From very important people to very important poupers

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OPINION

By Michael Timuzigu Kamugisha

In Uganda, politicians earn themselves a temporary position among the very important people of their nation, and maintaining it means spending and caring for a fraction of vulnerable, needy and some opportunistic people who participated in uplifting them.

It is a debt to pay, which is normally paid by taking on another debt. That is why politicians in Uganda spend money before they earn it and therefore lose a lot in interest.

Nobody can know how many people will die a day, how many people will lack school fees and how many will fall sick. However, a politician is expected to cater for all these people in need.

Besides, when bridges are washed away or roads become impassable, the emergency rescue is expected to come from a politician who does not even handle government finances.

This is because the only ‘government’ citizens can see with their eyes is politicians;  government can not be seen or talked to.

Because of this, politicians, including myself, spend money before earning it, to remain practical problem solvers. Before we join politics, the source of our loans is commercial banks, but the moment we join politics, we become experts in borrowing. We know a multitude of money lenders, and they know us by the same measure.

In this process, a big part of their earnings goes to money lenders and banks in the form of interest. Now, I am trying to answer the question ‘where does their money go?’ which is sometimes asked by even those who shared part of it.

Hence, politicians have become addicted debtors, and some have been arrested and remanded for failing to pay their debts. The smart ones have quietly lost their property and denied their families the livelihood they deserve.

For instance, it is not rare for members of parliament to pay school fees or tuition at the end of the term or semester, where even fines are involved.

Spouses and children are wondering whether they belong to very important families or very vulnerable families. The president of Uganda has, on most occasions, guided politicians, especially MPs, not to carry the citizens.

However, it is crucial to note that politicians are the only available stretcher that can carry citizens for treatment. Fundraisings are still relevant in our communities, the government cannot timely and effectively work on roads in a timely and effective manner, health centres don’t have enough drugs, and ‘a friend in need is a friend indeed’. When you hear that some politicians have taken bribes, they are trying to fend for their voters. In this process, they steal from the people they think they are stealing for.

Therefore, in case someone loses elections after giving out all they had, it becomes even difficult to recognise them for front seats. Some of them have become beggars and, unfortunately, have limited ‘customers’ because they cannot easily beg from the people they used to give.

Under such circumstances, they expect to be loved by their families, whose welfare they sacrificed to serve society, and it becomes impossible. They can not earn sympathy from the societies they served and, therefore, become isolated in regret.

For that matter, politicians who are about to join the club of political servants should not expect a bed of roses. Come and serve, but remember the price.

Knowing the game in advance is better than discovering that triumph comes with injuries. In fact, you can not eat your cake and have it at the same time. Leave your financial freedom in the past and accept to heal the financial wounds of Ugandans as you develop deeper ones.

As for the citizens, your leaders can only remain VIPs if you make only political demands and not financial demands.  Kindly appreciate that they do not manage government finance; they budget for the available national finances.

The writer is the Member of Parliament for Kajara County and an anti-corruption crusader