1. Rwanda is a Community

Contrary to what the rest of the world purports to know, Rwanda is a united country. It is united by it’s history, culture, race and language. Whereas Rwanda has a troubled history, the country is attempting to put that behind it. Efforts such as the Gacaca justice system may have it’s flaws but the advantages far outweigh any inherent weaknesses. Rwanda has cultivated communities right from the lowest levels of villages to the city residences. Community initiatives such as Gacaca or Umuganda not only foster the country forward, they bring people closer; moreover, Umuganda promotes a good work ethic. These communal obligations help people to connect, and to appreciate interdependence. This connectedness at the village or cell level means that everyone almost knows everyone, and at the very least, the Umudugudu would know every resident.

2. Rwanda is Secure

Today, Rwanda is more secure than it has ever been. I have heard people say how Rwanda is on the verge of collapse or a tipping point of another conflict of catastrophic proportions. Many of the pessimists base their assumptions on Rwanda’s bloody history and on frequent negative media reports often mentioning Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame or the Rwanda Defense Forces. Rwanda’s security does not lie only in it’s armed forces. It also lies in the rapid development it has undertaken. Rwanda recognizes only too well that without development there is no security, and without security, there is no development. The development that is taking place in Rwanda, both in the city and in the villages would not be if there was an absence of confidence in the security of the country. Likewise, it is very unlikely that the systematic and systemic efforts to foster economic growth can be disrupted, but rather can only further pacify the country.

3. Rwanda is Hungry

Rwanda is hungry. Not hungry for food, but for growth. The Rwandans, as it were, have decided they will never settle for less. Rwanda is purpose driven. From fighting disease, improving household hygiene, and fighting poverty, Rwanda has declared itself as a nation of purpose, choosing to depart from a Rwanda of the past accused of lacking focus which brought on the country the divisiveness that almost totally destroyed the country. The poverty levels have drastically declined, and Rwanda is the first country to achieve the sanitation goal, surpassing it by eight percent, and is poised to meet most of the other millennium targets. President Kagame told Fast Company 3 years ago his views about aid, thus; ”No country can depend on development aid forever, Such dependency dehumanizes us and robs us of our dignity.”

4. Rwanda Trusts its Youth

Rwanda has invested heavily in its human capital. From primary education to graduate education, Rwanda has put a lot of resources in developing its young population and preparing it for the future. A lot of Rwandans study abroad in top schools. They are then ploughed back into the system and lead departments at the highest level.  In fact, the president works with a lot of young people who have energy, zeal and passion to serve the country. On my visit to Rwanda, I met a lot of these young people, some my age and others younger, who are no doubt the engine of the tiny giant. More than half the population of Rwandans is below 18 years. There is no other way of creating jobs for all of them than to give them skills, a good education and prepare them for a competitive economy. The government is doing just that.

5. Rwanda Takes Advice

Proverbs 11:14; Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls, but in the multitude of counselors there is victory. It can be argued that Rwanda took this wisdom literary. The counselors or advisors to the president of Rwanda (Presidential Advisory Council) are not your run of the mill type. They are chief executives of multi national corporations, spiritual heavy weights and global political leaders. They are men that would not be intimidated to look Kagame straight in the eye and tell him as it is. Men such as Tony Blair – former British Premier; Scott Ford – Former President and CEO of Alltel; Clet Niyikiza – GlaxoSmithKline Vice President of Worldwide Research & Development; Kaia Miller – founder of Aslan Global, Inc; Rick Warren – Religious leader, founder Saddleback Church, and PEACE Plan; Donald Kaberuka – President of the African Development Bank Group; They need nothing from Kagame or Rwanda; neither power, nor fame, nor money. They already got it. From the stature of these men, what you see is what you get. In aligning itself with such outstanding global leadership, Rwanda means business; and it listens. Needless to say that I have spoken to people who report to President Kagame directly and they all say; the man is humble, very humble!

6. Rwanda Doesn’t Steal

It is often said that following the second congo war, Rwanda, Uganda and other African countries stole from it’s neighbor, the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda may have stolen from her neighbor, but what it doesn’t do is still from her own people. Corruption is the single largest factor that has hampered growth in most of Sub Saharan Africa. After more than 1 trillion dollars in development aid to Africa since Independence, there is little visible changes in most countries. Only about a decade or so after the conflict in Rwanda, the changes are evident. Infrastructural development, functional services, a sense of purpose and clear direction is what one notices. In the rural areas, people have turned fortunes by utilizing very little plots of land to feed their families and sell the surplus. In Kayonza, a model village has been established to pilot a program of bringing people into communities so that it becomes easier to bring social services to them.

