By Simon Turibamwe
Political actors in Uganda have been tipped to focus on re-energizing citizens with new mobilization slogans that empowers them to defeat the state forces. Featuring on NBS’ Morning Breeze program today (Wednesday) morning, Professor Mwambutsya Ndebesa a Historian from Makerere University and Godber Tumushabe a Policy Analyst, said that slogans like People Power, Tweberelemu and Tubalemese, Museveni must go and others are good mobilization instruments that will re-energize the de-participated citizens to free themselves from the captivity of the regime. Mwambutsya said that massive mobilization for the citizens participation in all fronts and strategies is the only option for political actors in Uganda to see the change they want but it’s a hard task because state forces are always available to defend the regime. Mwambutsya said that in most countries where citizens are de-participated, the incumbent regime remains a winner of everything and that some activities are just rituals to dupe the opponents. He cited an example of constitutional rights to hold assemblies and mobilization by legally existing political parties but in Uganda the forces that would be defending it are the same that will disperse or fight hard to see that opposition parties do not participate in citizen mobilization. Godber Tumushabe a Policy Analyst said that in a country like Uganda, where the Police, army and Electoral Commission are not independent a mere Alliance of political actors without good mobilization strategy instruments that energize citizens to exercise own power it’s not a simple task to capture power or change anything in the country.
He said that de-participation of citizens has helped a number of leaders to do according to own will but has also have a bad end. The two experts further urged that no one should ever blame FDC and Dr. Besigye (whom they said were not interested to discuss) for failure to guard their votes in the previous elections, because it’s not a role of the political party or individual candidate to guard the vote where the country has an Electoral body that is paid by the taxpayer. “In any country where the electoral commission is transparent, it takes the responsibility to guard the vote without bending on any side but this has not happened in Uganda that’s people think it’s a responsibility of candidates to guard votes,” Ndebesa said as he also urged the politicians to focus on electoral reforms for smooth elections. The duo said that the electoral commission has a full responsibility to organize a free and fair elections and detect any malpractice and apprehend any party of malpractice but it’s hard in Africa to get an electoral commission that is not bent on the side of the regime in power. They also argued the political actors in the country including the ruling party to stop discussing or attacking individuals when it is time for elections because individuals will be taken by nature but issues and policies are what remains to favor citizens. “For the last 20 years the discussion has been between Besigye and Museveni, FDC and NRM so lets now change from discussing individuals and focus on policy,” said Mwambutsya.
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