I am not saying these ever-present colonisers clandestinely assassinated these men. Rather, that these men formed the best human treasures the country has produced in the last 50 years since independence.
That we lost them under inexplicable circumstances should be more painful to all of us. Yes, they could have died of natural causes. But that this fact was never concretely established is even more worrisome.
One of the major challenges of Africa’s newly-minted states is that we do not have critical mass of educated folks and public intellectuals to show us direction. The figures are astounding: Uganda, with more than 45 million people has not educated 10,000 PhDs. Isn’t that something worrisome?
We do not have just 10,000 PhDs. If you started counting at Makerere University, which should be the hub of these folks, you will be shocked by what you find. In other educational and work institutions, there are sprinklings of PhDs. There could be 200,000 master’s degrees in the entire country.
Look, even if these were one million, what does it say about our intellectual advancement? Ever wondered why we are so ideologically handicapped and trapped in petty political differences – as our former colonisers enjoy our resources?!
Please forget the nonsense that anyone can do anything. Or the idea that our educated folks have been disappointing. True, Museveni shamelessness has enjoyed the committed services of professors, doctorates, and masters who have sadly settled for ‘small dreams and small pleasures.’
But that notwithstanding, we cannot replace educated folks with uneducated jua-kali – or Museveni’s fishermen [the same man who is endlessly praising scientists]!
Dear reader, I am not convinced we appreciate what we lost in Archbishop Lwanga, Sheikh Nuhu Muzaata Batte, and Dr Anas Kaliisa. I will mention one story for each of these men.
Archbishop Lwanga: If you know the journey and successes of Centenary Bank in the last 15 years — the only thriving indigenous bank in the country — then you will mourn the death of Archbishop Lwanga even more. In addition to the indefatigable work of former Makerere University vice chancellor, Prof John Ddumba-Ssentamu, Archbishop Lwanga was a central pillar upon which this bank rested.
You might think banks in Uganda are simply regulated and have to conform to standards set by Bank of Uganda, but once you know that Museveni’s government has closed seven local banks without minutes – but on the stealthy machinations of the foreign banks that now dominate the market – then you know Centenary bank has had to rely on some strong men. One of them died under suspicious circumstances.
Sheikh Nuhu Muzaata Batte was not just a voice for Muslims. He was the fearless activist boldly questioning Museveni’s comprador exploits, but also the quintessential life-coach. I recall the outpouring of grief from all corners of the country, especially from non-Muslim quarters, when news of his death hit the airwaves. The country lost a voice; a fighter and warrior.
Muslims on their part, hounded by a shamelessly Islamophobic state – in an Islamophobic world – Sheikh Muzaata gave us identity and a sense of belonging. Like the entire country, Muslims are still mourning his death.
Sheikh Dr Anas Kaliisa was perhaps one of Uganda’s most credentialled scholars, and tireless public intellectual. Schooled in the working of global politics and Islamic discourses, Dr Kaliisa spent extended hours explaining the capitalist exploitative machine to his compatriots on television, radio and open lectures.
Whilst renowned for controversies in Islamic interpretation – with long debates and varying interpretations being at the heart of Islamic scholarship – he was a man of great wisdom, humour, calmness and integrity. This quintessential public intellectual died under inexplicable circumstances.
My intention is not to spotlight the suspicious circumstances of their deaths (which was in the thick of an election year; a few months apart; not waking up from sleep, all three critical of Museveni government) but, rather, counting the cost of their loss. For most part, these men were educated on national resources. To master the confidence and networks they had surely took time, hard work, and more resources.
One cannot count the numbers of ordinary men and women who, directly and indirectly, benefited from their work and words. If some Ugandans especially in the NRM believe the 77-year-old Museveni is still “infinitely” productive for country, these men in their 60s were still prized items.
I know, some simple-minded folks are mumbling, “awakula ennume…” in the arrogant claim that other individuals will emerge.
But note that (a) producing this type of folks takes a lot of time. And it never follows that the replacement comes in the same time as the fallen ones. (b) Losing national treasures under suspicious circumstances is recipe for disasters as it actually means no one is safe, even the future stalwarts.
The point I want to make is this: if these men were simply assassinated, they should be the last because their death is never merely loss to their family and friends, nor is it political gain for the assassins. It is like bombing the oil wells in western Uganda or the gold mines in Mubende.
The threat we still face – from Chinese capital, colonial-expanding Europe and America – is far bigger than our petty power differences. When we kill each other or our elites for political gain, it is they who celebrate the most.
yusufkajura@gmail.com
The author is a political theorist based at Makerere University.