We need representative democracy

Although it is an agreed fact that many lawyers fear figures or are not good at them, I am consoled that almost all lawyers know how to count their money.

Back in Kotido Mixed Primary School in Karamoja Sub-region, I vividly remember I, in the company of my friends, used to visit and re-harvest groundnut gardens after the owners had harvested their part.

This was termed as ‘do correction’ , a common phrase that moved in tandem with the ‘big stick’ that punctuated our bums after failing mathematics assignments administered by our mathematics teacher.

Anyway, back to the recent National Resistance Movement (NRM) party elections in Uganda.

The eastern question has fascinated and sandwiched our socio-religious and cultural settings from pagan antiquity to modern day socio-economic and political history of the so called civilisation.

The word “east” is derived from the Sanskrit word “Usas” meaning “dawn” or “morning.”
From the perspective of Europe and Asia, this makes sense because the sun rises in the East. Conversely, the word “west” comes from the Sanskrit word “avah” meaning “evening” or “to go down.”

The biblical allusion is that wise men being directed by the deity of the night star (3am to 5am) come from the East. This maybe far east, near east, middle east and/ eastern Uganda.

In eastern Uganda, as day followed night, the outcome of the votes from the region, in the just concluded NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) elections, revealed that Mr Sanjay Tanna defeated Capt Mike Mukula in a race for eastern region.

However, as the sun went down through evening to mid-night, results from central and western Uganda revealed that Capt Mukula beat Mr Tanna to represent eastern Uganda.
Hence, Capt Mukula lost in the east but won in other regions to represent the territory he lost in.

Speculation being a gift of intellectual curiosity, and questioning being the basis of all progress, I am certain that most Ugandans; or to be more specific most NRM members, share my perturbation.

Why and how does this add up? Will these results breed a class of individualistic tendencies having been rejected in the famous ‘prophets are not accepted in their home area’ as in John 4:44?

Or will it breed a class of selfless leaders who will instead use the ‘father forgive them for they did not know what they were doing’ as in Luke 23:34? What is the future of representative democracy? And how do we move forward in a more nationalistic footprint?

I don’t wish to dispute any results, but to set forth a policy way forward. I opine that the cardinal role of CEC as a policy-making body is clear enough.

That the structure of CEC membership is categorically clear too, but that access to CEC membership be revisited as follows; The first policy option is to do nothing about everything.

Let the respective regions vote for their representatives. This promotes accountability in leadership and reduces the costs of campaign that would otherwise be incurred by the contenders as they traverse the whole country to get out the vote.

All regional aspirants should traverse the country. This helps to expose and inform them of the peculiarities of each region. It helps aspirants market their ideas with no conditions to buy votes, and helps delegates from other regions influence their colleagues.
The party should facilitate the candidates while they traverse the country. This in essence creates a sense of family and reduces hate speech.

Lastly, explore the option of removing regional representation. Consider a CEC structure where competent individuals battle for the available positions without attachments to the regions .
In so doing, we promote both unity and legitimate power .

Moses Nyeko,
University of Dundee, Scotland-UK
[email protected]