7. Rwanda Has Vision

Proverbs 29:18; Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. This piece of scripture sums up what Rwanda is up to. It’s got vision. Without good leadership, Rwanda could be another Somalia hamstrung by chaos, it could be another Uganda plagued by corruption, or it could be another Burundi stuck in it’s own chaotic history. Instead, Rwanda is breaking free of all mediocrity that its leadership just can’t stand. Rwanda, who’s population is too big for its tiny land is poised to become one of the region’s largest exporter of agricultural products to countries in West Africa. Realizing a need for food stuffs (fruits, vegetables and other perishables) in Congo Brazaville, Ivory Coast, etc, Rwanda has opened up air routes for it’s entrepreneurs to take full advantage. On the other hand, Uganda, which owns 48% of all arable land in the East African region had a population facing hunger last year, plus, is auctioning/giving away land cheaply/freely to Asian and European/American “investors.” Where there is no vision, the people perish!

PS: My Rwanda travels were sponsored by Green Microfinance; an organization that seeks to address climate change and environmental justice by providing education and sharing knowledge on microfinance and environment – The Missing Bottom Line.

Africa is on the brink of losing only what she’s got left; that is, her land. The telescopes of several countries and corporations are on Africa, which until recently still possessed vast areas of arable and virgin land. This shift is due to the rising food prices, climate change and massive populations in Asia, particularly, China, Arab Countries such as Egypt and Kuwait, and India. China has been acquiring land on the cheap from African countries, most of which are emerging out of conflict. Even though the Foreign Ministry of China rejects as false claims of spending millions of dollars in acquiring and grabbing agricultural land across Africa, indeed it has been their practice and are doing it through several chinese corporations and business men (which are protected by the government). Most Africans are watching helplessly as their governments, presided over by corrupt bureaucrats conclude unfair deals for kickbacks that benefit the African elite and the billion Chinese people while putting the welfare of Africans on the line.

African land is not only a target for governments and business men. The British Guardian reports that even big US universities such as Harvard University and Vanderbilt University are grabbing African land on the cheap by investing through hedge funds and other financial speculations. Most of these investors are doing it in the guise of job creation, but in actual fact, it is only a ruse to profit at the expense of poor Africans who mostly lose pastoral and planting land and end up being evicted. According to the wiki, hedge funds “have become aggressively managed and often speculate on the more volatile assets such as foreign currencies, commodities (and land), and aspire to accumulate capital gains by accurately predicting future price movements.” Harvard and Vanderbilt Universities know this only too well because they teach it.

Thus Africa no-longer faces, but rather must grapple with the problem that is already in motion, which may be the decisive blow to its sustainability. Unlike minerals, land and water are essential for the life of 90% of Africans who are rural dwellers. Yet, whoever buys land also controls the water, one of the ulterior motives that cheap Africa land buyers and Africa land grabbers have as a key agenda. While buying land and improving it to achieve full productivity would not be a problem, African leaders are getting into secretive negotiations that are not in any way beneficial to the citizens but to politicians and their cronies. With no clear policy on such matters, an avalanche of “land investors” has overran Africa, tying up deals of leases of 50 to 100 years, with some costing, according the Guardian Newspaper, as little as $1.50 per hectare per year! This is only equated to theft, and whichever government is involved is doing just that – Stealing. Therefore, China, India, Harvard, and other countries and corporations involved in the unfair purchase of African Land are merely thieves.

Africa continues to be the continent with the highest risk of hunger (food insecurity), yet, the food to be planted on these vast lands will be or is mainly for export. It is therefore not naive to assume that it might become cheaper for the Chinese or Indian to buy food that is grown in East Africa, if the East African ever gets the chance of buying it. And if the producer decides to sell their food in the local market, it is probable that the local farmer will not be able to compete with the Chinese or Indian producer. There is a lot at stake, including potential loss of jobs, increasing poverty and hunger as the Africa land grabs will potentially exacerbate the existing food insecurity in Africa for the growing African population, at over one billion people with a very high growth rate. Moreover, massive profits by foreign firms in Africa are repatriated.

Things are not looking good. In some places and instances, land has been given away completely free. Foreign companies and governments are taking advantage of the situation of poverty and a presence of bad leadership to manipulate our countries into very bad agreements. These are not sustainable, for I predict that we will take over our governments and either renegotiate these contracts and make them pay back what they owe us, or fight them until you lose everything. We may never have gotten the reparations for slavery, but make no mistake, our land is our heritage and we will get it back or we will be compensated commensurately. This is not an unfair demand – it is very reasonable. They have watched (and/or participated) as nations plundered our minerals in blood. But a new African generation has risen up, the Cheetah generation that will count penny upon penny, until we get every nickel and dime back.

