recent fights, less than two months ago, Musisi petitioned court seeking orders to attach Lukwago’s bank accounts in Tropical Bank to recover Shs47m in legal costs.

The background of the legal battle is entrenched in series of fights way before 2011 when Lukwago petitioned court seeking orders to stop Musisi from presenting herself as the head of KCCA because the appointment portrayed the office of the Lord Mayor as ceremonial.
This time round, almost six years later, another unforeseen handshake between Lukwago and Musisi comes perhaps after difficult lessons have been learnt that being part and parcel of divide and rule politics most likely doesn’t always end well.

As 2018 comes to an end, the handshake that many people were anxiously anticipating has not materialised between President Museveni and long term political rival Dr Kizza Besigye. Instead the prospect of the long-awaited handshake seems to be moving further away with the ruling NRM party determined to edge out Opposition political parties starting with blocking and frustrating their activities across the country at every given opportunity.

For many Ugandans, the acrimonious and turbulent political situation only seems to be exasperating economic development, prosperity, fuelling feelings of political insecurity for investors and potential tourists from Europe and USA.
In the US, an opportunity was narrowly missed to end political rivalry between the incumbent president Donald Trump and the Bush family, including 41st president George HW Bush who died and was buried this week.

At the funeral service, a relatively divided Washington led by five living American presidents tried to show the world a united front, but it was difficult to hide the obvious.
In Kenya, long-term political rivals Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga gave Kenyans some guarantees of the peace with a surprising handshake followed by a short embraced at a golf tournament.
Although some people say the handshake is predominately aligned with individual interests for 2022 presidential elections, Kenyans are currently enjoying an end to violence, bitterness and political instability.
Perhaps 2019 will be more peaceful and favourable for Ugandans although there seems to be no signs of peace being guaranteed as we move closer to 2021 presidential elections.