‘Nkwagala’ Uganda; Let us love Uganda and vote Uganda and vote peace!

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OPINION

By Rt. Rev. Dr Fred Sheldon Mwesigwa

One of the most exhilarating music tracks I have ever listened to and which evokes endearment to Uganda as a nation, is Hellen Nanjego’s ‘Nkwagala Uganda yange, nkweyitila na Maama’ translated as ‘I love my Uganda, I fondly refer to you as my mother’. Nanjego sets out to pamper Uganda by revealing the natural beauty of Uganda, the flora and fauna, the minerals, the water bodies and many other phenomena.

Nanjego further delves into comparing the gifted Ugandan Scenic beauty with that of other nations like the USA, Britain and Asia, which are characterised by rocky terrain, unproductive soils and many natural disasters. A praise of Uganda would be incomplete without citing the amazement with which Sir Winston Churchill, former British Prime Minister, described Uganda as the Pearl of Africa.

Perhaps what Nanjego didn’t cite was the famous phrase by Sir Winston Churchill in 1907, contained in his diary entitled ‘My African Experience’, urging the British Empire to focus on Uganda’s economic potential, saying, “concentrate on Uganda”.  The phrase was borne out of Sir Winston Churchill’s highlighting of Uganda’s stunning landscapes, vibrant culture and rich biodiversity in comparison with other African nations.

Personally, I love Uganda so much that in 2003, after three years of completing my PhD at the University of Leeds and having my wife and four children, I chose to leave the United Kingdom and travel back to Uganda even when I had a year to the expiry on my Visa. There is a relative of mine who was not amused by my decision and remarked, ‘Mukuru waitu nawe agiramu ka nati akakomorokire!’ meaning, ‘there seems to be a loose nut in the brain of our elder brother’. As we approach elections and even as we await for results of Presidential, Parliamentary and local elections, may we be in love with Uganda.

We need to pray and promote peace at all levels since Uganda is an Island of peace in the Great Lakes region. In my Diocese, I have a parish comprising refugees from Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia, etc. Where would all these refugees go if Uganda went into turmoil? In order to ensure a peaceful electoral process, my appeal goes to the Electoral Commission to ensure a free and fair election.

Apparently, the world over there has never had a perfect election, so the International standard is fair elections, especially in view of the biometric machines that can ensure identification of rightful voters. The presence of polling agents of candidates is another safeguard to ensure that there are no gymnastics that take place at the voting booth before voting, during and at the time of counting the votes. The recording of tallied votes and signing of Declaration Forms (DR) by polling agents and relaying of results to the Headquarters of the Electoral Commission will need to be carried out, well aware of copies retained by candidates' polling agents. I hope all political parties and candidates have agents at their respective polling stations.

Finally, I wish to appeal to all eligible voters to turn up at polling stations without fail, to exercise their inalienable right to choose leaders who are eloquent, competent, enterprising, social, patriotic and not those who buy votes. If you are religious, don’t be influenced by money. If you are not religious, please ‘eat the money’ in Ugandan speak, but choose the right person because with a secret ballot Vote, nobody will ever tell who you voted for. Uganda is a precious, gifted and blessed country. Let peace prevail, before, during and after elections.   

The writer is the Bishop Ankole Diocese & Dean Province of Church of Uganda and Associate Professor of Religious Education.

smwesigwafred@gmail.com