NRM should not explain away national problems

You have probably heard the tired arguments about National Resistance Movement’s (NRMs) success being its own undoing. The examples the purveyors of this notion give mainly the freedom of speech, gridlock on our road and the immunisation and education of the young as the star examples.

To get the drift, we first need to test it on one argument, in the same spirit, from the past. When faced with the countless reports on corruption, it was said corruption was not rampant or on the increase. 

It was just being publicised more regularly because the progressive NRM government that displaced the old dictatorial, intolerant regimes had granted a hitherto oppressed society freedom of speech and expression. 

The media could now access information easily and publish it without fear of reprisal. 

In effect, the problem was a successful attitude of openness by President Yoweri Museveni’s administration, not corruption. 

Which takes us to the issue of the gridlock or the traffic jams on the road. It is said on average a person spends about two hours seated in the car trying to get somewhere. 

When Museveni was hosted by 93.3 Kfm radio, he boasted about the difficulty of moving through town to get to the studio. He attributed it to the prosperity that accrued from the peace and stability provided by his government. 

This, he alleged, had helped to create a conducive environment for investor confidence and flourishing of trade plus all manner of businesses which boosted household incomes. 

So many people can now afford cars and thus the huge number on the roads. 

In all fairness, it makes a lot of sense. But it also hides a myriad of blemishes. After 34 years, we do not have a public transport system consisting of buses, trains, trams, etc, that would motivate people to leave their vehicles at home and only use them for leisure or when it totally unavoidable. 

(That is why most of the second-hand cars we import are as good as new or in very sound condition. They are hardly driven and when it happens, it is on good roads.) 

One of the causes of the jams on the roads is potholes and many of our roads have them in abundance. The 30 or so seconds, one spends slowing down to negotiate a pot hole has a ripple effect for miles and on all connected city roads.

 Then in most well led cities, one can conveniently, safely and affordably get to almost any point by public means, throughout the day. You also have safe lane for pedestrians, bicycles and motorcycles. 

Besides, towns and cities are planned in such a way that one does not need to travel long distances to get a public service. Most of the services provided are at the same standard everywhere.

 So you have good schools, hospitals, sports facilities, shopping centres, etc, within a locality that you would be wasting time and money to move out of the locality for the same. 

In Uganda after 34 years, most of the good schools, hospitals, markets, industries, etc, are in Kampala and Wakiso District.
 
The industrial towns such as Jinja and Tororo have progressively withered away. The people who can afford to demand effectively are all crowded in Kampala and Wakiso. So most of the economic activities are  centred there while the majority of the country is slow, inactive and sleepy. 

Which then brings up the argument about the youthful population being in better stead because of the immunisation and universal education that the NRM government has provided over the years.

 It again boils down to poor planning in the leadership over the years. Uganda is mainly an agrarian economy so the majority, skilled and energetic, should have room there.

With the collapse of industry, the forward and backward linkages to agriculture also vanished. For instance, the cotton farmer suffered lack of market for their produce. 

Same devastating story with the deliberate destruction of cooperatives in favour of liberalisation and flourishing of middlemen. 

The result is that it became very difficult for land owners to hold land as it was not economically productive. They started selling it to many who had stacks of corruption money.

Those selling did it for things like educating children who would end up with no jobs. They settled in towns and became part of the armies of the animated urban youth whose hearts and minds politicians are now battling to control. 

The NRM argument is that the school education acquired by the young people has increased their hopes and expectations, which are very difficult to satisfy. Again that speaks about poor planning.

 A government that presides over an education system that does equip students with the skills that are in demand for the contemporary requirements of society is for all intents and purposes a threat to the future. The young person with an education is probably barely surviving on sports betting in town.

 He spends on a phone and data to keep abreast with information to do better in this risky venture. That is now a blocked channel because of the Covid-19 SOPs. 

That is why the NRM is now befuddled. It has found itself in running battles with the youth in a bid to sell to them the idea of securing their future.

The fact that a person spends a whole productive day risking their lives being part of huge Covid-19 potentially spreading crowds, running after a politician whom it would be more prudent to meet at the ballot box is very telling of failure. 

They have nothing to lose by listening to a message of hope even if they have no guarantees that it will bring the much desired fruit because they face real problems to their existential well being and need answers which the NRM is not addressing adequately.  

The flavour of spin is an academic exercise to wish away failure. It does not. 

Twitter: @nsengoba