Ugandan poet, African culture activist and novelist Okot p’Bitek reminds us: “The artist proclaims the laws but expresses them in the most indirect language: through metaphor and symbol, in image and fable.”
That is exactly what popular Zimbabwean folksong artist Oliver Mtukudzi does in the song Bvuma (or Wasakara), which at the height political despair in Zimbabwe delivered the most searing criticism of the excesses of former president Robert Mugabe and his party Zapu-Patriotic Front. In the song, Mtukudzi metaphorically and satirically compares Robert Mugabe to a cockerel that sired children and instead of providing for them, turns them into a meal. President Yoweri Museveni is no different.
Betrayal is a common theme in African politics where the so-called revolutionaries turn against their own people and start devouring them. Uganda is no exception. Bvuma in Shona language means accept (the laws of nature) and Wasakara translates as aging or aged (cockerel) – the passing of time that slows down the mind, the body and soul. When this happens Tuku – as the musician is adorably known in Zimbabwe – says that it behooves one to pass on the baton (call it peaceful transfer of power).
Way back in the early 1980s, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) had a solid team of brains. These included the likes of: the late Kirunda Kivejinja, Kintu Musoke and Bidandi Sali and their chief brain, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, before he became Tibuhaburwa (or Wasakara). The four constituted the new ‘”gang of four” then, replacing the traditional “gang of four” in the name of Yash Tandon, Dan Nabudere, Omwonyo Ojok and Rugumayo. Some of these good brains now “watch” from their respective graves. The few surviving ones have been relegated in the dustbin of politics.
At the time of introducing the NRM revolution’s ideology the other bright minds were like the late Wapakabhulo (speaker of parliament), Prof Mwaka (deputy speaker), Amanya Mushega, Eria Kategaya, Ruhakana Rugunda, Ruzindana, Chango Macho, Magezi, Waibale and many more. These thought and guided the party ideology during a very difficult period of the party.
In the opposition were the late Cecilia Ogwal, Ekulo Epak, Aggrey Awori, Patrick Mwondha, Kanyomozi Yona, Adonia Tiberondwa, Kasiiano Wadri, Walubiri Mukidi, etc.
The media had brains like Onyango Obbo, Balikowa, Bichachi and Kajoba. Dominating the news terrain were the Sapoba and Weekly Topic newspapers in which Ali Balunywa stood out then. One would argue further that Sapoba under normal circumstances wouldn’t have been left to fold up because it was the mouthpiece of NRM then, with Weekly Topic as its sister publication.
All these brains have been replaced with the likes of Anita Among (speaker of parliament) and Ghetto MPs who never ever imagined thy would be in the 10th and 11th parliaments. The august house of reason has been turned into a boxing ring where anger and violence has replaced rationalism. It also became a house of romance, love-making and cutting deals. With this bad replacing the good, the house of reason has now become a house of policy gamble, manoeuvre and disrepute where we now witness professionals without principles, intellectuals without integrity and the honourable turning into the opposite. The qualifications for being honourable is a ruthless thug, liar, violent and dishonesty.
With the look of things, the 12th parliament is worse, where all criminals and thieves are set to occupy seats in the house.
This makes it clear that no party has recruited the right cadres for tasks of legislation and defending law. Unfortunately the NRM party is increasingly deteriorating day by day. The space for reason and rationalism is becoming narrower. And that of violence and corruption is expanding. Violence, corruption and political murder is the new political currency in Uganda today.
Incidentally, the 11th parliament has the highest number of PhDs and masters degrees in history, but the level of debate, quality of policies passed, conduct and decorum leaves a lot to be desired. This thus makes us question the applicability of their qualifications towards the simple task ahead of them. This also speaks to the institutions they went to and how they successfully completed their qualifications. Within this complex phenomena one is tempted to categorise them as either educated fools, using the wisdom of foolishness or arrogant elites who have reduced their brains to kitu kidogo (Kiswahili for ‘something small’ used a euphemism for bribe).
The future of the parliament is bleak. Its restoration shall all depend on the voters. Mahatma Gandhi once argued that when you elect idiots as leaders then those who voted them are twice idiotic. What makes it more disappointing is to witness the few remaining brains we thought would guide the house being bought over very cheaply, which points to the very argument that their arguments on the opposition side were guided by their stomachs, not brains.
When the good brains turn into merchandise for political ‘business’, what remains of the bad? When the good ceases to speak reason, what happens to the bad? When the good brains out their brains on market stoles, what happens to the bad? When the hunter turns into the hunted, what happens to the non-hunted? When educated elites turn into big time thieves, what happens to the petty street thieves? When the intelligent opposition assimilated by the ruling clique, what happens to the tenet of checks and balances? Is there still parliamentary democracy? Isn’t Uganda back to one party rule?
What is the future of a parliament that thinks in terms of settling debates with blows and insults? If this is what happens to the national parliament, what will happen to the district legislative councils? Where has the voice of reason disappeared to? Suffice is to say, Bvuma!
Who has replaced the good brains? Can the walking stick ever replace a broken leg? Do we still have credible representatives who still think about Uganda other than their personal appendages?
Answers to these questions make it clear that the revolution is coming to its end. Wasakara! No more hope is left as the Museveni regime is bereft of new thinking that is in tandem with the new world. The crisis of chaos seems to be setting in. Only those with the capacity to kill, steal, squander shall survive the onslaught of the coming 2026 parliamentary and local elections. Only those willing to die for a national cause will willingly climb the ladder to the cross to be crucified for the sake of nation state.
Soon than later their candle shall be dying out. When the bad replace the good, the good go to rest (die) the bad dominate the good and the good becomes bad. When bad becomes the best of the bad, the bad becomes worse. This creates institutional decay and moral decay, not even the custodians of morality (religion and culture) have restore morality for the simple reason that even religion with its religious leaders become religious economic politicians, call them religious entrepreneurs.
- A Tell report / By Mahir Balunywa / Centre For Critical Thinking and Alternative Analysis
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