
“I feel His hand on my brain
When I write rhymes I go blind and let the Lord do his thang
But am I less holy
‘Cause I chose to puff a blunt and drink a beer with my homies?
Before we find world peace
We gotta find peace and end the war in the streets
My ghetto gospel” – 2Pac – Ghetto Gospel (Recorded in 1992 but released in 2005).
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni have started to care about the ghettos. But it seems forced and it is. Because its not like this has been his thing. Most of his sudden government policies has been pushed either by donors or by random blurred lines to counter opposition figures. Now its another one of this. That is because the “Ghetto President” Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine has arrived with force. Something he cannot contain and totally control.
That is why the President has to care about the Ghettos. Not because he wants too, because he don’t. He would rather be able to bed the oil companies, get some kickbacks and chill-out with his family on several of his ranches. But, we know he cannot do that.
That’s why he does this:
“President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has officially appointed local Artiste Catherine Kusasira as presidential advisor on Kampala Affairs. Under this role, Catherine Kusasira will be charge of coordinating the young NRM recruits in the slum dwellings. Another local artist Mark Bugembe known by his stage name Buchaman was considered for the position of presidential envoy on Ghetto affairs” (NBS Television, 26.10.2019).
This continues from the arrival of things last year:
“President Yoweri Museveni has donated Shs 100 million to Kamwokya ghetto based youth groups. The money was delivered today to six groups at Harvest Church, Kamwokya by a number of government and State House officials led by Col Shaban Bantariza. Two groups received Shs 30 million each while the other four groups received Shs 10 million each” (URN – ‘Museveni donates Shs 100m to Kamwokya ghetto youth’ 24.09.2018, the Observer).
We know all of this happening because the President has to react to Bobi Wine. That is his gospel. The whole salvation happens in the Ghetto since the old man fears the popularity of the Bobi Wine MP. He has such power and stellar trust in the community, that the President has to pay people there and now appoint people to look over them. That is why this happens.
This is a continuation and will be more as we get closer to the 2021 elections. These elections will be fierce in this regard. Especially if the ghettos starts demonstrations or protests, than the army and police will go all-in like they have done elsewhere. However, if he does it is not like he will be less popular, than he already is.
His trying to deflect that his failed this ghettos, these parts of the cities and slums in- and around Kampala. Not like he has done magical things in Mukono, Wakiso or in Greater Kampala. No, he hasn’t and that why it is seemingly a stronghold for the opposition. That is why KCCA came into action, as the state had to take away power from the opposition in Kampala. It is no other way to see it, as he could legally appoint a another leadership to the ones elected by the public.
That’s why its rich that the President appoints more advisors and they are working for the ghettos. He has had policies for them like Slum Dwellers in the National Human Settlement Policy (1986) and now the current policy of the Secretariat for Orphans and other Vulnerable Children (OVC). So the state has done something, but not that its really have changed anything.
This is why the President does this. It is because the upstart is shaking him and making him look weak. The President cannot be that, he needs to look good and be the friendly force in the State House. This is why His Excellency does this now.
He cares about the ghetto, because he needs them suddenly. His not changed their livelihood, neither made difference there. They will still have to hustle, still have to get-by and find avenues to live in their shelters in the slums. Not like the President will build high-rises and proper houses for them. He doesn’t have the funds for that. Because, public housing would been a significant change. That is out of the league of this Presidency. It is not in it.
All for the fear of one man. All is justified to entrap and take control of something that he lost. The people and the peasants, the ones who was on his side, but with time they moved on. Because, they saw that this President didn’t care or act in their interest. Peace.