I was recently traveling through the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and wandered into a Mont Blanc, a high end jewelry and watch store as I passed time waiting for my connecting flight. The sales girl showed me a small carat of diamond that she said costs €30,000. I asked her where they got their diamond, and without thought she answered, Africa. I asked her again, if it did not seem so odd to her that she was selling a €30,000 tiny piece of stone, and yet not a fraction of that trickles down to the struggling African masses. I do not remember what her answer was but I remember that my question was unsettling. I had made my point, but perhaps to whom it really does not matter much.

We know the problems, but what are the solutions? When I write next, it is what I will try to postulate, but I would appreciate hearing what you think.

The author is a US based Ugandan photographer and photo blogs at Andy Kristian Photography and writes at Voices of Uganda.

Recently, the president has tactically shifted the national debate on the ailing economy and his government’s mismanagement of money to the subject of Mabira Forest and his threats to cut it down by giving it away for sugar cane planting. The president would be stupid to attempt to do that, and conventional wisdom would show he will not. But President Museveni has recognized a window of opportunity to divert the wider conversation on his state’s careless actions and their implications on the economy to a negligible fact of a sugar supply shortfall. And Ugandans, the politicians, the newspapers, the radios, the commentators, etc have fallen for it. As soon as Museveni realizes that Ugandans are catching up to him, he will unleash a new trick.

All the president is trying to get is enough time until the petrol dollars start flowing in, bringing new cash to ease the economic tensions and to finance the perpetuation of his regime. The fact of the matter is that Museveni is a very scared man, and he therefore can not and will not touch Mabira Forest. We need to realize this phenomenon and only warn him of the consequences if he or anyone dare touches it; but we also need to keep him on his toes regarding other matters of national concern – particulary, the economy.

Okay, let’s think for the moment that Museveni is dead serious about Mabira Forest giveaway and that all my analysis is sheer conjecture. The president will have pulled the last straw that will take him down. He really doesn’t want to do this; if he is your friend, warn him not to do it. It will be detrimental to him and to all Ugandans. The people of Uganda are so bitter and are only waiting for a spark. More than ever, Ugandans are beginning to rally together on issues regardless of political affiliation. Signs are that the politicians, especially the members of parliament are beginning to do the same. This is a good thing, but it can also be a very bad thing if there is no positive response from the top, descending the whole country into chaos.

6. Do Not Slack on HIV/AIDS

If there are any positives for which Uganda is known across the globe, it is its remarkable reversal of HIV prevalence rates through its brainchild strategy of Abstinence, Being Faithful and Condoms (ABC). The success in the 90s is unparalleled. The same could be said for the early 2000’s. Continued efforts towards consolidating the successes should be top priority, and if possible formulated in the national security strategy to underscore the importance.

Albeit many have questioned Uganda’s methodology (ABC), there isn’t any better alternative anywhere in the world. Critics propagate a bearing leaning towards condom emphasis. Their argument is that people (Africans) are by nature promiscuous and polygamous. This is not only insulting, but studies also show a correlation between increased condom supply and proportionate increased HIV infection rates in some parts of Southern Africa.

However, today we also live in a global community in which news and other forms of media are much sexualized and compromising, to young people and adults alike. So, more than ever, the core message that has saved us during the past ought to be shouted even more. May we never forget that each one of us was/is affected in some way?

7. Take Concrete Steps Regarding the Environment

Our survival will largely depend on how well we take care of the earth. In fact, program point #3 (population growth) and #4 (food production) are interwoven. Food and clean water are paramount for our continued existence. In fact, for environmental reasons, China has started looking to foreign countries for food production. Also, they will, in the not so far away future become the leading importers of fresh water.

In 2008, I met a New Zealand professor who told me a Chinese diplomat had intimated to him that his government was in talks with the Ugandan government to purchase billions of liters of water until the year 2050! Environmental researchers hypothesize that China’s under ground water supply is almost dry (this is hard to quantify), but China’s actions may suggest that these claims are actually true.

A bad environment has not only the potential to cause hunger, but also conflicts that may result due to meager resources. We have in the recent past experience clashes regarding land and water in this country, and it can only get worse with a growing population in a neglected environment.

Efforts of the National Environment Agency, National Water, NFA etc have to be strengthened, and law breakers must be punished. The biggest problem we face is that law makers, custodians of the law and rich people are the law breakers. Again, for these efforts to succeed, the president must be willing to hurt those who have hurt Ugandans for a long time.

