UPC and leadership of conscience

Last Saturday, I was working within my neighbourhood in Nagongera, Tororo District, trying to hit a target for a global agency when I received a call from my niece that I had a guest at home. I was expecting no one in particular, but my home tends to be that way; guests are regular. I told her that I would be back in 30 minutes, but I did in less.

As I approached the gate, I was received by a relatively familiar face, an elderly gentleman but I could not quite tell or remember his names. We both took seats in the garden – a reasonable distance apart, SOPs-responsive – as he straight away went for the real issues.

He happens to be from the next village (Maundo), but we last met during the election campaigns of 2006 when we hosted Mama Miria Obote, then UPC presidential candidate, but that this time he came home with a special present. That he had then bought (now brought) a photograph taken by someone at the Mama Miria rally, he said as he proudly waved it towards me! 

Vintage picture, I looked like an African secret service agent standing next to my brother Barack Obama, but of course, it was next to Mother of the Nation! Whatever the point she was making, it looks like everyone was laughing except one aide who was seated next to where she was standing, and my good old-friend-journalist Richard Kavuma, who was busy scribbling in his note book.

Before I could ask if he would take tea, it was clear the old man was on a mission; proudly UPC, he had already told me that he was born in 1940 and started school at 12 – in 1952. I immediately got it; he was now 81 and an exception. 

Except for Milton Obote’s civil servant (name withheld for today), I have not met someone recently – this time in deep Nagongera who looks so much less than his old age! 

Interrogating him farther, I established that he was a former civil servant in the immediate post-independence government and one of those who narrowly survived Idi Amin’s gallows – escaping in 1973 – simply for being a David (O). 
For this, one can imagine; the guy is deeply religious, but it is the politics that impressed the most, going straight into lectures. 

Noting the challenges UPC is currently facing (our case of July 14 now deferred due to Covid-19 lockdown), he was confident that the future was possible hence he wanted to advise me as a ‘young leader’ to note five important attributes. 
First, be a man of God and honour Him always. Second, be able to discern, determine and resolve between bad and good, including ability to isolate the former. 

Third, love everyone regardless and as a leader, take responsibility. Fourth, learn to manage anger and emotions including, self-control in times of challenges and provocations. 

Fifth, ensure one is a people person; never tire to receive and serve people. The sixth was absolutely excellent except, passed as personal.

Concluding, he laughed and said, “I know you, remain humble and sober.”  Then giggling, he said, “I came to show you love!”
What a day, I told myself, and what a privilege. Rushed and substantially under pressure early part of that day, thanks to network challenges in Nagongera, we took parting photos as he left. 

Reinforced, I smiled. This country has had some fine local and national leaders before, but something actually went wrong in recent times. 

UPC must be proud, amid all the national gloom and internal dizziness; the grains we have, even from the limited old stock alone, are enough to regenerate this mighty Congress to ensure the seeds-of-hope and the stream-of-freshness are a possibility.

As in (Romans 2:15) UPC, and indeed all Ugandans can ensure “the work of the law written in their hearts” as “their conscience also bears witness.”

The writer is a pan-Afrikanist and former columnist with New African Magazine     [email protected]