Michael Kaluya
THE recent Forum for democratic Change (FDC) press conference in which the two party presidential aspirants; Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye and Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu faced the public was yet another needle in Uganda’s democratic lessons.
In his remarks, Besigye said he and Muntu were not opponents in the campaign for the FDC presidential primary, but comrades in the struggle.
He also said he had built political capital over the last two failed presidential bids, which gives him an edge over his comrade.
Besigye’s comments should teach Ugandans two lessons: First, we should learn that democracy in Uganda is yet to arrive. The fact that Besigye and Muntu are not opponents in the race for the FDC presidential primary is enough for us to believe that the agitation for democracy is not an invention of a market of ideas, especially in Uganda.
Ugandans for the first time needed to see FDC as a party that is prepared to take over power after the NRM, irrespective of who leads it. But for this to happen, the contenders for the FDC presidential primary must show us that they are in competition for the party ticket because competition yields efficiency.
By not competing and only trotting the nation to meet voters is not what voters are looking for in search for the FDC flag bearer, but an alternative to the current government.
Secondly, if the two candidates are not showing their differing ideas, then their campaigns are a waste of time and money.
It is true Besigye has been around for the last two presidential elections, but losing to the incumbent. Losing an election does not accumulate into political capital, but political defeat.
Most historians will challenge me on this by asserting that elsewhere in the world, politicians have run several times and won the presidency. I agree with them, but Uganda presents a different environment for Besigye to attain victory in his third contest.
I am not a doomsday messiah, but the last two contests between Besigye and the incumbent have left Ugandans questioning why there is bad blood between the two politicians. This time around is not any different. The question will reign again and FDC needs to rethink its strategy before it is too late.
The writer is a senior consultant with the Centre for Public Policy & Global Business, Dallas, USA