8. Invest More in Education

Every nation’s future lies in its youth. In fact, as a country, we had seemed to realize this by intervening in education programs. Surely we understood the value of education, or we would not have been among the pioneers to introduce Universal Primary and Secondary Education in the world. Sadly, it seems that most of the exploits have been at the expense of higher education. Also, the cry by primary and secondary school teachers over unfair wages is justified.

Government needs to expend more funds to public universities to improve quality levels of education and output. Today, we have thousands of students without matching facilities and needs. The ratio of lecturer to students at Makerere University for example is about 1 (one) to 500 (five hundred). There is absolutely no way that both students and teachers would optimally benefit from such conditions.

Rhetoric from leaders such as “we will improve science”, “we need to become leaders in IT” etc when lecturers are not rewarded fairly or trained in relevant disciplines, when students at both MUBS and MUK are always on strikes, are not helpful.

Public universities world over are funded by government/or states. This funding helps in subsidizing tuition fees and meeting other costs that are related to research and development. In this way, citizens are able to access quality education (not cheaply, per se) but at reasonable costs.

9. Speed up Northern Uganda Recovery

After two decades of a brutal conflict, Northern Uganda is more or less back to normalcy (read peace). The UPDF and the government must be commended for the victory, while efforts of the peace makers such as President Chissano, Santa Okot, Archbishop Odama and both the religious and cultural leaders, the Norwegian Embassy in Kampala, Norbert Mao, David Pulkol and all others who dedicated themselves to the process need to be recognized.

Let these exploits now be followed by a systemic and systematic approach to addressing the underlying causes of the conflict. The real issues came out clearly during the negotiations, and having been on the technical advisory team of the Juba Peace Secretariat, I was privy to this information as most of you were through the media.

Government and its agencies should work with northern Uganda leadership to map out a plan that benefits the people holistically in areas education, health, trade and commerce, agriculture etc. Particularly, northern Uganda has very fertile soils capable of producing a lot of food that could spur unprecedented growth for the whole of Uganda. Of course this is dependant on several factors; that we engage in commercial farming, and second, that homesteads are taught and given incentives to plant more than what is required for subsistence – a no brainer.

I believe that people of Northern Uganda are not opposed to such progress. What they resist however is deals that are cut by government officials on behalf of Northern Uganda, when they are not aware of the intricate details; just as we have been in the oil deals. People of Northern Uganda, just like the Banyoro and Baganda demand, must be the first to benefit from their resources, and if investment opportunities are tailored that way, there shouldn’t be a problem.

10. Karamoja, Karamoja, Karamoja

For decades, Karamoja has floundered in poverty and conflict, and has largely been cut off from the rest our civilization. As a child, the common adage was “we shall not wait for Karamoja to develop.” That was twenty some years ago, and yet today, only very little has changed. At the beginning of last year, I decided to make a trip to Karamoja and see for myself. With camera on back, I walked the hills and arid plains of Moroto.

The problems of Karamoja are enormous and complex. Conflict, poverty, illiteracy and backwardness are the fair terms I can muster to portray the status quo. It could be argued that the people of Karamoja are deeply trapped in their customs of cattle rustling and tribal violence, but it’s hard to substantiate a claim that they wouldn’t give up this sort of lifestyle.

Moreover, for the past decades, development agencies almost wholesomely devoted their efforts to Northern Uganda which seemed to present more international urgent humanitarian needs, as well as more accessible transport network. With peace now returned to Northern Uganda, development agencies are now channeling resources to Karamoja. The European Union, the Africa Leadership Institute, and other organizations have now turned their guns on the region. Government needs to compliment this work, so that services are brought to our brothers and sisters in that area, and that no region, tribe or clan remains underserved in Uganda.

I have decided to re-run my own article of last year. It will come in two part series. I have not edited it to reflect current and recent events.

Ten Things the Government Must Do in 2010 (Read 2011 Now!)

Welcome to the New Year. It is my hope that it will be a meaningful, peaceful, fruitful and an eventful one for all of us. I have sat and thought hard, and have come to the conclusion that if the Uganda NRM government administration undertake to do this “ten point program”, our people shall reasonably begin to experience sound economic and democratic transitions.

1. Hang the Corrupt

This does really sound totally rad. But that is the spirit with which it is written. Public funds have been stolen with impunity. We do not need to list examples. Uganda is ranked as one of the most corrupt countries by Transparent International. As Ugandans, we continue to witness apathetic and mind playing reactions from the President regarding corruption.

