Reclaim our basic democratic principles

We recently got a neighbour, the kind you would describe as one from hell. When he was building, we all prayed that God would give him resources quickly, so that he would leave us alone. Our well-done access road was often a big mess, with all kinds of building materials on it, inconveniencing us to the limit. Rather than put their building materials on their large compound, he chose our road. 
We had to be extremely patient when accessing our home. It never occurred to us that our neighbour was not done with us. When they finally entered the beautiful humongous house, they directed all their waste water to pass through our gate. 

We were naturally shocked and horrified. Our road at the gate is often slippery, dirty and littered with kitchen waste. We have tried to engage the area Local Council, asking that our neighbor directs his waste elsewhere, and it has been weeks of endurance. And we are helpless, apparently, we can do nothing, because our neighbour works in one of those high places. 
Every time I drive through this mess inches away from our gate, I feel sad for this country. There are individuals, who have grown bigger than our institutions, who strongly believe, there is nothing anyone can do. Our neighbour is just one of many Ugandans who do as they wish regardless of the law and basic common decency. They believe they will get away with anything. As they become bold, the number of our broken windows are growing. These broken windows are becoming too many to mend, without major reconstruction requirements in the near future. 

Public servants are increasingly adopting this attitude that Ugandans can do nothing. Too many individuals now have the power to crush anyone in their way, however harmless those that they seek to crush maybe. For something as small as annoying a government official, you are threatened with severe punishments, including death. So, we must deal with all kinds of fragile egos. We must be very afraid, and watch our every word. 
Some of us respond to these increased threats by getting the proverbial needle to seal our lips so that we may not say anything annoying. Some of us have decided that we will pray and wait quietly for the reign of terror we are so often promised to bypass us. 

And some of us, adopt what seems like a sure way, to join the parade of those who bow to whoever rewards those who demand absolute loyalty. 
I have heard too often, the phrase, ‘and you can do nothing about that’. I see it every day on the road, when all these people drive past traffic police officers in government number plates on the opposite side of the road, literally taunting the police officers, ‘you can do nothing’ or ‘if you dare stop us, we will crush you’. It has become easy for people on the wrong, to feel insulted, when faced with simple truth.

I do not know what we should worry about the most, the people that send out irrational threats against Ugandans whose only crime is doing their job well or the people that clap when these threats are issued, or worse still, when the institutions that should put these threats in their rightful place look the other side, too afraid to say anything despite all the power they have been given by the constitution and the laws that created them.
I am often terrified by the prospects of what the future will look like for Ugandans, if things continue the way that we see, disturbing to say the least. But what is more terrifying is the silence of the institutions that are mandated to protect Ugandans. 

When these democratic gains were vested in our institutions, those we have all painfully sacrificed for, with our silence, with our votes and the things we endure for it finally digress beyond recognition, we will then find ways to start rebuilding our walls afresh. If we do not reflect now and deal with some of these pain points, we will be in real trouble.
The media, a cornerstone of democratic and socio-economic transformation has been struggling to stay viable. We know that it is difficult times for the industry. 

Despite that difficulty, sections of the media have tried to stay true to journalistic ideals, hoping to contribute to the national development agenda. The least we can do is support journalism and a free media. It may be all we have working for us.
We must reclaim our basic democratic principles. Attacks on key pillars of democracy like the media, is not something to take lightly. Most importantly, we must guard jealously, our freedom of expression. 
Ms Maractho (PhD) is the director of Africa Policy Centre and senior lecturer at Uganda Christian University.                       [email protected]