By Sam Evidence Orikunda.
The NRM has raised leaders of different types, some are committed to serving the nation. They’re patriotic and want to see things moving at speed, they can spend nights in offices, while trying to respond to a number of issues raised by the citizens. These ones are hardly appreciated and most times they’re fought by the bosses, if any chance arises of dumping them, it doesn’t take a single minutoe to be thrown in the dust bin but as we do so, sadly the people of Uganda continue to lose services which they deserve and a number of projects die. Several government programs have failed because of this kind of politicking and several personalities have sadly been soiled under the sponsorship of people who strive hard to put down the courageous and energetic leaders, whose interests is always one; to see Uganda and the areas they represent taking a step in terms of service delivery and all kinds of development. Ugandans usually take time to understand those games and even when they understand, they find themselves with no option or anything humanly possible to be done to save those good leaders hence giving up and watching from a distance.
The NRM has also raised leaders who are egocentric, so much excited about power and also drunk with power. In the first sentences of their speech at every function, they remind everyone of their position. Their speeches are full of pride and showing off. These ones always want to move with a group soldiers armed to the teeth even in the areas where there are no security threats. They do not move with soldiers for protection but to remind everyone of their power and status. The people who are below them are regarded as less human beings who have no single right to make a simple statement about the affairs of the people and if they dare do so, they should do it in much fear and acknowledgement of those so called leaders. Those same leaders spend alot of money in paying for the public relations and can pay even more Money for as long it will keep them both in the local news and the national news. To them keeping their names in the news means working hard for the people, they believe that when they’re seen on television the people in the villages who they represent will surely know that they’re working which is false and misleading. Indeed some our people have succumbed to this kind foolery to believe them. This is the highest level of political pretence.
Unfortunately and more hurting these guys are not helping the president of Uganda in his revolutionary fight against poverty. They’re lost on their games of show of might. Some hardly mention the name of the president in their speeches or even when they do, they do so as courtesy so that the intelligence can capture it in their reports but the actions are completely different. The people who they represent continue to yearn for simple services, which include among many, opening community access roads, putting up footpath bridges for school going kids to access schools etc. Notably, the people who they represent, hardly get enough information about important government programs. The information they get only comes from the journalists on different radios. In the districts where they come from Civil servants take advantage of that situation to keep singing songs of praise to those particular leaders meanwhile as the same Civil servants misuse public funds and as they underperform in the districts. Even if those Civil servants have a committed a crime and have a case to answer, they will always be safe because a certain excited young leader is shielding them against public scrutiny, investigation and court because those civil servants have sang songs of praise to them and therefore they’re regarded as good will supporters who should be protected at whatever cost.
Who then is sabotaging government programs and keeping the people of Uganda in absolute poverty? It’s those same leaders because they put their interests first, before the interests of the party and government hence contributing to the increase of poverty and failure of several government programs. Those same leaders are a danger to the upcoming young leaders because first all they make sure no space is left for the mushrooming leaders and they’ve also tainted the image of the young people to the extent that the voters take time to trust them with leadership positions. It’s is actually more sad, that the same leaders have set aside the ideology and the principles of the National Resistance Movement and now they’re leading basing on what they believe in as individuals and what they would want to see as individuals. That’s why we go to by elections and you hear reports of NRM leaders supporting independents and opposition candidates. They do so because of their personal agendas and making sure that their power bases strive for a few more years.
Ugandans especially the supporters of the National Resistance Movement should be wise enough, to demand for services from these egocentric, power hungry and excited young leaders, they should be firm and bold enough to remind them that the National Resistance Movement has survived for all these years because of keeping focused on the issues that the affect the people of Uganda, this is why the president frequently goes on Television to speak to Ugandans when there’s a challenge, somewhere and he can appear as many times as possible until he feels that Ugandans have fully understood him. Anybody who engages in the activities of keeping themselves powerful and reminding everyone of their power while doing nothing for the people who elected him is as good as useless because even when time comes and they leave the public will not trace their achievements. They will only remember the unnecessary wars that were fought by those leaders and I don’t think that will be a good legacy or something to be proud. Every leader especially those who belong to NRM can perform exceedingly well if they put focus on the principles of the National Resistance Movement and always be attentive and sober enough to listen to the guidance of President Museveni who is always generous to give knowledge to even those who don’t support him and those who openly criticize him.
President William Ruto of Kenya should be the best example to most of our young leaders in Uganda, he was fought by colleagues during campaigns but he has mastered the art of defeating emotions and denying attention to the individuals who would want to indulge him into the chicky fights of revenge. Ruto has kept with one goal of working for the people of Kenya and solving the issues that the affect the most local person. He surprised many including the international community when he assigned his former boss an assignment to help in the regional affairs . Ruto has been the student of President Yoweri Museveni and he is going to perform exceedingly well for the people who trusted him with power because he is equipped with wisdom. He as not only put God first but he has also challenged those who did not support him by doing what they thought was impossible. That’s how enemies and political opponents are proved wrong. Political opponents are not proved wrong by moving around with a group soldiers and reminding everyone how you’re in charge and how you can send home everyone who is not in your support. Political enemies are not defeated by throwing tantrums in public and dodging the functions of those who didn’t support you. Political enemies are defeated by doing what is right, making your achievements visible in the community and making people from other Constituency yearn to be in your Constituency because of what you’ve done there. Let us therefore, keep focused, remind ourselves of the principles and ideology of the movement, keep committed to it and lead the people of Uganda basing on that ideology, not what we believe in as individuals and what we always want to see.
The writer is a deputy RDC Kyenjojo District.
