What would Luwum have said at State House?

Security forces in Uganda have been under the spotlight over brutality on civilians. PHOTO/FILE.

The question today is, is Uganda on the path of regression or not? It is incredibly frustrating that our great custodians of security have now chosen to become consumers of violence for entertainment at a time when we have just celebrated the NRM’s 35 anniversary on January 26,  NRM’s 40th Liberation Day (Tahere Sita) on February  6, and commemorated Janani Luwum Day on February 16.

I imagine the ghost of Archbishop Janani Luwum at the State House memorial prayers addressing now fatigued Ugandans in an unprepared speech starting thus: “Beware of unmarked drones” (numberless Hiace vehicles). The ghost would go on to say: “We shall never get the Uganda we want until we develop a central nervous system that helps us feel each other’s pain. Self-centeredness cannot help the country. We must not exalt ourselves as in the case of the two men who went up the Temple as recorded in Luke 18:10-19.”

On the same memorial day, Bishop Luwum’s ghost must have cursed the incidence at the United Nations Human Rights Office in Kololo where again journalists and other citizens accompanying NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine,  to deliver NUP’s petition were mercilessly clobbered by our “highly trained” security agencies. Luwum’s ghost would say: “ Field Marshal Idi Amin’s buffoons were illiterates like their commander-in-chief yet they had work addresses although restricted like General Service Unit (GSU) at Naguru and State Research Bureau at Nakasero and their black cars were registered in the UVB (Uganda Very Bad) series. Why must security agencies of modern-day Uganda use unregistered vehicles?

Managing success is more important than rebuilding lost success.
Unlike in the past, there are people both in government and Opposition, who would rather be ruined by praise than be saved by criticism. It would be unforgiveable that a Movement that arose from so much sacrifice over time and opened up opportunities can degenerate to where we came from.

Indeed, Uganda may have emerged from the rubble of turbulence, Parliament has also shaped the agenda for policy-making and implementation of government programmes, including Skilling Uganda.

Unfortunately, despite these deliberate efforts, poverty and illiteracy still hold back the speed at which an ideal picture of good governance under President Museveni would have been realised. Very serious challenges and questions must be addressed if we to avoid regression.

How can the people’s constitutional and democratic gains be actualised and perpetuated at all levels and at all times in the country. How can we successfully implement modern education standards (technical training) and the general development of the entire human resource and address the problem of illiteracy? How can we participate in the global order and world environment gainfully and tackle the problem of unemployment?

How can we eliminate corruption, abuse of office, and create a vibrant micro-economic environment to match the improved macro-economy? Unity of people should be prioritised without which no meaningful development can take place.

Nabendeh SP Wamoto,
[email protected]