Without telling a fiction story, it would be difficult to explain the different – almost diametric – ways through which Yoweri Museveni on the one hand, and folks in the opposition on the other, see elections in Uganda.
Because this difference explains Museveni’s violent behaviour, and the opposition’s faith in the Museveni-organised elections. We are even asking Museveni to implement some ‘electoral reforms’ not knowing that the idea of elections is the problem itself.
See, Museveni appreciates elections as a circus imposed on him by the wider world of ‘democracy merchandisers’ (Dr Golooba-Mutebi’s term). Individuals in the opposition, on the other hand, tend to see elections, somewhat naïvely, as an opportunity to democratically beat Museveni.
But even when they see the hopelessness of these elections, they keep coming back to the grand circus. While my contention is not that opposition forces should boycott Museveni’s elections, my proposition is that we ought to acknowledge that elections present more opportunities than simply the desire to win.
Here, Museveni and those opposing him have continuously focused on different goals – and have different fears – about an election cycle. Museveni – like all autocrats – dislikes elections.
They are not only costly and take a huge toll on his haggard frame, but they present fluid and unpredictable moments where without being extremely brutal and violent, they are difficult to manage. It is my sobering position that Museveni doesn’t like his violence and brutality either.
But it is the only way for him to have control over things. It is an embarrassment he is willing to brave. While he might have enjoyed the circus in the 1990s and early 2000s, now he sees them as a threat, a potential window for his overthrow.
He sees them as moments of potential revolutionary action, where if the opposition organised to use an electoral cycle – not to win one – they would use it to chase him.
Ironically, only Museveni seems to understand, organise and operate on this dynamic and has thus often seen and responded to elections – of whatever form – as military operations. As resistance wars.
The goal is to be as ruthless, threatening and dangerous so that not a single soul in their right mind can even contemplate that route of revolutionary action. He has to prepare for this possibility, which is the only possibility of him being kicked out of office.
Interestingly, because of these different interpretations and visions of elections, the ‘Museveni machine’ has no apologies acting in ways that compromise the chances of an NRM candidate winning an election.
Because these NRM candidates are dispensable. Museveni knows that they are not in his party for any nobler ideals, except for money and fame – and for the camouflage of a democratic, electoral claim.
This dynamic came out more succinctly in the recently concluded Kawempe North by-election, with a show of force and violence that defined this cycle. Indeed, regular individuals and regular politicians associated with the NRM, supposedly friends of Yoweri Museveni (but not members of the Museveni machine) have actually called out their partners in UPDF, JATT, CMI and SFC for this ugly display of force in Kawempe North.
NRM candidate Faridah Nambi is demanding answers from her party; the NRM spokesperson Ofwono Opondo wrote a scathing criticism of the ‘NRM’ violence, while the NRM electoral commission boss, Dr Odoi Tanga called the violence “stupid.”
The thing is these individuals are simply core players in this circus – and well, it remains a circus.
THE CREATION STORY
It begins in the 1980s or thereabouts. The Soviet Union is defeated, and USA Europe emerge as the only superpower in the world. Their mantra is open markets and democracy – through which they will continue exploiting the rest of the world.
They thus ensure that many capitalist converts become presidents after their successful ‘liberation wars’ – which they generously supported. In other cases, they have to ensure that all leaders in the rest of the world have to grant them access to their resources through open markets and democracy.
Something like, we have to have access to your resources with the mandate of the people. Museveni is born. It might sound like fiction to many ordinary Ugandans – to even folks in direct opposition politics – but that truth is that if it were not for coercion from outside, there would be no elections in many African countries run by so- called strongmen: Paul Biya, Yoweri Museveni, Hosni Mubarak, Omar al- Bashir, et cetera.
For many of these leaders, elections are imposed on them by their masters who actually installed them onto their countries. Through democracy, these men are forced to, at least, performatively, ‘seek the mandate of the people,’ so as to lock the country into long-term contracts, debt and minerals with their government.
Yes, as Daily Monitor reported recently, Yoweri Museveni has borrowed Shs 2.5 million for every Ugandan. This is why any autocrat doesn’t care to organise elections: this was the genius of Col Muammar Gaddafi, and is the genius of Eritrean president Isaias Afwerki.
Late Zimbabwean strongman Robert Mugabe, on his part, oscillated between the need to satisfy our new colonisers, while trying to sustain his independence, especially having come to power when elections were the new circus in town.
