JOHN MARY ODOY: Rise above cheap popularity

Cheap popularity has held Ugandans hostage to poor, ugly, un-progressive political leadership or rule. In my reading, I noted that a good political leader is one who is capable of taking meaningful decisions, resolved to work for the betterment a nation, has the willingness to manage and resolve issues of concern and most importantly stand up for what is right. That leader should also be honest, be a person of undisputable integrity, not selfish and operating within and respecting the given rules. A look at the situation in Uganda, it is a struggle to get that leader. Since the creation of an “independent” Uganda, leadership has proved to be a challenge. One may say that since independence, Uganda has had more of rulers than leaders. For clarity in this regard, a leader is one who is followed by those that are led while a ruler one is forced to submit to him or her. President Amin was a leader in his earlier years of his leadership until the rebel groups based in Tanzania began disorganising him. 

A bad leader tends to fail on ethical or moral conduct or act in ways that detract from achieving desired results. It pains me to mention that Uganda’s so called leaders, who are more of rulers but pretending to be leaders and their cohorts, do not pass this test of good leadership and this explains why the country is not progressing in terms of physical, economic, political and environmental development. 

The people who have been or who are still at the helm of power in Uganda force their will on to the people, giving them no space to take decisions under no influence, manipulation or intimidation. Ugandans are subjected to the mind, utterance and actions of individuals. The individuals impose themselves to the people, through unconventional and unethical means, which does not foster progress.

The ascendance to the high leadership position through illegal, irregular and dubious means, as it is well written on the walls in Uganda, attracts resistance, defiance and rejection. As a way of covering up these, cheap popularity political games of praises from “small brained” people is showered on them. It is very absurd to hear a highly placed person say so and so “awooma” literary meaning he or she is sweet to imply that he or she is good and valuable to the community. Others with slogans like “TOVA ku main”, “Generator”, “pakalasat” etc. Others equate that person to Jesus (Oulanya in 2015),  while some refer to him as God or prophet and believe that without him or her the country will cease to exist. For example, in 2017 NRM women sang that he is the only man of God who can lead Uganda and in 2019, a minister was a heard saying he is a gift from God. A member of parliament in 2020 said this leader was a “prophet who had a covenant with God. It is puzzling to see how a right minded person holding such a high profile position utters such statements when the situation is so pathetic and how the person being showered with those praises knowing that they are wrong embraces them. It is ridiculous!  

Those being praised have presided over the death of innocent citizens in order to cling to power, held people hostages and abused people’s rights in the name of preventive arrests, incarcerated people in order to threaten and intimidate them to avoid dissent and objective reasoning.

 Progressive management of people does not encourage  exercising ultimate power and authority over people, or over  control,  imposing, dominating and torturing them.

The cheap popularity politics that is keeping the wrong persons in the leadership of Uganda should stop. Ugandans have had enough of being held hostages and being taken for granted. It is time to rise up, demand and bring on board the most suitable leaders. The current leaders are immature, selfish, sadist and not to the task of moving the country to the desired development level. The skyrocketing levels of corruption and money laundering involving the highly placed people in the country are a clear testimony in this regard. 

Uganda’s Vision 2040 is a master piece for progress. It is unfortunately in the hands of the wrong people in the right positions. Uganda’s populous youth are a resource that can be nurtured to effectively contribute to building a prosperous Uganda. Uganda’s natural resources, if saved from the greedy people in the leadership of the country, when well managed, can propel the country to limitless development. 

I call upon all of us to resist any temptation to shower praises to those that don’t deserve it, to be pocketed and subdued and to be diverted from the course of demanding what is right, what you desire and merit,   what will bring back glory to our country and what will make you unconditionally love your country or simply say avoid being taught how to love your country through the patriotism classes. 

Friends Stand Up, Speak out and Take Action. There is no room for KUBONGOOTA

John Mary Odoy, 

Senior Citizen