Sometimes, I wonder what a full playground of presidential advisors especially those on political affairs advise our dear president, but sometimes you have to sympathise with them because, they are protecting their jobs by telling him (the president) things he wants to hear.
Museveni’s history hasn’t been good on people who offer him “good advice” because in most cases such people are labeled as critics of the ruling establishment and chased out of the system.
People like Bidandi Ssali, Eriya Kategaya, Miria Matembe, Amanya Mushega have faced the wrath of the president when they laboured to give him “good advice.”
But for those trying to reserve their “good advice” in the name of protecting their jobs, such jobs will soon be no more when their advise doesn’t translate into increased popularity leading to increased votes therefore, more years in power and more eating.
I wasn’t surprised when Carolyn Nakazibwe, a journalist with the observer in her article titled, “Thanks for giving my roots back” published in the observer of 14th October, 2009.
Nakazibwe describes how the government ban on her King - the Kabaka of Buganda – to visit his own Saaza of Bugerere has increased her loyalty to him.
Her case is just a tip of an iceberg and not the only one; people have sought solace in alternative leadership because of the bad acts of this government like corruption, tribalism, denial of free speech and assembly, military crackdown of rioters, unemployment, vote rigging, etc.
When people are pushed against the wall by certain leaders, it’s natural that they will find solace in alternative leaders for instance the opposition politicians and cultural leaders to help them get out of their current predicament.
Recently, at the epitome of the of the Bafuuruki debate, a friend from Kibaale district – an indigenous Munyoro - told me, people can decide to be brutal and very aggressive if certain conditions force them to, such as denying them the right to participate in the management of their own affairs.
Imagine a situation where an indigenous Munyoro from Kibaale district can’t be an LC 3 chairperson because the Bakiga’s out number them and vote on tribal basis. Mind you, am not tribalistic.
This is the same case with employment especially among the youth in Uganda, where people are not given jobs based on merit but on the basis of who knows you in government circles.
Besides, unemployment which our dear president recently admitted, there are other ills this government has committed that continue to anger the population like banning Ebimeeza on radios which infringes on the people’s constitutional right to express their opinions.
During the Burial of my late grandmother recently in Fort Portal, a wife to one of my uncles said, people who openly express their anger when annoyed are not as dangerous as people who keep their anger within themselves because expressing anger helps to cool it down.
When the president bans, Ebimeeza, people will have no chance to express their anger and keep it within themselves, at some point they will release it, in a very deadly way.
Such people who lose hope and get dissatisfied with the government because of its ills, in most cases manifest their anger in things like riots, joining the opposition and rebel activities.
The Bakhonzo of Kasese sought solace in the opposition (FDC) when Museveni failed to recorgnise their King, Baganda have sought solace in the king in their quest for federo, good governance and improved living standards, the unemployed youth have sought solace in the opposition for jobs when the government changes.
If Museveni’s system of governance doesn’t change, day by day, more interest groups will seek solace in alternative leadership to achieve their interests.
Other groups, which will soon follow suit, are workers whose money under NSSF is continuously being swindled by mafias within the system.
At the end of the day Museveni will find himself with no one except his generals who have always stood by him during the recent upheavals so as to keep in control of the cake.