The point I am making is this: there is a method to Yoweri Museveni’s violence. It is ugly but not random or thoughtless. Because even when one’s Western backers still like them very much – as Boris Johnson recently revealed to us about “that ancient bush fighter” – they will not rescue you if your people successfully chased you out of office.
Thus, while Museveni understands that it is easy to ‘be declared winner,’ one has to go the extra mile to ensure opposition forces don’t use elections for much more than simply seeking to win.
yusufkajura@gmail.com
The author is a political theorist based at Makerere University
When NRM came to power, they were challenged why they still carry the label, “RESISTANCE.”
They claimed that they went to the bush to RESIST Obote’s dictatorship, electoral fraud, sectarianism, economic backwardness, poverty, etc. So, originally, Resistance Councils (RCs) changed to Local Councils (LC) to appease sceptical public. They could not explain why they were still resisting 40 years later.
NRM is RESISTING the people, and the people are RESISTING the NRM, violently imposing itself on the people. So, is NRM still a RESISTANCE movement? No! It is now facing an embarrassing ideological contradiction where it has to bribe the resisting people in exchange for support.
Namundo, you’re right on the money. Who is M7 or NRM resisting? Us, the people, thus the persistent violence M7 has maintained in place despite the fact that the bush war ended in 1986. You put it rightly and correctly, M7/NRM is resisting the people, and the people are resisting M7/NRM, violently imposing himself/itself on the people.
The other day, NUP and LoP, Ssenyonyi gathered the opposition and offered their alternative [resistant] budget 2025/26 which is 55.7 trillion less that 71 trillion of the govt budget. Allow me to call this a grand circus alternative budget designed to resist the M7/govt budget. Ssenyonyi said, among other things, that “corruption has put immense pressure on our economy.” Kyagulanyi also emphasized, “to fight corruption, corruption also fights back, I just want to assure you friends that for those of you who fight corruption, you’ll never fight alone, we the people of Uganda will stand with you.” Kyagulanyi went further and rightly stated that “corruption is a symptom of a bigger problem, which is misrule.” So, it doesn’t matter whether it’s 55 trillion or 71 trillion. Corruption, which is derived from M7’s autocracy and anarchy is the root cause of our problem. Namulondo, not only have we resisted in vain for 40 years now but have also a politician like Kyagulanyi who only say what our ears want and need to hear, however, in the actual sense he is on a frolic of his own and/or looking to make money. M7 owns Uganda outright. All the 3 branches of govt, executive, parliament and judiciary are owned by M7. Parliament has passed each and every budget and law that M7 sends them. It’s just a rubber stamp and mere grand circus at best. We, the people, have been subdued and rendered completely powerless ever since Kyagulanyi came on the political scene to challenge M7.
We’re unable to uproot M7, his family, relatives and militants because our opposition leaders like Kyagulanyi are only interested in passing budgets in parliament in which they benefit directly, thus only interested in making money.
Democracy is a brainchild of civilization. If Africans, no matter who they are or where they are , cannot manage to conduct elections peacefully, then they are synonymous with rank fools.
These old fellows – or do we also have young ones among them?- are the ones who have caused a civilized country in Europe to ground Uganda Airlines from the airspace of that country. The same Ugandan fools are now recklessly abusing Britain for that action, when they know that only a catastrophic fool can bite the hand that feeds him or her!!!!
I just can`t believe that Sserunkuma thinks that Museveni does not like his violance and his brutality .
How do you arrive at such a conclusion ! Is this theory or what is it ? What next ..that a cat actually dislikes feeding on rat babies !!!!
Consider this : we are talking about a man who has practiced and benefitted from violance and brutality for 60 years . His own sons openly brags about beheadings , hangings ; the son talks a language of homicide at 3 oclock in the morning . Where did he get that from ?
Noo no no please , Museveni is a VIOLENT individual and its not by mere accident that the son is promoted each time he imitates the father .
If Mukulu Sserunkuma was not a hit-and-run kind of columnist , this is when he should elaborate what he actually means
Kent Mawa you have a point of violence to consider seriously. The Ganda tribes people have got it. Olutabaalo. Even when Reverend Martin Luther King was screaming his head off against the white die hards who hated negroes in the USA, to stop their abuse, Afro-American tribes people of the type of Malcolm X continued to beat the drums of militancy to pick up their guns and fight. Mind you there was the other issue of the Red Indians who for centuries fought hard against the immigration to the USA of white people from Europe. It was really a hard cup of tea for everybody. In Uganda, Dr Obote from Langi tribes people started it all from the Pan-African club of Nyerere, Kenyata, and Kaunda called Mulungushi club. The problem was the inteference of independent African people in the internal affaires of non liberated African countries. It was what to do with liberating black people from the yoke of the colonialists. Get the gun and face them. Unfortunately afterwards when the colonialists had been sorted out and gone even in South Africa, the guns have gradually turned to the African people themselves. For Uganda, Idi Amin did it. Paulo Muwanga did it, UNLF or Obote II did it, Tito Okello did it and now it is Yoweri Museveni at it now 40 years and counting. Kirabika omusajja ono atabaala Baganda!