In 20 years, how many corrupt officials are in jail? None. Absolutely no one. Corruption has negatively affected social service provision, and as such, we who are so many are suffering at the hands of very few. The president looks on in an attitude we can just construe as indifferent and selfish. Until there is a fundamental shift in the way things are done, our faith and hope in the movement system shall forever be lost.

2. Be Prudent and Transparent in Oil Deals

Let all things OIL be made very visible and accessible to Parliament, Civil Society Organizations and whichever Ugandan that cares. Oil agreements are not a matter of National Security. That whole preposterous issue of “confidentiality” is a deliberate strategy to avoid accountability.

Last year, Daily Monitor investigators were able to unearth documents regarding our oil sharing agreements. According to the report, we (Uganda) did not negotiate a good deal if compared with other countries. Ironically, some Ugandan prominent lawyers were involved in the negotiations on the Oil Companies’ side of things.

It isn’t that Ugandans should not be involved in negotiating for foreign corporations; it is only questionable when lawyers with close ties in high government echelons conclude very poor deals for Ugandans and embarrassingly lucrative deals for themselves.

3. Pave Roads

A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. This is a common adage whose sense and meaning we have lost, ignored or simply do not understand. This is the approach we should have taken in creating a sustainable road transport network.

Without a doubt, road accidents are one of the leading non health related cause of mortality in Uganda. Most fatal accidents happen on highways and the most deadly are head-to-head collisions, pot-hole harassed, “blind spots”. While it is true that most of these accidents are due to speeding, I would like to add that most of these accidents would be avoided with better paved, wider roads.

When the Entebbe highway was being re-touched in the 90’s, I was then in Secondary School and I wondered why the government was not stretching itself to invest in a dual carriage pathway. In my little wisdom, I had sensed that the high way could potentially be the busiest, and yet needed also to be the fastest, as it serves commuters to both Kampala and Entebbe, but also more importantly, serves the only airport.

I wondered what it would be like in 10 years, and what business and emergency travelers would have to do in case they needed to reach the airport in minutes. As it turned out, only about 10 years later, the government needed to spend more money on the same road, just to widen shoulders in order to prepare for CHOGM! Think about it, how many head on collisions and generally most of the accidents could we avoid on the most busiest highways in Uganda if only these were dual carriage highways (Gulu, Lira, Arua, Mbarara, Masaka, Jinja, Mbale, Kabale, Kasese, Fortportal – all destinations from Kampala).

4. Slow Population Growth

The situation is running out of control. A recent report from the Africa Peer Review Mechanism raised a red flag for Uganda regarding population growth. The chairperson of the Uganda chapter, Bishop Dr. Zac Niringiye echoed those sentiments at the launch of the review report in Kampala towards the close of last year.

If Uganda’s growth rate is indeed at the postulated 3% per annum, it directly translates to approximately 900,000 babies in 2009 alone. It also means, if all supporting factors remain, that Uganda will have a conservative 45 to 50 million people in 10 years. As has been wrongly assumed, countries do not need big populations in order to have a strong internal market.

Some of the richest countries, at-least by per capita, are very small and less populated. Wealth is not and should not be measured by how much the government earns, but rather by how many its citizens are economically empowered. At 30 million, Uganda already has a population much bigger than some of the richest countries in the world. A bigger market (population) will make Uganda even poorer, hungrier and dangerous. What we need is a quality population; healthy, educated, and wealthy.

5. Increase Food Production/ Agriculture

This is somewhat linked to program point four above. In order to feed and provide economic opportunities for the masses, we need thorough and rigorous efforts towards developing Agriculture and food production. It is absurd that Uganda is still a recipient of food from the World Food Program.

Arguably, Uganda has one of the best possible arable lands in the world. Yet, it also has some of the hungriest and malnourished people. What a paradox? Our leaders are taken by growth phenomena in the Far East (Asia). They are oblivious that these huge exploits hinge on the success of the green revolution.

These countries, including India and China generated a lot of income from food exports which trickled down well to the poor – still, several hundred million remain poor. Make no mistake, the effects of a big population are showing in China; it is now paying its business men to begin producing food offshore in places such as Africa to ensure that its people do not starve. Does China then, big as it is, wish it had a much smaller population? Surely it does.

Next week, I will continue with the rest of the other 5 points that I believe our government needs to direct meaningful attempts so that we can get on the right path to sustainable development.

Recently, walking to work became the new phenomenon in Uganda’s Politics; a country where the population is experiencing a steadily rising inflation that has caused fuel & commodity prices to escalate. From 11.4 to 14.1% in just one month the cost of living is so high that the majority of the people are finding it hard to feed.

