What can we learn from the colonial govt?

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OPINION

By Benon Fred Twinamasiko

As we celebrate 62 years of Uganda’s independence, it begs a question; how were the colonial governments able to build strong infrastructure in form of roads and buildings?

During the colonial administration, African traditional rulers were involved in administering their fellow Africans at the local level while colonial officials and administrators administered at the higher level.

In Buganda, there is a type of coffee called ‘Kiboko’ derived from the caning that was applied to force Baganda to grow Coffee from which the Colonial Administrators minted money that they used to build roads and railway infrastructure.

The railway line stretched from Kasese at the Kilembe mines to transport Copper to Mombasa for export and other parts of the country that had production activites.

Currently, with borrowing at a debt value that is now chocking the country, we have failed to make Jinja Highway very smooth to facilitate Trade into and out of the country, compared to how the colonialists-built infrastructure to evacuate their loot.

Ugandans were forced to grow the cash crops in coffee, cotton and tea, which the colonialists exported and the proceeds went the Queen and the left overs were used to build amazing infrastructure like Mulago Referral Hospital, Makerere University and most current Government Administrative Headquarters. These are unique in quality and they have stood the test of time.

One interesting thing that the colonialists did was to build a home away from home, maybe same thing the leaders of today are doing hence the potholes and shoddy works we experience on a daily basis.

If you look at the foundations and thick walls of buildings that were raised during the colonial days, they built them to last, but currently most Ugandans behave like caterpillars which feast on green gardens without caring because they know they are becoming butterflies soon.

The Education System they left us with was a replica of their home education system, which has enabled them to go the Moon and soon they will be going to Mars. Unfortunately, the Africans that worked with colonial governments were always biased towards seeing colonial administrators as oppressors and eventually the reason we are celebrating Independence Day.

After achieving independence, we never took a moment to learn how they were able to build the infrastructure they did and reign over the local administration units in form of Kingdoms to ensure that their people were productive.

Jinja Highway is the business artery of Uganda, but at night you drive from Mukono to Kampala guessing where the road ends, no street lights, no road markings and no cat eye reflectors but this should be the most cared for Highway given the number of Transit Goods Trucks that use this route, and mostly move at night to beat the terrible jam that exists during the day hence the need for visibility on such a road.

This stretch is also through the Kampala City Metropolitan urban centers meaning that having Street lighting would be easy to implement.

The Northern bypass expansion is a testimony that we cannot do things the way they should be. The corners on this road were never given a banking slope, something taught under centrifugal force in Advanced Level Physics in Mechanics, this has a speed limit of 70km/hr on a dual carriage road with two lanes. The banking on corners helps drivers to negotiate corners without skidding.

This is besides how poor drainage gets to spoil the roads that are constructed without thought because we do not build to serve us but to give accountability to funding agencies like World Bank, International Monetary Fund and African Development Bank

At 62 years, an average Ugandan would be two years into retirement and if he was entitled to a retirement package, this is the time when he would be overseeing his businesses or investments, rather than applying for new jobs that have no retirement age limits.

So, is Uganda overseeing its investments or busy applying for loans left and right to implement her projects?

Happy Independence Day to all Ugandans.

For God and My Country

The writer is the founder MD and CEO, HOPE Consults (U) Ltd