To emulate or not to emulate Archbishop Desmond Tutu

If Desmond Tutu had publicly mocked people who did not slavishly accept the official result of a blatantly rigged election, we would instantly question the conscience or the intellectual depth of the late archbishop.

But a day after Tutu’s cremation, a leading Ugandan ‘apostle’ hosting another ‘apostle’ was doing just that at his radio and television talk show.

Citing dubious biblical passages and exploiting a translation limitation to confuse the drawing of lots with casting votes, the ‘apostle’ said it was up to Uganda’s Opposition politicians to use the same methods as the ruling NRM.

It is a stupid position; because the Opposition does not have State-paid security personnel to deploy and obstruct, abduct, maim or kill NRM politicians.

The Opposition cannot directly access the national Treasury to bribe voters. It does not control the Electoral Commission, the RDCs and other government officials who variously (but often wickedly) affect the electoral process.

Should the Opposition turn to mob or civil war? From ancient times, including biblical times, prophets, shamans/priests, wizards and astrologers exploited prevailing conditions to manipulate the citizens and autocratic rulers to further their spiritual, tribal, and moral preferences. Yes, and to prosper materially.

Sometimes the priests were in cahoots with the rulers, sometimes in conflict.

In countries where it works, modern democracy has liberated citizens from both the tyranny of autocratic rulers and the imposition of high priests.

Monarchs and emperors were removed or made constitutionally non-executive. Religious institutions retained mainly ceremonial roles in the secular/civil sphere. Their participation in political struggles is generally ‘personal’.

In fragile states where democracy is constantly under attack by our rulers, ordinary citizens must be on their guard, especially if autocratic rulers and self-seekers masquerading as holy men flatter each other. 

As merchants of false political and divine promises, both target the irrational gullible citizen, who more readily consumes and pays for lies. Faith operators and the ruling set can form a super-fraternity that is both fascist and economically enslaving.

I referred to the exploitation of prevailing circumstances. Some of today’s dominant themes are the plunder and gross mismanagement of the country in a corona-tormented world, and speculation regarding President Museveni’s long stay in power, with more and more people thinking he must be persuaded or forced to leave.

We know from grim recent history that those who play active roles in the contest for Uganda’s leadership under NRM rule take enormous risk and make huge sacrifices, including their very lives. 

But the minimum they deserve by right would be space and time in which to operate without State-driven threat to those lives. And the minimum the citizens who pay taxes to sustain the State – the minimum that citizens expect – is an honest count of their votes.

You do not need a pulpit, a crusade or a degree in anything to understand this. Not even a written constitution. Museveni taught 12-years-olds and they understood it 40 years ago.

All you need is obuntu; in translation, a measure of humaneness that transcends African ethnic identities and encompasses all mankind. It is something Tutu understood.

Just like their political, business or academic counterparts, religious ‘Mafiosi’ who endorse electoral victories obtained by brute villainy are of course readily embraced by those who dish out the spoils of power in this corrupt corona-challenged environment. They would not fully understand Tutu’s journey to a dignified end, or why they live vaingloriously but are ultimately despised.

Mr Tacca is a novelist, socio-political commentator.

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