Just two months back, president Museveni beat the opposition with a large margin in an election where the opposition cried foul claiming that the election was marred with massive bribery of the electorate, intimidation of voters, rigging and unfair play by the incumbent as cited in the Common wealth election observers report recently released. Unlike in previous elections where opposition resorted to the courts of law to sort out election irregularities, after two attempts, they seem to have noticed that the courts of law may not offer them justice anytime soon. In a new strategy, opposition for the first time united around a common goal and initiated the “Walk to Work” demonstrations protesting against the sky rocketing prices of fuel and basic commodities.

The protests that have been on for over five weeks now were violently quelled by government which received a lot of disapproval and condemnation from the legal fraternity and the international community. The demonstrations saw many protestors in hospitals, while some people unfortunately lost their lives from stray bullets. Very absurd was the death of a one year old baby by a stray bullet in Masaka a town south west of the country. Hundreds of demonstrators were arrested and detained inclusive of the leader of the main opposition party FDC’s Dr. Kizza Besigye who was inhumanely arrested when his car was vandalized and he was diced in pepper spray affecting his eye sight then bundled on a police pick-up truck. Earlier, his finger was shattered by a bullet – a fracture he is still nursing. Norbert Mao the Democratic Party leader was arrested for 2weeks and tried in court with a lot procedural breeches making his trial illegal and a nullity. As much as the government seems like its panicking, I would like to point out one of the major issues the opposition should urgently address.

What is killing the Walk to Work?

Undoubtedly, the protests were an excellent idea where the Ugandan opposition rallied around an issue of common interests that affects the Nation as a whole instead of rallying around individuals and personalities. Even though the Idea isn’t original, the fact that it works is what mattered the most; participating in an activity that isn’t illegal but drives a point home. The biggest problem with the protests is their violent nature. As much as they claim to be peaceful, we have seen shops looted, businesses abandoned government cars set on fire among others as certain elements use the confusion to perpetrate crime. Many more people have died than government is willing to admit. Violence in the 21^st century will never be a solution in cases of this nature. You cannot fight a government armed with all manner of ammunition with stones and barricades- as always this will only lead to a blood bath with many Ugandans involuntarily sacrificing their lives. One may be quick to blame the government for the violent and barbarian methods of crowd control but borrowing from Ghandi, the best weapon we as Ugandans have is Non Violence – there is nothing more shameful than attacking an unarmed nonviolent man. Imagine if police came to disperse a crowd and they all sat down shooting into the crowd would be very inhumane. Unfortunately these traits of violence seem to be rooted deep in our political history and if the opposition doesn’t address the issue of violence, the protests might take a U- turn making them look bad and trashing all the efforts and sacrifices made so far. This is definitely going to be test on the opposition – Ugandans and the world will be keenly watching how they manage the protests which will be a key determining factor in the struggle.

Winning or Losing:

First and foremost, the opposition should denounce all forms of violence and criminal activity during the protests giving the people non-violent alternatives and sharing with them what they should and shouldn’t do during the protests. They should clearly state that any individuals who engage in any form of violence or crime shall be disowned and are not a part of what the cause is trying to achieve. This will involve sensitizing the people about the negative effects of violence and why they shouldn’t be a part of it.

The opposition should also make it clear that in this cause, people will get injured and some will die but that is the price we are paying for the freedom of our country from bad governance; even though it would be ideal that no people die, there are some things we can’t avoid. We can’t have the omelet without breaking the eggs. It gives the people courage if their leaders are taking the front line and putting their lives in harm’s way like everyone else

As accountable leaders, they should take responsibility for all their actions even when things go wrong. The opposition should keep a record of all deaths during the protests and should offer any possible help to the grieving families in their time of despair. Further, they should recognize the dead as people who sacrificed their lives in the struggle. This is an uphill task; I call it “the African mystery of incumbency” and let not the opposition take it lightly for the way they handle the current situation greatly depicts how they would they manage the country should they get power.

The author is a planner and strategist at Platform Revolution. You can follow his other writings on his blog at http://onyaitodeke.blogspot.com

On Thursday May 12, President Museveni is slated to be sworn in as president of Uganda. That will be the commencement of his 4th term in office, totaling 30 years altogether at the top by the end of his new term. Also, sometime this week, Museveni’s main challenger to the presidency and his old time friend, Dr. Kiiza Besigye will return from Kenya where he has spent the last couple days undergoing treatment for injuries visited on him as a result of protesting the rule of the former. Yet, this week also, there is a series of civilian protests that have been organized by the coalition of opposition parties to continue showing dissatisfaction at the status-quo. The demonstrations include a women’s walk, the walk2work, and now include a Friday walk2Mosque and Sunday walk2Church.

