Democracy demands that there shall be regular free and fair elections. It guides that there shall be a ruling party and there shall be an Opposition party or parties which are supposed to keep the ruling party in check, the more the ‘non-bushmen’ agitated for multi-party political system through which they argued, they would get an opportunity at leadership through free and fair elections.
Realising that the change was unstoppable, the ruling movement saw it wise to expand a catchment area for votes. While their strategy worked, the change unintentionally attracted many people who would otherwise never have imagined getting jobs as politicians. Before they knew it, not only were they being addressed as honourables, they were given millions of shillings they will kill for if their political fortune is threatened.
It is a fact that our politicians, especially Opposition parliamentarians, owe their political fortunes to Yoweri Museveni. Research shows that many could never have been where they are today if it wasn’t for Museveni’s putsch for the revival of multiparty politics in our body politic, and for the creation of ‘millions’ of constituencies which they believe were created for the sake of building more support for the ruling party.
Now that they are there, they shudder to imagine whether their fortunes would remain in the absence of Museveni the man. Those we talked to believe post Museveni government would leaner to the disadvantage of many beneficiaries. That is why they are not keen about the CHANGE debate. Many simply fear the unknown. Many seem to prefer the devil they know than the angel they don’t.
It is in here that lies the explanation for the had-been unexplainable silence from the Opposition corner specially from the used-to-be pathologically opposed.
In the event that you are more privileged, may you please help enlighten the rest of us on the unusual close relationship between the historical adversaries?
