Lessons from Washington’s rise to prominence
We know him today as the towering figure that had the foresight and foolhardy to lead the continental army as it was known against the might of the British forces.
Gen George Washington’s band of brigands were a rag-tag mix of men who did not look as continental as their grand name sounds today. They at one time lacked winter boots at a crucial time during the war.
Winter was to prove decisive in another war between an even more esteemed General. Yet this vulgar upstart and previously unknown general prevailed against Britain and today, has his name emblazoned on monuments across America, including the capital Washington D.C.
His riff-raff and motley crew defeated Gen Cornwallis at the battle of Yorktown, spelling doom for the British empire. The power of an idea and its ability to push a perceived underdog through thick and thin, has been repeated throughout history.
In America’s case, it was the battle against taxation without representation. The fight for freedom from an upper class legislature in faraway London that propelled these brigands from rebels to founding fathers.
When Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, first started making rap music in the slums of Kampala in Uganda, he did not see himself as a revolutionary in the making.
He did not see himself as a voice of the voiceless. Music was seen as a thing for failures and did not fetch much income.
So Bobi Wine sold music tapes and also made bricks. Luckily, his musical efforts paid off and by the early 2000s, Bobi Wine had made a big name for himself in the East African music scene.
He then metamorphosed into a socio-political rapper, singing about the decadence of the political establishment, while talking about his humble beginning.
Since his successful bid for Parliament in 2017, Bobi Wine the dancehall sensation, has transformed into Bobi Wine the politician. His populist, pro-democracy, anti-corruption movement referred to as People Power, has gained massive following, especially among the young, urban, and poor.
The movement, with its red berets and clenched fists, reeks of revolution. Just like Washington, Bobi Wine faces an establishment that is entrenched in power.
When Bobi Wine declared his intention to stand for president, many saw him as a dreamer, who stood no chance of taking on the might of Rome (Kampala)
Before Bobi Wine, Dr Kizza Besige had tried to unseat the incumbent. Dr Besigye was constantly rebuffed with draconian precision.
Yet the protests on November 18 and 19 and highhandedness exhibited by the scurity forces to quell it, has showed that Bobi Wine is a force to reckon with. He has massive support of, especially young people crying out for change.
It is tempting to assume that Bobi Wine’s popularity is mostly based on his rap origins. Music was certainly the catalyst to his popularity, but also the force that has propelled him to the political limelight, fuelling his People Power movement go beyond one man and his music.
Growing discontent with the government is the basis for his popularity. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the socio-ecnomic trajectory in the country has only exacerbated the clamour for change in the country.
Fitzwanga Dalla,
[email protected]
