Former Ugandan Presidents Idi Amin Dada, Milton Obote and the current head of state, Yoweri Museveni.
Those who know something about Uganda’s history of the first Milton Obote led government in the 60s (first as Prime Minister then as President) and the second helping between 1981 and 1985, must be feeling a sense of deja vu.
In 1964 the then Secretary General of the Opposition Democratic Party (DP) and Leader of Opposition in Parliament, the late Basil Bataringaya, made history as the first Opposition DP big wig to cross over to a ruling party.
He crossed to Uganda People's Congress (UPC) ruling party with six other MPs after a tug of war with DP’s President General, Benedicto Kiwanuka.
Bataringaya accused Kiwanuka of arrogance towards the Buganda seat of power, Mengo. He deemed it a bad relationship that would hamper the DP’s fortunes in national politics.
A leading opposition party with a big following in Buganda was perceived as being antagonistic towards Mengo by its own members. Like some disgruntled NUP MPs accuse their party!
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After the first President of Uganda Sir Edward Muteesa II was exiled following a fall-out with Obote in 1966 the remaining Kabaka Yekka MPs crossed over to the UPC. Bataringaya as minister of Internal Affairs was in charge when the army stormed the Lubiri and ousted the king - over whom he fell out with Kiwanuka. Bataringaya, a Johnny-come-lately from the Opposition, became a leading defender of the ruling UPC government like he was one of its dyed-in-the-wool ‘historicals.’
The police under his ministry presided over the brutality and terror that came with the state of emergency in Buganda that saw many people tortured and killed thereafter. Together they presided over imprisoning Opposition and any ruling party politicians for long periods without trial using a draconian law.
After the disputed election in 1980 and UPM’s Yoweri Museveni going to the bush in protest, Uganda suffered insecurity and uncertainty during Obote II. Many people ran to exile while others, especially those associated with the Opposition DP like MPs Prof Joseph Ruremenkuba Muhanji (Bushenyi North), George Bamuturaki (Kabarole North West), and Sebastian Ssebugwawo (Mubende West) were killed. Others crossed to the ruling UPC. They included the likes of Dr W. Sekyewunda (Bundibugyo), Prof Ssebuwufu (Mukono-West) and Kitaka Gawera (Mukono North). Almost all those from Busoga like; John Magezi (Iganga North West), DR. David Kazungu (Kamuli Central), James DK Nabeeta (Iganga South West), Dr Eriyabu Muzira (Jinja East), Patrick Batumbya (Kamuli West), Johnson Mpaulo (Kamuli East), Alex Waibale (Jinja North-West), joined UPC.
Those who remained in DP like the late Kafumbe Mukasa, Prof Yoweri Kyesimira, Ssebana Kizito etc endured harassment from UPC operatives including flogging at roadblocks and imprisonment.
Today, the news regularly features Opposition figures in the provinces or MP threatening or actually crossing to the ruling NRM party. Kilak County MP Anthony Akol of FDC attended last week’s NRM parliamentary caucus meeting in Entebbe.
Mr Martin Ojara Mapenduzi (Layibi Bardege ) an ‘Opposition leaning’ independent, formerly an FDC member, has intimated that he is interested in joining NRM. Others like NUP’s Twaha Kagabo (Bukoto South) were welcomed to NRM last year.
Typically, amidst accusation of falling head over heels for groceries, when asked if they have been promised a plum job they will attempt to sound sophisticated. They claim they are ‘open to serving the country in any capacity.’ They then assert they have now understood and appreciated the superiority of the ideology and capabilities of the ruling party and its leader Gen Museveni.
They regret the time they wasted opposing the government and apologise to their supporters for the opportunities they missed because of following wrong ideologies. FDC party Whip in Parliament Yusuf Nsibambi says most of his members are no longer ‘accessible.’ They have been distracted by money from the ruling party -which has captured the State and uses national resources to punish and reward as they wish.
Interestingly there are also increased reports of abductions of especially NUP members by security agents. Their offices were raided recently and computers plus property seized.
Just like the previous UPC governments, NRM is facing challenges to its legitimacy. It has recreated itself and made the same (broken) promises many times over, there is almost nothing new it has in the bag to prove it can do better.
There is a definite loss of trust especially among Uganda’s youthful population aged 40 and below. More than half of Uganda’s population was born under NRM.
It is difficult to juxtapose the ‘bad regimes of the past’ with the current regime where there is hardly any employment opportunity for the majority. Crime is becoming a way of life. Health, education, housing, transport and whatever social service, is in distress for lack of funding occasioned by corruption and poor governance.
Naturally there is a lot of dissatisfaction expressed especially on social media. The economic conditions create an existential predicament that makes calls for regime change plausible and enticing.
So, violence, threat of prosecution and imprisonment, like it happened with Obote, is now a viable option. The abuse of rights is justified as efforts toward national security. Imprisonment for long periods like Obote did is being mooted with the attempts to ban bail ‘for some serious offences’ like treason. The pressure on the Judiciary to ‘understand’ t he need to deny rights for the greater cause of security is palpable. It has caused a loss of faith in the Judiciary.
The other feasible way to go about it is to ‘abolish the opposition’ and critical voice like the church, the media and the intelligentsia by pocketing them. The wishful thinking is a problem vanishes when you silence those who talk about it and instead listen to what you want to hear.
The scripts of the severely denigrated past are being dusted and followed. The NRM of today in a significant way acts like the UPC of the 60s and 80s.
