Speaker Kadaga. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
There is a big fight in Uganda over who gets to be dictator Yoweri Museveni’s chief puppet. The fight is between Parliamentary Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, the Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah, and others who covet the job to be Gen. Museveni’s top “yes” person.
Kadaga herself is boasting that she deserves to keep the job because it was her good work that allowed Museveni to continue as dictator.
According to Kadaga she is best placed to fight for the independence of Parliament. Had it not been for her, the age-limit issue would not have been debated in Parliament. It was that “debate” —readers may recall that Gen. Museveni sent his Special Forces Command (SFC) goons dressed in business suits to beat up members of Parliament who objected to the age-limit removal— that resulted in removal of the age 75 limit and cleared the way for Museveni to be a candidate and to rig the Jan. 14, 2021 vote. In other words she wants other MPs to reward her for allowing Museveni to extend his 35 years tyranny, even as the regime continues to kidnap, torture, and murder Ugandans.
Kadaga aided and abetted the breach of Parliament by SFC commandos who guard Museveni. Returning MPs and new ones have forgotten about Kadaga’s hand in entrenching a dictatorship and instead are drumming up support for her.
Gen. Museveni uses Parliament to pass laws to entrench his autocracy. He arm-twisted the removal of term limits in 2005; he introduced a Stalinist Public Order Management Act, which required approval by the police chief for any meeting of more than three Ugandans; introduced a law that permits the presidency to be funded with no accountability; and, removed age limits from the constitution. Rather than being ashamed that Museveni uses Parliament to destroy the constitution, Kadaga, Oulanyah, and others are fighting to be his top Parliamentary Puppet.
Some activists who were once vibrant and shaking the shackles of dictatorship whole-heartedly, seem to become comfortable once they are in Parliament and begin to draw huge salaries, allowances, and other allowances from consolidated funds. Incorruptible activists keep quiet upon winning parliamentary seats.
Once sworn in Parliament some members start scheming for positions on parliamentary commission and other committees. We should perhaps begin to be careful with these activists who make loud noise on an empty stomach because judging by the available examples, some of them stop fighting against the common problems brought by dictatorship.
Recall how some opportunists would-be Parliamentarians forced themselves on Dr. Kizza Besigye during elections; others did the same during Robert Kyagulanyi’s (Bobi Wine’s) campaign.
Any sane legislator whether belonging to the opposition or the ruling dictatorship party National Resistance Movement (NRM) party should vote for Semujju Nganda for the speakership.
Black Star News columnist Kakwenza is an author and a survivor of torture at the hands of the Museveni regime. He can be reached at [email protected]
