The article published in The Independent of Wednesday, 29th July 2009 entitled “Mwenda on elections: Are they doing more harm than good to Uganda?’’
Mwenda asserts as thus; ‘’It should be becoming evident that electoral competition in Uganda since 1996 has not led to improved quality of government….. It is fair to say that rather than enhance checks and balances, accountability and service delivery, elections have progressively undermined all these pillars of democracy. It seems to me therefore that the specific way democracy is evolving in Uganda is injurious to the cause of good government.’’
Whereas Mwenda’s assertions contain a very fair assessment of the prevailing situation in Uganda, I find the perspective and inclination of the arguments somewhat a mix of two crucial standards that should be argued independently if a clear way forward is to be adduced.
First and foremost electoral competition is the way to go for now and tomorrow. There is nothing wrong with electoral competition absolutely. The quality of government in Uganda has nothing to do with electoral competition; the debate on this crucial debate ought to be put into real perspective as we contemplate the future of our dear motherland.
First and foremost electoral competition is the way to go for now and tomorrow. There is nothing wrong with electoral competition absolutely. The quality of government in Uganda has nothing to do with electoral competition; the debate on this crucial debate ought to be put into real perspective as we contemplate the future of our dear motherland.
Electoral competition and good quality of government are equally desirable standards but which are independent, this is actually what the Ugandan situation has come to prove since 1996. What happens at the ballot box is about choice and not necessarily accountability of the subsequent government functioning, much as the process of choice is premised on the principle of accountability itself.
I know Mwenda understands these issues, I also would understand why he has chosen to argue about them in the style that has and no doubt they will generate the debate.
My hope is that the debate it generates will translate into tangible actions and not the usual trend that has come to characterize debates in Uganda which are more like the proverbial noise for empty tins which dies immediately the banging stops without causing any effect.
As already highlighted above the electoral competition is about choice of leadership, for Uganda it is based on the constitutional notion that power belongs to the people which ideally should be the case.
My hope is that the debate it generates will translate into tangible actions and not the usual trend that has come to characterize debates in Uganda which are more like the proverbial noise for empty tins which dies immediately the banging stops without causing any effect.
As already highlighted above the electoral competition is about choice of leadership, for Uganda it is based on the constitutional notion that power belongs to the people which ideally should be the case.
On the other hand the quality of governance is a question of institutional performance and respect for accountability for those in leadership as well as the led. For this to happen it requires honest leadership and high level of awareness for members of the public, besides they should be aware about their own role as citizens and what they expect out of those whom they have entrusted with the leadership role.
Unfortunately for Uganda, both election and leadership are grossly abused by the powers that be, therefore; to conclude that elections have progressively undermined all pillars of democracy is tantamount to passing a harsh and unfair judgment. It is even inaccurate to assert that democracy is evolving in a specific way in Uganda; the fact of the matter is that democracy in Uganda is grossly abused. There is no way democracy is evolving in Uganda; time is now to awaken all those who are half awake or half asleep and inform them that the situation is dire which many people do not seem to realize. The media, civil society and political parties are half awake and members of the public are half asleep where as the majority are deep in sleep, fair to say way beyond past midnight sleep.
The Media is half awake because of lack of consistence in following up on the so many issues which they have unearthed. Although the media takes credit on what they have brought to light, I would not hesitate to castigate them for any lapses. The Greek have a saying that ‘repetition is the mother of knowledge’. Why should newspaper run a story today that an innocent kid was buried live in a shopping arcade and then keep quiet about it tomorrow because the police have not done anything? Is it because once the balance sheet shows profit or loss the story ceases to hold truth or it loses meaning?
The public is either dead asleep or half asleep because whatever happens, good or bad the reaction remains indifferent. This gullible state of affairs in the public attitude is because of lack of civic education and wide spread poverty which has lowered the levels of confidence of citizens therefore making the public susceptible to hand outs and the desire to keep the handout god fathers.
The level of greed and dishonesty among the elite and the leaders is something to be very worried about for which every effort should be garnered against. Government has mastered the art of manipulating the institutions because the elite manning the institutions are terribly corrupt where as the business community is also compromised. This dangerous trend has assured government the luxury of getting away with whatever crime/injustice which they choose to dispense and nobody says anything.
The way forward lies in spanking the public out of sleep through effective mobilization so as to make them fully aware of what is expected of them and what is at stake.
Public awareness, public awareness and PUBLIC AWARENESS is the force that can decisively counter the excesses of the Executive and failures of other formal arms of the Ugandan establishment. As Ugandans we owe each other a noble duty stand up to our responsibilities and demand what is due to us without fear or favor otherwise we are all responsible for the current misgovernment of our country.
‘For God and my Country’
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