The Uganda Police And Our Political Classes Are An International Disgrace.

By Arthur M. M. Katabalwa

The last few days have been very eventful in Ugandan politics so much so that the public has got so much to pick from. We have had the absolute volte-face from our very own Professor Bukenya to the police being accused of undressing an FDC supporter. The main conclusion one can draw from many of these events is that Ugandan politics is corrupt.

So, Professor Bukenya decided to return to the ruling NRM. I have never ever seen someone so shamelessly opportunistic and spineless as that man. Since he was dropped from the cabinet a few years ago, he has called The President all sorts of names. He has accused him and his NRM party of being dictatorial. He has flirted with the opposition. This, all from a man who mimics The President so much that one starts to think The President mimics Bukenya. From the limp left arm to the stater when speaking, to the peer over the top of the glasses when speaking to the uncomfortable gait while walking. The splayed hand when greeting with the slight tilt to the right, the Stetson hat and the slight "mbaliga" in his feet. Bukenya has done it all. Now I reckon we will be seeing a bandaged right hand for about a month this coming December.

Professor Gilbert Bukenya.

The 92 year old Egyptian former UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali once said that "Only stupid men don't change their minds." Bukenya had the right to change his mind. It is the manner and timing by which he changed his mind that captivated everyone. One also needs to be able to address the consequences of his decision. I wonder who will ever trust a word he says now however passionate he maybe. Word has circulated that his depature from the opposition has dented them. I think not. I think the ruling NRM party had better be watching him no wonder they have stationed UPDF soldiers guarding him. They can have him. If that is the caliber of politician they want in their ranks then the opposition has survived a clear shot.

Then as if things couldn't get worse they did in some swamp near Kinoni in Western Uganda.   Our hapless police force decided to arrest Besigye and his supporters on their way to Rukungiri to hold a rally. There is some law that governs political rallies and consultations which to the best of my knowledge is rather vague. Having said that even then the law seems to be being selectively applied with the ruling NRM allowed to hold rallies but not the opposition. On this fateful day, the police allegedly threw some spikes at a speeding convoy leading to a pileup. They then proceeded to arrest those in the convoy. While this was happening some female FDC activist was left nearly naked. The footage from the arrest is truly harrowing from whichever political divide one may be (as long as one has some common sense anyway).

I call The Uganda Police hapless because these days they seem to have the monopoly on monumental public relations gaffes. I doubt the police spokesperson Fred Enanga agrees with what he says these days. He always has a pained look on his face. When this process of elections started, they have walked from one mess to another. They have completely failed to absolve themselves of any blame even where they could have done so. In arresting this woman and bundling her naked onto a pickup truck, there were many chances of them making things right. What did they do? They messed there PR relations. One of their media handlers was dispatched to NTV and despite the moderator giving her the easiest ride, she kept referring to a script which was obviously given to her by her superiors, repeatedly using the word "unfortunately" to the point of self immolation.

To compound matters, the policewomen who are at the centre of this storm were then arraigned in front of the cameras. What a painful sight! These people have obviously had no training in media handling and the effect of what they say. So here we were with two women smirking as they related to the incident to the media. But one can only blame them so far when another police spokesperson called Hillary Kulagiye went on air and said that "...the police who were involved in arresting the FDC activist were traumatized." You all can deduce the level of public awareness and sensitivity from that statement from our Hillary.

As the police walk from one disaster to another, the NRM party is also trying to outdo them with a most shambolic primaries ever seen. Reports are coming out that the two main NRM contenders for the Mayor Of Kampala Salim Uhuru and a one Kibedi have exchanged blows at the party headquarters. This kind of fracas is being replicated again and again countrywide from Lwengo district where we saw party cards being burned by irate locals to Kampala Kisenyi where we saw factions battling each other with the police resorting to firing tear gas.

Salim Uhuru

Whether this is a problem within the party that stems from a struggle against those who feel entitled to lead to those who want to see democracy played is yet to be seen. But the example from the "Sole Candidate" issue to the dissuasion of Odrek Rwabwogo (although I agreed with the reasons given by HE) created an awkward situation. Tanga Odoi the NRM election supreme seems to only have power only as far as the gates of his offices go while he is at war with the Secretary General Lumumba as well.

Opposition parties are not faring well either with the Democratic Party also split. It seems like everyone who threw their hat in the ring to be considered for a political post expected to win. The TDA lost Besigye for very suspect reasons. Despite the fact that he ruled out ever standing again, he is at it being beaten while campaining. When his candidature faltered within the TDA, he threw a hissy fit and left. Only The Conservative Party among the big parties seems to fair well. But then again who pays Ken .Lukyamuzi much attention?

Ugandans are searching for progressive politics. We are looking for someone who will give us the solutions to the problems of today. We have graduates who are unemployable; an education system which is crumbling at the seams. We have a third world health system operating in a third world country. We have politicians who have frankly abnegated their responsibility to the electorate, locked out those who are poor and tagged along to the wealthy so as to look after their interests. We have a police force which is frankly not trained for civilian policing, we have thousands of disaffected youths whose only hope is spending days completely drugged up. A generation which is sailing through their most productive years with nothing to show for them.

Uganda needs an economy which is not just about the flow of money but how we invest in people; in skills and in innovation. We need markets for our produce rather than see it rot on the roadsides. But while we hanker for all this, our political elite and those who protect them using the various methods of state coercion are fighting among themselves and spilling that angst out over to the population so as to stifle legible, legal debate about the future of this country.

mwenky99@gmail.com