Beloved Uganda seems to be experiencing a midlife crisis

I read a story in the Monitor in which Maj Gen Elly Kayanja, a retired UPDF general, is involved in a land dispute.

He is quoted as saying he paid Shs111 billion (in one go) for the land. Given that the land is in a rapidly urbanising peri-urban area, some Ugandans would say it is a good buy.

Well, my interest in this story lies elsewhere though; not whether it was a good or bad buy. How does someone who was (until recently) a public servant mobilise over Shs100 billion to make such a massive single-ticket purchase of over Shs100b?

And then, the certificate of title holding doesn’t bear the name of the good general (yet). My father (bless his soul) used to tell me that it is advisable to involve a lawyer in any purchase beyond the Shs100m mark. For this transaction, I guess my father would have advised Gen Kayanja to get more than 100 lawyers to manage the transaction.

 ************

There is the small drama at the National Social Security Fund. The main actors are Ms Betty Amongi, the minister responsible for Labour and former NSSF MD Richard Byarugaba. NSSF savers have been reduced to the role as extras (least said of Ugandans).

If this NSSF drama were about sound policy positions on how the NSSF resources can actively participate in the social economic development of the country, some of us would understand. But the debate seems to have been downgraded to the person and personality of the minister responsible for Labour and Richard Byarugaba.

In a neighbouring country, NSSF resources have played a big role in the country’s social investments. But that is not to say there are no problems; there are huge ones. It seems to me that politicians everywhere have problems with big monies lying idle…

Dear Ugandans, a government which borrows from street money lenders to finance public investments should not be expected to let huge amounts of monies lie in NSSF vaults untouched. It seems Mr Byarugaba, in his attempt to shield the workers’ savings from exposure is not good for politics (given the circumstances).

But then, these are not normal times; our country seems to be in some kind of midlife crisis. The government wants the NSSF money; it would save government from the ignominy of borrowing from street money lenders.

**************                                          

There once was Kilembe Mines Hospital. It was in Bulembya Division of Kasese Municipality. It was literarily washed away by River Nyamwamba floods.

As an intervention measure, the Office of the Prime Minister offered to build a hospital in Kasese District. Now, the challenge is where it should be built. Because of the unending floods in Kilembe, the argument is that the hospital should be built where Rukoki Health Centre V sits (in Nyamwamba Division of Kasese Municipality).

But the political leadership of Bulembya Division will not hear about taking ‘their’ hospital to somewhere else. Mr Godfrey Kabbyanga, the junior minister of ICT is said to favour the Rukoki site. Me too.

But the political leadership of Kasese Municipality do not support Mr Kabbyanga’s idea. They fear Mr Kabbyanga could use the hospital as political capital. And there we are… So, I have decided to take matters into my hands: next week, I will walk to the Office of the Prime Minister to express my support for the Rukoki site and then demand that the hospital be built in the next financial year (2023-2024).

Clearly, we don’t seem to appreciate that social development should be viewed beyond self-interest. I should not be judged harshly for saying Uganda seems to be in the middle of a midlife crisis.

Mr Bisiika is the executive editor of the East African Flagpost. [email protected]