Museveni, Opposition; The Message Needs To Change.

 

By Arthur Mwenkanya Katabalwa

 

I have learnt with shock that President Yoweri Museveni called former President Idi Amin Dada an idiot. Now, whereas I may probably agree with Mr Museveni the private citizen I find it difficult that President Yoweri Museveni has called President Idi Amin Dada an idiot. I don't know what Amin was as a private citizen.

 

You see, the person Yoweri Museveni needs to differentiate (if he can) between himself and The President of The Republic of Uganda. The President of the Republic Of Uganda isn't a private individual but Mr Yoweri Museveni is.

Former Ugandan President Idi Amin Dada.

 

Amin was a brute. I can say that because I am a private individual. Mr Museveni will also agree with me on that  I presume but it opens a can of worms when Museveni in his constitutional capacity as President Of Uganda calls another person who held the same office that he holds an idiot. Because not everyone in Uganda may see Amin as an idiot. Indeed there maybe persons in the country who may see The President Of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni as an idiot but certainly not Mr Yoweri Museveni. It is a different political opinion.

 

The President has always had combative words. in 1986/1987 he called a top Kenyan official an idiot in public at the former Kampala City square. I think the fellow was called Ole Tipis. He laid into him publically. Granted I think the said "idiot" Ole Tipis was messing up our fuel supplies. But there needs to be a certain level of diplomatic speak that the President needs to maintain at all times. I think that this will keep him above the petty fray that exists sometimes.

 

The other thing that I need to point out is that this Obote-Amin story doesn't buy anymore. This government has been in power for longer than any other government known in Uganda. Why do we always have the ghost of Obote and Amin raised? Many youths in Uganda have never known another leader other than Museveni. So when this government constantly calls on the Obote-Amin times as the most evil times the youth don't buy it. They don't know about Amin or Obote. Its flogging a dead horse. Ugandans want to hear what this government is doing on schools, health, corruption and unemployment. And that by the way also applies to the opposition. What alternative ideas have they got rather than agitating for Museveni to go? They too need to get their message right because all we can see are angry disgruntled former NRM lieutenants. 

 

The message needs to change within the Ugandan political elite. With the NRM we don't buy that stuff about Obote-Amin. Change the message. With the opposition, they also risk sinking further into irrelevance because their message is narrow as well. Get off that rubbish about Museveni being removed from power. Show us you are an alternative government in waiting.