I suspect that Besigye may tactfully decide to jet into the country on Thursday, May 12, the same day as the swearing ceremony for the president. If that happens and police and the military treat him the same way as they did before, then Uganda could experience the same kind and even worse violent skirmishes it did a couple days ago. If the security actors do not react violently to Besigye and his supporters, then we could witness 2 parallel events; one a swearing in ceremony with a huge number of supporters, and the other, a massive gathering of a group unhappy with the president’s next term in office.

The protests to the NRM government are unlikely to end this week. Even though Museveni will be president, similar protests will characterize his fourth term as president, probably his last. He has not indicated yet when he would leave the presidency and even though his desire may be to hang on, the Ugandans seem determined not to let him. I predict that over the next 5 years, the opposition will be reacting in creative and non provocative ways to corruption scandals, road potholes, and other failed government programs. It is improbable, that the NRM will do anything much to rebrand itself and repair its waning image.

Apart from the reasons given above for several candidates, it was also in the interest of the opposition, that young leaders such as Norbert Mao gain the experience of national campaigning by being introduced at that level. So, whether Kiiza or Museveni or Olara triumphed, then political parties would have done well in grooming future potential leaders in Abed Bwanika, Norbert Mao, Lubega and other youthful hopefuls.

Astonishingly and expectedly, FDC in a loose coalition with other organizations shunned this approach. UPC soon realized that the FDC route and the maneuverings from within were not good for it and quit. The refusal by DP’s core leadership to join the Inter Party Forum on the existing terms split it, with DP accusing FDC of having a hand to do with it. From the onset, FDC was then viewed by DP, and later UPC as a partner that can not be trusted, and probably selfish. In fact, the lack of foresight by the FDC leadership and poor strategy cost the opposition and Ugandan people a great deal. With their ultimate focus on the presidential seat, they ignored the very symbol of government power, the legislature. For whoever controls the majorities of parliament virtually controls everything. This is where corruption cases have been let off the hook, shoddy procurement deals overlooked, term limits removed, etc. That the opposition would not realize this and focus on unitedly wrestling for this fountain of power was clear indication of either their political naivety, stupidity, or both. I spoke with some of the brilliant minds in both the FDC and DP and they agreed with this route. When I met Norbert Mao at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, DC  last year, he fully believed in this approach. Down the Entebbe Highway, for IPC or FDC, it was either you had to take everything or leave everything; that is, parties had to sign a joint presidential candidates and for parliament/local councils.

Obviously, Museveni won the election and as predicted, there was no re-run. We don’t have to go into the details of why the race was not a close one. It is however important that we point out a few facts why Museveni won, for those that do not know. The Common Wealth, the European Union and other observers did not believe, that though peaceful, the elections were free and fair. Reports of massive bribery and ballot staffing were blamed on the triumphant NRM. The state and NRM also devoted enormous amounts money for which the opposition couldn’t match. But even with voter rigging and bribery, NRM got only 5 million votes, out of the registered 14 million. Museveni had earlier told Aljazeera television that the NRM had 9 million members. At the end of polling day, including stuffed and bought votes, the NRM had 5 million, while the opposition had a combined 2 to 3 million votes. With such a scenario, you could not have a re-run. We can argue that had the elections been conducted in a free and fair environment, NRM would have lost or Kiiza Besigye would have forced a re-run, with Norbert Mao as a running mate. There was therefore no reason for FDC to be fearful from the beginning. It was always clear that Besigye was the strongest contender. That did not however mean to exclude other candidates as it had no way of diminishing his chances.

On the other hand, fielding several candidates from the opposition against one NRM or independent candidates for parliament was always going to be costly. If you still do not understand how, consider this example. Let’s say that Kampala district has 4 candidates for member of parliament. One candidate is from DP, the second is from NRM, the third is from FDC, and the fourth is independent. Chances are that everyone has an equal chance of going through according to their strength, and depending on the origin of the independent candidate. If he is from the FDC or DP inclination, then the NRM guy is as good as won. But what if FDC and DP have one candidate, and the Independent candidate has NRM origins? It would be a slam dunk for the opposition. In parliament or local council seats, there are no re-runs, who ever wins the majority takes all, even if they win by half a vote.

