OPINION | POLITICS

By Allawi Ssemanda

Our MPs move to extend their term of office is not only a sign of selfishness but also moral corruption. They are like Russia's Stalin who inflicted unimaginable pains on a hen to follow him for bread.

It is sickening, a sad reflection in this enlightened era with many other real pressing issues faced by Ugandans that need legislation attention not addressed, but you hear members of parliament discussing to sit alone and extend their mandate in office without consulting Ugandans who they made an agreement with to represent them for just five years!

One would imagine that MPs and all other elected leaders made a political contract with Ugandans to serve them for five years and being an agreement, those who would want to extend their candidate, it would be prudent and morally right to go back to the same people and change that agreement together! Other than this process, it is morally wrong - moral and should not be accepted; after all, moral corruption is the foundation of all other kinds of corruption!

The MPs push is a sign of impunity for they know that Ugandans can do nothing to stop their endless thirst for power since they claim constitution gives them right to do what they want. Unfortunately, this is not the first time seeing these reality-detached people take all sorts of serious decisions without involving Ugandans who they made agreement with.

Our tragedy is, when many are voted to parliament, they change over night to the extent that when they are introducing them selves, many you hear them saying, "I am called Honorable so and so". They are so detached from reality to some form of compulsive psychiatric power disorder that they think whatever an MP wants is legal because they have power to amend the constitution or come up with bills and acts that suit their endless desires.

Maybe like you reader, I have been following the 10th parliament now for a year plus, save for a few individuals, I have concluded that majority of our MPs all they think about is how to make their lives better during and after parliament. From voting for free luxurious cars at expense of taxpayers money to voting to exempt their allowances from taxes, and then voted to be given a loyal like burial among others, it is clear they are about themselves not us - Ugandans. With that, whenever I think or hear of parliament, I see and think of a group of selfish people and parliament session as a normal teatime ritual.

Lets not be hoodwinked to think MPs push to prolong their term is normal and about serving Ugandans. As Indira Ghandi taught us, questioning is basis of all progress and those who don't question are condemned to live in bondage. Its time Ugandans must we ask serious questions to our MPs who claim that they are after serving people and fighting against corruption.

We must ask them; why should we think they are patriotic when all they give attention is what directly benefit them? If they can change an agreement they made with Ugandans without asking them, why should Ugandans think this is not moral corruption? If it is moral corruption, why should Ugandans not think are corrupt? Why should Ugandans not think they are obsessed with power and that they fear to seek voters mandate again because they did not deliver? Personally, I think this is an indictment that when voting for leaders, we should stop voting for fortune hunters but states men/women incase we still have any in Uganda.

Our MPs can speak and defend this sickening proposal with all spiritual eloquence, play patriotic games before cameras, and maintain a fake patriotic appearance before public but this move has exposed them as greedy people who are insensitive to real issues that affect Ugandans.

They should know that Ugandans are brilliant and stop insulting us thinking we don't think and stop advancing kindergarten reasons to justify why they want to extend their term in office beyond what they asked Ugandans to give them.

This should be a referendum question to all Ugandans or a constitutional review commission be formed to address it than leaving it to MPs who are direct beneficiaries. How do you ask an interested person to make a judgment on something he or she has interest and expect fairness? Other than intellectual dishonesty, is this different from what URA officials did by asking for a presidential handshake which later parliament investigated and reported that it was wrong after terming it as soliciting an award?

To media people, its now you to save Ugandans by explaining to people and yes, say this is unholy proposal that should be detested by all Ugandans save if involved not a few individuals. Media failing to sensitize masses about the danger of ignoring Ugandans to make a decision on this proposal will be sanitizing and endorsing moral corruption and the hegemony of the morally corrupt ruling classes.

Our MPs must immediately give attention issues that are affecting Ugandans such as passing the health insurance bill that has been shelved for years now among other pressing issues.

Otherwise, I am thinking that our parliamentarians have now resorted to Russia's Joseph Stalin teachings and actions like when he got a hen and painfully denuded it, painfully plucked its feathers one by one until the whole hen became naked and later put it on floor, threw a handful of grains to it and walked way with some bread crumbs in his hands which made the fear-crazed bird forget the pain Stalin had caused it and hobbled and followed towards him to eat the grains before he told his dumbfounded colleagues that, this is the way to rule people, if you inflict inordinate pain on them, they will follow you for food for the rest of their lives! After all in some cases I have heard that some MP's gates are always littered with constituents who go there seeking for help. Our dear MPs, you have already inflicted unbearable pain on us, such as paying your huge salaries, untaxed allowances, and paying for your expensive burial. That is enough, don't be like Stalin and leave us with nothing including taking our right of deciding how long you should rule us that you want us to follow you for bread.

The writer is a PhD student of International Relations and Diplomatic Studies

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