By Hudu Hussein
Seventy two years ago, (Sunday, 2nd March 1952) the first political party in Uganda, the Uganda National Congress (UNC), was formed with six founding members spread across all regions of Uganda: Ignatius Kangave Musaazi, the chairman, (Buganda) its Secretary General, a Muslim Abubakar Kakyama Mayanja, (Buganda) Stefano Abwangoto (Bugisu), Ben Okwerede (Teso), Yekosofati Engur ((Lango) and S.B. Katembo (Toro).
It was these Ugandans who spearheaded the struggle for independence in coordination with anti-colonial world leaders from Egypt, China and other nations then. There was absence of politics of identity until the emergence of the Democratic Party and the Obote–led Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), which split from the UNC and merged with the Uganda Peoples Union (UPU).
Around about that time, Kabaka Yekka was formed and as it’s remarkably noted, its alliance with UPC, favored by the departing Anglican colonialists frustrated the largely Roman Catholic Democratic Party causing UPC to lead Uganda to political independence in 1962.
The splitting of UNC, a party whose ideology was nonsectarian sowed the seeds for a divided Uganda such as we have had to grapple with until the formation of the NRM, which was and still is an all-inclusive mass party.
The Obote regime grappled with its tribal fight with Baganda while Amin sacrificed the economy of the country on the altar of racism and religious convictions. These can arguably be termed as the wasted years of Uganda. Finally, the redemption brought to us by President Museveni whom we have had quite a ride of recovery until recent years when we were overpowered by the Western-type multi-party system of democracy which replaced the Movement system.
The idea behind the movement system was having a party that binds us together ideologically so that disagreements are from within. The danger of multi-partism in a young economy is that we now relegate the bigger ideas of patriotism and nation-building to the smaller fights of who heads the country and which party leads.
Power and not the use thereof becomes the pursuit and such a state is responsible for the stagnation of several African nations much to the delight of the neo-imperialist. It is however too late for us to cry.
A few persons like Mao of DP are willing to sideline personal and party interests for the larger good of contributing to national growth. That however isn’t going to happen with all else. That is where the Patriotic League of Uganda derives its colossal acceptance.
The only guarantee that this nation will not collapse back into the post-1962 period of political intrigue and antagonism is the Patriotic League of Uganda. All well-meaning Ugandans should embrace it if truly they have ahead of their peculiar feelings the heart of the nation.
The PLU is cognizant of the subtle yet real danger we have due to the injustices of today, the anger and selfish interests of extremists both in the ruling party and the opposition with the exclusion that the youths feel in Uganda’s political arena. If we sit and wait for events to unfold, the vacuum created by lack of sanity would result in chaos. The blankness has been filled by PLU.
While the Movement political system may never resurface in today’s global political situation, a non-partisan entity such as the PLU may just be the better substitute and upgrade. The PLU is not a political party and has no affiliation to any factions. In fact, factions have been the cause of much of the chaos that this country has faced as I have vocalized above.
Having the PLU to pool all Ugandans regardless of political belonging, region or religion is what serves this country the opportunity to refocus for greater national growth.
Some people have distanced themselves from the PLU because of its leadership. They disassociate themselves, not from Muhoozi but rather from Museveni’s son. The most unfortunate thing about this is that most of those who harbor such sentiments are what we embrace as the elite or the great thinkers within our society.
What a paradox that the so-called thinkers have fallen short of even basic logic. Their sort of attitude however is partly the reason why the 1st world nations have and continue to grow at a rate far higher than us while we slumber on whose son this and that is. Let us welcome the ideas of Muhoozi as a Ugandan who has a constitutional duty to contribute to the well-being of his countrymen.
My appeal to the so-called great thinkers is to analyze and appreciate the principles upon which PLU is founded and critique the same based on principle and not the politics of son and father. Just like the UNC was formed in 1952 with a nationwide mission to lead this country to independence without due consideration to sect or region, the PLU is formed on patriotism as the first stone on a foundation of inclusivity and justice upon which the great house of Uganda shall be built.
We have to reaffirm our commitment to keep a sacred trust with our forefathers’ convictions- including our beliefs, and present leaders who have demonstrated such extraordinary resilience. Welcome aboard!
The writer; Hudu Hussein is a Lawyer and RCC Masaka City
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