My contention is there is none. None whatsoever. If there ever were, they are either deceased (Hajji Hussein Kyanjo, Cerinah Nebanda), resigned and left (Wasswa Ziritwawula, Wilfred Kajeke).
Or refused to join this house despite immense persuasion (Imam Kasozi). Let me write about the rumour of tragedy that befell Hajji Hussein Kyanjo to put this contention in perspective.
The rumour — with many credible sources — goes that the poison that ravaged the late Makindye East legislator came from the opposition side of the isle. Or was coordinated by supposedly opposition-leaning colleagues. (Well, over the years, with increasing fluidity of identities as people move from opposition to NRM, or stay in the opposition, but quietly identify as M7-leaning, many things become clear).
Hajji Kyanjo, in his wisdom, refused to confirm or deny the rumour, arguing that the revelations would not change a thing. (May Allah grant him the highest level of Jannah). Perhaps this was good for the country — and we will continue to talk about this only as rumour.
But as you know, dear reader, rumour and gossip are useful sources of information, not for their truthfulness or veracity, but for the world they enable us to see and understand. Indeed,the Kyanjo-poison-rumour reveals a world where being an honest, clean, and straightforward legislator under Museveni’s Uganda is dangerous business itself – even from among your supposed co-strugglers.
Dr Twaha Kagabo’s confused and troubled soul, and the trials and tribulations of Francis Zaake(his recklessness notwithstanding) tell us as much. Museveni’s Uganda is not a country for honest men — neither is it for honest women!
This is especially true for elective politics at a more national level. It is a world of fakeness, deceit, and playacting. You either embrace the looting willingly or are forced to ride along. Either way, you have to keep your mouth shut, and learn to play to the gallery.
Therefore, because ‘oppositional honesty’ cost the lives of our dear friends — such as Hajji Hussein Kyanjo, Cerinah Nebanda — it is annoying when we see actors in the opposition sneakily playacting.
Look, the moment opposition legislators started fulfilling their dreams upon entering parliament (buying their dream cars, building hotel-like mansions and bungalows, finally marrying their girlfriends; taking second and third wives; and becoming property moguls) with no known business, except their success at the parliamentary election, then all else became pretence.
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM WITH MUSEVENI PARLIAMENTS?
It might be shocking to learn — or even difficult to grasp — but an MP has no work in Museveni’s parliaments. I know they are busy all over the place. But it is just for optics.
Decisions of consequence are taken elsewhere, and parliament’s job is optics and rubber stamping. You all recall how Joel Ssenyonyi overworked himself on the CEO position of Uganda Airlines. She is still the CEO! Who decided about giving Uganda Electricity distribution to Umeme, and what can parliament do about it?
Whodecidedthesale of UCB? Why are all Museveni supplementary and classified budgets passed? One can go on and on with almost every aspect of consequence: It is because power lies elsewhere. It is a neo-liberal parliament. The protectors of neoliberalism — including the World Bank, EU, USA, UK — steal from the continent by simply insisting on electoral democracy, and by extension “democracy of markets.”
Thus, their corporations are privileged. Because of the “democracy police” all around Museveni, parliamentary noisy debating, (before rubber stamping) counts a big deal. Decisions, even when already passed (by Museveni executive + WB, EU), have to be debated. It is here that the opposition comes in.
They are the merchandise in this game. Andever since Museveni lost control over the prices, he now works through brokers and agents. Now, AAA has proved to be a genius people broker – a trafficker of opposition-leaning humans.
HOW THE CARTEL WORKS
Two senior members of parliament — both of them current members — told me about the money stories in that house that I have narrated in these pages before. On every single issue, especially in the committees, the NRM legislators have to work with folks in the opposition.
They have to “act tough” on whoever appears in the committee. This is then used to ransom Mr Museveni that the house is so tough and that they need money to calm down these opposition people.
The money is often delivered in cash, in sacks. Once the money comes, opposition MPs are advised not to sign anywhere acknowledging receipt, but to pick their sacks and disappear. Because if they signed, the signatures might fall in the wrong hands. NRM MPs are required to sign, but sometimes, they, too, never sign.
Now realise that there is a secret code of trust. Because cash without signatures, and in sacks could be stolen or deducted by the delivery person. (As normally happens). But the sworn code is that it has to be delivered and received. The code also includes non-rejection. For cowardly legislators, their loot has been codified into law to ease the pain on the conscience. This is why “per diems,” and “service awards” are extortionist, but become documented to ease the toll on the conscience and also provide some accountability.
But as all this is happening, the lines between the legal perks and those delivered in sacks are often blurred. It depends on the deal at hand. But either way, one has to take part in this well-choreographed loot.
This is the rumoured fate of Hajji Hussein Kyanjo as he was viewed with suspicion. Mbale legislator Wilfred Kajeke, and Wasswa Ziritwawula chose to save their consciences when the time was right and jumped out of the circus. It is a circus.
The author is a political theorist based at Makerere University.
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