“Kirabika omusajja ono atabaala Baganda”
It is no longer a secret that this what is happening. He is not the first.
My maternal grandmother used to say : ” agamyuuka akasolo , n`omutezi” ( meaning that the hunter experiences the same anxiety as the hunted. That rushed latter from Museveni illustrates the point . The whole missive come from a mind that was undergoing a bout of post- traumatic -election- failure -anxiety.
As Luyimbazi was getting beaten by by agents of the hunter , their Boss was busy making panic calls left , right and centre asking if the pray was in the net. We now know there was no catch . Heads are going to roll.
Now , Uganda has had a long painful history . It has had many hunters, You name some of them; where are they ? Did they take Buganda with them when they had to leave ? What did they gain from their violence ?
Meanwhile , all we hear is : Buganda is no longer on the map . Then : Buganda For Museveni
Pssss!
Torture, intimidation, arrests, ballot stuffing and sacks and sacks of money to buy voters. Do not forget lethal security of the likes of JETT and others you know well.
Doc, the fact of the matter is, we’re in a vicious cycle of grand circus commercialized elections which M7 has designed for politician and those in power to make money. We’ve a sleazebag here who is fond of [meaningless] grand circus elections, in which we keep recycling the same thing for 40 years now, because NUP/Kyagulanyi and others make lots of money. This sleazeball once deceitfully told us here that you’re driving an opulent car [bought for by the regime] simply because you rightly and correctly said that Kyagulanyi is not a revolutionary and can’t dislodge M7 from power through grand circus elections.
Doc, “But even when they see the hopelessness of these elections, they keep coming back to the grand circus. While my contention is not that opposition forces should boycott Museveni’s elections, my proposition is that we ought to acknowledge that elections present more opportunities than simply the desire to win.” To an extent I agree that while your contention that opposition forces shouldn’t boycott M7’s elections, however, how do convince them to acknowledge that elections present more opportunities than simply the desire to win? That is exactly what I thought Kyagulanyi was all about when he came with “people power-our power.” That he knew he can’t win but use elections an opportunity to draw the line that enough is enough.
Remase , you are an infantile and a weak coward . This is not a primary school where you run to Headmaster Doc to seek emotional cover.
The sleazeball is here , just in case you have pain that needs to be stratched. No Doc is going to help you with this . Face me , if you dare !
Lol ! WHEN did YOU start to believe that your “contention is not that opposition forces should boycott Museveni`s elections” !!! ???
Is it after hudreds of recycled comments calling these elections undesirable and BOGUS or it is just because your DOC has now told to that ” elections present more opportunities than the desire to win” ?
Bro , you have zero contention but heaps and heaps of recycled junk. Period !
However, Kyagulanyi was simply motivated by the desire to make money than to bring change, and that’s why all hope for change has completely despaired ever since Kyagulanyi came on the political scene to challenge M7. Every Tom, Dick and Mary [politician] is in it [elections] to make money but not to acknowledge that elections present more opportunities to draw the line and end M7’s autocracy. Money has completely blinded the opposition against the hopelessness of these grand circus elections.
Who do you propose as a suitable candidate?
I bet you all my shoes that the intellectually bankrupt can never answer your question .
Instead , you will see them resorting to that typical evasive psychology that is usually applied to hide a hidden agenda.
Marc, the issue is not about a suitable candidate, because no matter who is the candidate against M7, we all know the winner beforehand, M7. That’s why our Doc is so sharp. Talking about intellectuals, Doc is one of them and this is how he put it, “my proposition is that we ought to acknowledge that elections present more opportunities than simply the desire to win.” Take for example the recent Kawempe byelections, the desire to win by any means under the sun was demonstrated by both sides. On one side M7 did what he knows best, that’s violence and elections rigging and on the other side NUP/Kyagulanyi also was also like “akabwa akabbi-kagumwa mugongo.” No matter how violent and corrupt M7 is, NUP/Kyagulanyi don’t care, as long as they demonstrate their ability to absorb violence and corruption so as to show the desire to win. So, it doesn’t matter whether they win or lose. NUP/Kyagulanyi and others are entrepreneurs, thus risk takers. They’re in politics to make money. Period. Otherwise, with such violence, this was the perfect opportunity presented than the desire to win. To draw the line that there must be accountability for all those perpetrated violence, including but not limited to, whoever made the orders. accountability for those who are rotting in detention since 2020 elections. Accountability for Besigye and others who were being tried in militant courts but since the supreme court declared them unconstitutional, they remain detained. Shockingly, it’s business as usual, as long as NUP/Kyagulanyi won those grand circus commercialized elections.
