By Brian George Ampaire
An open letter to Uganda’s opposition leaders
We can only be stronger together now or never forever; let’s beat the promise.
For many years now, I have questioned my role as an opposition politician in this my beloved country Uganda. But I have soldiered on hoping that at one point of time we will collectively find a way of addressing the crisis with in our opposition politics today.
I have agonized over the notion that our opposition political parties and leaders cannot unite and commit ourselves on one goal and focus our followers in one direction. My decision to write this letter is out of the disappointment caused to me by our leaders especially; Dr Kizza Besigye Kifeefe, General Mugisha Muntu Gregory, Chairman Nobert Mao, Engineer Patrick Amuriat Oboi, Pastor Abedi Bwanika, Honourable Robert Kyagulanyi Bobi wine and others.
But as the saying goes, better late than never, allow me try the best I can to remind you of the situations we are faced with and give you my opinion on what we can do especially now when our country is at stake and the opposition has become a party to the current crisis. Our nation is under siege.
It has become increasingly difficult for me to understand why we continue participating in elections every after five years with our increasing levels of disagreement, division, confusion and disorganization knowing well enough that we are bound to be beaten to the ground flat by a little organized president Museveni and his NRM government.
It has also become increasingly difficult for me to understand why different opposition members continue to appear on radio and television talk shows and other media platforms and attack each other instead of defending the peoples’ rights and exposing the inefficiencies of the regime in power.
I agree with our differences in political ideology but I can also conclude that our ideological differences are healthy in our politics and therefore should make us need each other more than ever since everyone’s contribution in this struggle is equally important hence leading to a collective responsibility of whatever we have or can achieve together.
It broke my heart in the last few months to listen to my comrades in the opposition who instead of congratulating their colleagues for a good fight well fought and the same time comforting them over the rigged by election were castigating and rebuking Robert Kyagulanyi and his NUP party for fielding a candidate and failing to win in the Kayunga LC 5 chairperson by election.
Maybe the results could have been different if the castigators had joined hands and efforts with the castigated in the same process. Lets not forget on different occasions when we the opposition have joined efforts together during by elections and won for example; in 2018 Rukungiri district woman representative won by FDC’s Betty Muzanira, in 2012 Bushenyi municipality representative won by FDC’s Odo Tayebwa, in 2018 Jinja municipality representative won by FDC’s Paul Mwiru, in 2012 Kasese District woman representative won by FDC’s Winnie Kizza, in 2011 Luweero District woman representative won by DP’s Brenda Nabukenya and many more.
It should be unacceptable for any opposition political party or its member to disrupt, attack, castigate, abuse, or shut up a fellow opposition party or its member. These acts must be condemned by all and their perpetrators must stop because we are only embarrassing ourselves.
Lets acknowledge that we cannot eat our cake and have it. I want to ask us, why should all opposition political parties field candidates on a single political position running against one state sponsored candidate and then after we are not declared winners we start accusing ourselves. Let us stop blaming ourselves every time because of the same mistakes committed by ourselves repeatedly.
Its is only fools that don’t learn from mistakes and we cannot afford to be that. Lets remember that the current political conditions have not existed once, or twice and not thrice.
It should therefore be logical for the opposition to be frank, honest and unite with the Ugandan people clearly with one goal, vision and mission against this regime’s injustices and unfair systems of government while we organize for the next general election and thus can be regarded a credible opposition and government in waiting.
We need [us] the opposition to be courageous and speak out our weaknesses as well as our strengths. And we must also appreciate the fact that our different supporters have different views and opinions about us.
I don’t intend to attack anyone but allow me to quote for you the opinion of one friend of mine in mbarara shared with me during my visit to his work place a few days ago about different political leaders in Uganda as of today;
“Besigye is the best candidate to replace Museveni this country has ever had and still has amidst all his weaknesses and accusations but unfortunately the people are with Kyagulanyi
Kyagulanyi is blessed to have the largest constituency of voters; that is Buganda kingdom and the Baganda people, the catholic church and the youth but he lacks the maxist ideology which is required by anyone intending to liberate this country
Mugisha Muntu understands the maxist ideology and he is therefore a true maxist but he has two problems, 1.he doesn’t want to become dirty and 2.its not very far from the truth that he is actually a mole according to his style and way of life apart from him denying it
Nobert Mao has good speech but has since become a mole
Apart from Kizza besigye ,the other revolutionary leader we have is Erias Lukwago except that people may wrongly judge him for Islam
I think that Asumani Basalirwa can also lead this liberation struggle
Semujju Nganda is not a revolutionary leader but he is a very good spokesperson and can therefore handle communication with in this liberation struggle very well
One thing that is very true is that President Museveni is a very wise and intelligent man only that he is too selfish
For the last presidential elections, it was not that I supported Kyagulanyi as the candidate with the best vision for Uganda but because he had the people, he was my presidential candidate”
Let us not dwell on our weaknesses to divide us but rather take the advantage of our strengths to unite us and stop loosing hope that we cant unite. Its possible we can achieve it if we believe it.
The Writer Is a Mobiliser for The Alliance For National Transformation Rubirizi District
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