
“On the ninth day of October, nineteen hundred and sixty-two (in this Act referred to as “the appointed day”), the territories which at the passing of this Act are comprised in the Uganda Protectorate (that is to say, all those territories which, whether designated as kingdoms, districts or otherwise, are specified in section one of the Constitution set out in the Second Schedule to the existing Constitution Order, and whose boundaries are as mentioned in section two of that Constitution) shall together form part of Her Majesty’s dominions under the name of Uganda; and as from the appointed day Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom shall have no responsibility for the Government of Uganda or any part thereof. No Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed on or after the appointed day shall extend, or be deemed to extend, to Uganda, or any part of Uganda, as part of the law thereof; and as from that day the provisions of the First Schedule to this Act shall have effect with respect to legislative powers in Uganda. The agreements which, in the Second Schedule to this Act, are specified by their titles as mentioned in that Schedule, and any agreement (whether made before or after the passing of this Act) whereby any of those agreements is varied or superseded, shall cease to have effect as from the appointed day” (Uganda Independence Act, 1962).
The phrase Alutia Continua should be chanted today. Today is the day of celebrating 60 years since the United Kingdom left the protectorate or the “enclave” to give Uganda it’s own independence. Since then there never been a peaceful transition of power, neither has there been a silence of guns. The arms has controlled and the power has been with the ones who was the last victor.
That’s why since January 1986, one man has ruled supreme. He promised fundamental change, but he never delivered. He squandered the abilities and the promises, but has instead delivered the same plight, agony and suffering, which was also served by the government in the past. The use of force, abductions, kidnappings, torturing and extra judicial killings even. This was promised to end in 1986 but it has never left.
President Yoweri Tibuhurwa Kaguta Museveni have vilified everyone who ruled before him. Blamed it on them and sometimes his still blame the colonialist for the troubles of the present day. While he uses their laws, which was enacted before the independence. The President uses the terms and the statutes of the colonial British to silence, apprehend and stop the ones who opposes him. While he also uses the same sort of techniques to arrest and move opposition leaders to the great North. He also ironically uses the military courts and the court martial to go after civilians like the colonial ones did too. So, as for someone celebrating independence from the British. He surely abides by their means to control and incite fear in the population.
We know he has spoken ill of Yusuf Lule, Idi Amin and Milton Obote. While he has enforced the same ills and done it deliberately. The predecessors has their crimes, ills and wrongs, which did linger on into the reign of Museveni. However, Museveni has re-invented and used the same techniques as them to keep the population under his spell.
Museveni hasn’t stopped the land-grab, he haven’t stopped the tyranny or anything like that. He has instead infused that with his own personal vibes. That is Presidential Directives and letters to get his way. Pushing ministers and government entities to create “white elephants” and “empty promises” that goes to nowhere.
That’s why the same civilian peasants are begging for help and the state only doling out small amounts of shillings. While the new elite is enriching themselves. They are eating like there is no tomorrow. Eating and drinking good in well-lit mansions in the hills of Kampala. While there is black-outs with no ends, lack of rural energy or even basic necessities. That’s why during the last campaign, Museveni was proud of launching a water-tap in one district. This is the sort of development his delivering after over 30 years in office.
He has opened up businesses, factories and other such facilities, but they are shortly after defaulting, indebted and lack the proper due diligence to even run. Either the shop-keepers cannot afford the rent or the traders don’t get the consumers to go there. If it is a factory it’s either built for the wrong fruit or lacking incentive of the farmers to sell to the entity. This happens again and again.
Let’s be clear, Ugandans can be proud of their resilience and their willpower. They have stood tall in the amidst poverty, oppression and never ending sorrow. Their kindness, greatness and open heart you met is beyond anything else. Ugandans can be proud of who they are and what they been able to push through. It has never been easy and no leader has given them proper peace. They have used the office to enrich themselves and grab more power. That’s things haven’t moved forward and the current one is another proof of that.
This is why it’s hard to celebrate today. The independence from one ruler to another type of ruler. However, the ills continues and the lack of freedoms are still there. The lack of liberties and ability to regain a foothold. That’s all done deliberately by the President and his Party, because he knows that this could be his end. He wouldn’t have the openness and the freedoms, if so, he wouldn’t have the popularity or ability to rule himself.
That’s why he rather be a new colonial master, but a local one. He rather be a tyrant and a dictator, instead of trying to convene or be elected through universal suffrage. No, rather rig or get himself imposed on the public. That’s why Museveni cannot really celebrate the 60th Anniversary.
Today should have been a glorious day. Nevertheless, the 36 years of Museveni and the predecessors haven’t made it happen. The leaders have betrayed the mission, their office and their duty to their citizens. They have forgotten the reasons for the independence and instead enslaved the citizens themselves under their rule. Getting people to suffer under similar rules, restrictions and lack of service delivery. Which wasn’t even seen by the colonial powers. That’s why the current rulers are medical tourists and cannot get treatment at home. This is why people are in exile and endangered for speaking out the truth.
The current President and leadership don’t want honesty or facts, it wants propaganda and lies. It wants deception and incite fear. To ensure the public is intimidated and silenced, in such a manner, that it will not rise up against it. The public shouldn’t fight for their liberties, freedoms or their rights. They should just beg for breadcrumbs and be happy with cassava. Peace.