More deceptive nonsense. If this NOT about a suitable candidate , then what is it … another way of saying that nobody is good / qualified enough to stand against Museveni except Museveni himself?
As one famous philospher put it: let them talk and talk , and then you will know
One of many Museveni`s blunders is to hire propagandists that are not intelligent.
After hearing Balam saying that JATT was deployed to protect Nalukoola from NUP supporters who had come with 6 trucks full of stones, you come here to find Brother Remase fumbling with the simplest of situational analysis.
Of course ,even a 12 year old knows that what happened to Kawempe was more than just an election exclusively about wining a seat; it was a symbolic EXPOSURE of the evils of this dictatorship. As we speak , it is Museveni and his gang that are yet to recover from their excessive brutality.
There is no going back . Some of us will continue to support the ones who are willing to take risks , regardless of the ugly noises from the Remases , the Gashumbas the Balams the Full Figures of today and tomorrow.
Marc, let me come back to your question and make it abundantly clear, there’re no elections in Uganda which M7 is a candidate, and they are organized by M7, in which the winner is not known beforehand. That has been and still the case to date. So, it doesn’t matter who the candidate is because there’s neither democracy nor rule of law in Uganda. For 40 years now since M7 capture our state by means of the gun and violence, nothing has changed, and the sleazebag wants us to believe the Kawempe byelections are the one that exposed M7’s brutality! Mbu, we had not been exposed to such brutality before! However, as recent as the last grand circus presidential elections, M7 killed over 150 innocent Ugandans, and over 3000 innocent Ugandans are still rotting in detentions and others are still missing since November 2000! However, to this date NUP/Kyagulanyi are still hell bent on a mission to expose M7 [until Jesus comes back] in disguise to make money in grand circus elections.
So, my answer remains, it’s not about who the candidate is but “we ought to acknowledge that [grand circus] elections present more opportunities than simply the desire to win,” because no has ever won M7 and no one will ever win M7 because, M7 owns Uganda.
Meant November 2020.
Marc, I’m still with you here, you know, this Dodo [not the one that means love] but rather a Doudo or a person who is hopelessly behind the times, silly and stupid. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still answering your question here. I can’t propose a candidate because I don’t believe in elections in which M7 is a candidate and organized by M7. That’s doing the same thing over and over again for 40 years and expect different results. These are the results we have been getting all along, Betty Kamwa, 1. Mao, Akena, Basajja Mivule, Fool Figure sold themselves to M7. 2. Mafabi, Amriat, Mpuuga and others received money from M7. 3. Kyagulanyi stood against M7 and lost. 4. Enkoko za zaala. 5. The cat chased the mouse. This Dodo keeps going on and on like the Energizer Battery but ending up in the same position, corruption which is derived from M7’s autocracy and/or anarchy. It’s 40 years of the same thing that has led to hopelessness that Dodo is talking about. But even when they see the hopelessness of these elections, they keep coming back to the grand circus.
Marc, that’s why I can’t propose a suitable candidate.
You Remase own nothing : yet you go on and on with your dellusion that Kyagulanyi , who owned his property at the age of 24 ” come on the polipcal scene to… make money” !
You don`t even own your brain. How are can you judge anyone , huh ?
Remase one can see your point of veiw. You seem to be in the same boat as the Ganda catholic Democratic Party that was founded at Mengo during the 1960s. These Ganda members wanted a revolution from the traditional system the Kingdom state of Buganda was embroidered on. It was independence for Uganda as a democratic modern state probably with the hope that Benedicto Kagimu Mugumba Kiwanuka (born 8 May 1922 – and killed 22 September 1972) who was a Ugandan politician and statesman that served as the first prime minister of Uganda, would make a comeback and govern this democratic African country successfully. Well the rest is interesting history because for the Kingdom state of Buganda presently insists there are no benefits especially for the Kingdom state, from such political efforts to build Uganda as a modern democratic state for now many years and counting. Buganda participating in national elections that are rigged, that are not free and fair is a very bad omen indeed.
