Saturday, November 22, 2008

Museveni's Charm in Uganda

President Museveni will either be defeated by time or dethroned by the ballot box.
The longest serving president in Uganda's history since independence has long forgotten his own words when he first came to power: "The problem of Africa in general and Uganda in particular is not the people but leaders who want to overstay in power." More than two decades later, this is the one problem Museveni seems unwilling to solve." Daniel K. Kalinak of The Africa Report.

President Museveni has since then, argued that this was sovereignty! Notwithstanding the fact the constitution was changed to favor him.
As long as the Wanainchi keep voting for him , he will stay in power.
"Politics in a democracy are always "vulgar"- since democracy is rule by the "vulgus", the common people, the crowd." William Kristol, Op-Ed columnist, recently wrote in The New York Times.
Museveni has long recognized this virtue, the wanainchi, the common man are the majority in Africa, and they are easily cajoled. This demographic is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future, which favors Museveni!
Unless our wanainchi kindred can be be persuaded with one universal truth!: "variety is the spice of life!" and that if they tested it, they would come to the same conclusion too!
People in a democracy create the conditions for the leader, not the other way round!
For those wondering about the dichotomy about the US government's close relationship with Museveni, the out going US secretary of state said the following in a recent exit interview: "There will always be dictators. The united states is not a N.G.O., so it is not as if we throw out every other interest or every other concern with a country because its authoritarian. And sometimes we aren't able to effect change as completely as we like. It has to be indigenous change." And therein lies our challenge as Ugandans that love democracy.
President Museveni has been working tirelessly for Uganda to meet the Millennium Challenge program; the basic tenets of that program requires leaders to invest in their people, fight corruption, and be democratic! The saga goes on!