That said, going back to the topic. Today is the day when the opposition need each other more than before. As a people who have been trampled upon by the current regime, we expect them to behave and make mature decisions. Even the Walk2Work activism is not about Norbert Mao or Kiiza Besigye. It is about us, about the people on the streets braving tear gas for these men. I hope that this is the opportunity to work together for a common good, and that good is freedom and civil liberties, which in Mugisha Muntu’s words, are non negotiable. As supporters and activists for meaningful reforms in Uganda, we also need to look out for the leaders and advise them where they are wrong. I am glad that I can see people such as Norbert Mao and Olara Ottunu actively supporting Kiiza Besigye. Besigye must also know that this not his personal movement, and that whatever is going on is our movement. Today, Museveni thinks the NRM is his movement, as if our father and relatives and their friends did not fight in the resistance that he led.

I am not sure I managed to keep on point. But this is our blog, so what the heck? We just ramble, it is our voices as Ugandans and no one has the right to shut me or you up. If you have a dissenting view and you are Ugandan, we are happy to post it on this very page. Please send it to me on e-mail. This is a page for all Ugandans to share their views without fear of being harassed. Please leave your comments and thoughts. You can also login using your twitter or Facebook handle.

For God and my country.

He was also asked if he wasn’t bothered by the current comparison of his regime to that of Idi Amin whom he went to fight. Mr. Museveni answered that in the days of Amin, politicians and people were murdered and thrown into the rivers for crocodiles, which, he hasn’t seen happening during his own administration. In our eyes, the brutal arrests and illegal detentions that have happened under the watch of Mr. Museveni are not just inhumane, but worse than the acts of Idi Amin. For all we know, if Mr. Museveni was president in the times of Idi Amin, Besigye, Norbert Mao and everyone with a dissenting voice’s bones would now be floating in the Nile, after their flesh had been devoured by the crocodiles that he speaks of. Why would you argue otherwise? For a regime that can involve itself in acts caught on live television and hundreds of witnesses, and yet deny them, what are they not capable of doing?

The president and his ministers now also say that Besigye sprayed pepper onto the security personnel first before they blinded him with a heavy doze of chemicals in his eyes. Television footage, journalists and other witnesses all say this is untrue. Why, would a president lie about such a thing? Is there any truth in him? Of course, there is hardly. All the promises he gave to Ugandans in 1986, he has broken. He has continually fooled us around with his plan on corruption. Instead, his promises are the promises that predate 1986. He still talks of electricity, roads, and fundamental rights. After investing more than 18 trillion in roads over the last 2 decades, there is hardly any change. The situation of health facilities and health professionals is appalling. Is it a wonder that Besigye had to go to Nairobi for treatment of his eyes and injuries?

The president also said that 5 million people voted for the NRM, and 2 million did not, in the last concluded elections, making the number of total votes cast to about 7 million. Yet, Uganda has about 13 to 14 million registered voters. What happened to the other 7 million voters? Why did they not vote? Of the 5 million that the NRM got, how many were rigged and how many were due to voter bribery?

The president’s wife was also caught on television talking the very same week-end. She said that Uganda is facing a test, and how we respond to this test shall determine the future of Uganda. She is very right. We must respond very positively, so that the freedoms that the NRM fought for and the economy that is growing are not shattered. Unfortunately, the builder is the one tearing down. Mrs. Museveni needs to know that her husband, the president, must go back to his former self. We all err because we are all human. Errors can not be corrected unless they are first, in humility, acknowledged. What we are witnessing is pride and arrogance of the first degree from President Museveni. Pride is the beginning of the fall. It is what made Satan be thrown out of Heaven, Amin out of Uganda, Gadaffi almost out of Libya, the examples are so many.

In the end, how this plays out will largely rest on Mr. Museveni. Besigye or Mao are no saints either. However, they are a face of the resistance to the injustices, corruption and oppression. You will be very misguided to think that if they are immobilized, that the struggle will die. You have the experience of that and you know it is not true. Unless there is change on the conditions of governance, disciplined and accountable leadership, and meaningful transformation, you Mr. President, will loose. You had set out to set us free from oppression, but now, indeed, you are the oppressor. Lastly, please reflect on Paul Friere’s words, thus “Leaders who do not act dialogically, but insist on imposing their decisions, do not organize the people–they manipulate them. They do not liberate, nor are they liberated: they oppress.”

For God and my country.

Previously, this page read like this below;

Hey, you are probably wondering how you can get involved in helping this work. Wonder no more. There are very many ways for you to do this. First, it is to make this initiative known to all your friends in your social network and those on your e-mail list. Second and more important than all the other reasons is to influence others in your neighborhood, town or village to vote basing on issues and not personalities or small gifts. Third, and also important as well is to support the work done here by donating money, buying prints etc, so that we can take these great images for exhibitions and discussions to the deepest of villages. We also need people to donate stuff such as stickers, posters, tee shirts, etc. There are many ways, and you can even suggest others. Hola at us!