Kabayeka, one thing about me is, I have never changed and never will. No elections organized by M7 or his family, relatives and militants would ever bring the change we need and deserve. My stand is [and has always been] we should quit elections and stand as one to eject M7, his family, relatives and militants from power. M7, his family, relatives and militants will never handover power “mbu” simply because anyone else who isn’t M7 or a member of his family, relatives or militant is the winner of a grand circus elections. The amount of violence which was used in a mere byelections which is meaningless and doesn’t change the status quo in any way, shape or form, tells it all.
So, I totally agree with you that Buganda and/or baganda should take the lead in bringing change to Uganda. I’m not advocating for the Buganda Kingdom to indulge in politics and/or take a lead. In fact, I’m on record for my disdain of anyone in the Buganda Kingdom to support or associate with M7, his family, relatives and militant.
Yet another lie .
A few hours ago , you said that your “contention is NOT that opposition forces should BOYCOTT Museveni`s elections”
Now here you are saying “my stand is/ and always been/ we should QUIT etections and stand as one to eject M7 …”
How do you stand as one by accusing everyone of being motivated by money ? What does “stand as one ” mean anyway ? Stand where , how and do what…..endlessly slander selected members of the opposition until Museveni cannot take it anymore he packs up his family and goes away… or what the buck is the plan!
A few hours ago you wrote: “…. the issue is not a suitable candidate…”
And now : ” I totally AGREE with you that BUGANDA or BAGANDA should take the lead in bringing change to Uganda”
Duh , Buganda / Baganda is now the suitable candidate !?
These are contradictions of a scattered mind . Remase Bwana,you just can´t get away with this flimsiness Bro !
I am going to expose you paka mungu hapate habari.
Marc, let me come back to your question and make it abundantly clear, there’re no elections in Uganda which M7 is a candidate, and they are organized by M7, in which the winner is not known beforehand. That has been and still the case to date. So, it doesn’t matter who the candidate is because there’s neither democracy nor rule of law in Uganda. For 40 years now since M7 capture our state by means of the gun and violence, nothing has changed, and the sleazebag wants us to believe the Kawempe byelections are the one that exposed M7’s brutality! Mbu, we had not been exposed to such brutality before! However, as recent as the last grand circus presidential elections, M7 killed over 150 innocent Ugandans, and over 3000 innocent Ugandans are still rotting in detentions and others are still missing since November 2000! However, to this date NUP/Kyagulanyi are still hell bent on a mission to expose M7 [until Jesus comes back] in disguise to make money in grand circus elections.
So, my answer remains, it’s not about who the candidate is but “we ought to acknowledge that [grand circus] elections present more opportunities than simply the desire to win,” because no has ever won M7 and no one will ever win M7 because, M7 owns Uganda.
Remase , you are drawning on your own mess and are not going to make nothing abundantly clear.
Everybody else already knows whatever there is to know about elections and who arranges them absense of democracy , justice, killing of Ugandans in Kasese and everywhere etc etc. WE all know that ! Maybe is only you that are stuck , which explains why you keep on telling yourself this same story.
24 hours ago , you “agreed” with Doc that Baganda/ Buganda should take the lead..
Today , you are saying that it not possible to win over ( defeat) Museveni because ” he owns Uganda”
Kyagulanyi is a Muganda , isn`t he ?
Why then is he your only target?
Mao sold himself and DP to Museveni and left its supporter stranded. Why is Mao never on your hitt list?
Akena sold UPC and even donated his wife to the man who humiliated his father. Akena is now saying he is going to stand for the presidency. Why don`t you ever attack him ?
Nandala Mafabi and Amuriat recieved money from Museveni –money that tore FDC appart. Amuriat recently found a guy , put him in the blue suit and sent him to contest for Kawempe seat under FDC Najjanankumbi. You never mention that . why ?
Three weeks ago , almost all Acholi MPs from the opposition went to Museveni and made deals. More Acholi MPs have surrendered to Museveni than any other tribe . Why have you not included them among the ones who join politics for the money ?
Instead , you keep and on accusing Kyagulanyi of being motivated by money , even where there is zero evidence to prove it. Kyagulanyi being one of the very few who abandoned their successful less chaotic lives to step into the unpredictable and risky leadership arena
I have already and will keep mentioning the reason why you do that: because your mission here ( and on other social media platforms- under different indenties) is to try and weaken , gaslight and confuse particular individuals that seem to have the potential of posing a threat to the dictator that you are here to protect.