By Richardo John Munyegera
When you hear many grumbling for the Member of Parliament positions in the country you stand to be reminded that Uganda has monarchies everywhere. Let’s not consider, Buganda, Bunyoro, Rwenzululu, Busoga, Toro or any other I haven’t mentioned here.
Am not into the cultural ones were we align in our own capacities apart from a few like Tamale Joseph Mirundi, who will easily tell you that he’s a republican who doesn’t believe in issues to do with kingdoms.
I’m in reference to members of parliament who have made it a point to keep glued in their seats or at least leave the seat for any family member. The list of these constituencies I would like to call kingdoms is too long and getting longer with time. It’s both in the opposition and the ruling national resistance movement organization – NRMO.
The likes of Ken “the man” Lukyamuzi attests to what a kingdom is here. He and his daughter have been there for 25 years and still continuing as he was recently nominated for the same position. Who knows whether, he’s also interested in nurturing the son to take over? I liked his response without remorse over Kato Lubwama’s candidature, “the comedian” and he indeed called him that. He further emphasized that some people should make a difference between being a comedian and serious politics.
Away from that; on several occasions, ‘the man’ has been caught on camera sleeping; thus joining the NRMO sleeping club in either parliament or national functions. Equally, Hon Lukyamuzi also has desperately clinged on the leadership of the Conservative party, leaving the likes of his daughter, son and Semusu Mugobansonga to question why he’s opposed to the other who he calls a dictator.
In another livid way; there are those who have emphasized the need to have their family members elected in different positions. When the trust of a whole constituency is in the hands of the son, a relative or brother, then democracy gets to another something I will call.
Hon Hussein Kyanjo anoints his son to replace him as MP in Makindye
Makindye East’s Member of Parliament, Hon. Hussein Kyanjo, comfortably believes that, with all the people to trust in Makindye West Constituency, he found out his son to stand to the challenge as a leader. I have vehemently opposed the idea of tyrannical leadership and people thinking that at all costs, their families matter in the political game. Maybe they insist on the wrong notion of politics being a dirty game! Unless we wait for dinosaurs to return on earth, the practice of democracy in Uganda is punctuated with misgivings of either being understood or misguided near to “dictablanda or democradura”. For that matter we practice what I call “stomach politics” and completely forget that this is merely illiberal practices.
Another one called Hon. Mutebi Joseph Balikudembe, after succeeding his father (Rest in peace Late Balikudembe) and after winning constituency leadership on a consolation vote to the family and the full support of the Busiiro South people; he has now left the seat for his brother to take up for grabs. He mentioned this on NBS TV’s Barometer program. It’s that kind of strange politics of the stomach not issues and policies affecting the society. People think within their families other than the society. This time, however, it has attracted the like Simon Kaggwa Njala as an independent leaning on Democratic Party and recently rejected by the president of DP Norbert Mao in favor of the one with the DP ticket, Ssekigozi, Peter Ssematimba on an NRMO ticket and others.
Besides these, there are many others who have served beyond 10 or 15 years, but still very thirsty to get back to the next 10th Parliament of Uganda in all forms either by rigging or as independents. You had what happened to those in the primaries and complaints even others announcing themselves. Too sad!
I’m not saying that these people do not have their inalienable rights and freedoms to be members of parliament and even the Uganda Constitution also clarifies this, but one need to understand is that simply; the need to work on service delivery (I mean the roles of an MP) and balancing competitive democracy with the fundamental principles of us as human beings; there’s a lot to learn. My other question is that, how fair this leader will be in cases of discussing the needed term-limits or someone’s son or brother in law to become a leader in all positions? It’s always an obligation for us as citizens to bank on our leaders but if they are the same, then the needed changes in government policies is still near to a myth.