CHOGM for prosperity, not pain and anxiety

Nov 20, 2006

THE past two months have been characterised by confrontation between the government and interest groups. It started in Kyambogo University with staff demanding to be put on the official payroll.

Francis Obita

THE past two months have been characterised by confrontation between the government and interest groups. It started in Kyambogo University with staff demanding to be put on the official payroll.

Makerere University lecturers followed with a strike over demands that the government honours its promise to improve their pay. Students got sucked into the mess and violence ensued, prompting Police to engage in running battles with the rowdy students.

Subsequently, the University Council ordered students to leave immediately. A week later, opposition group FDC’s attempt to hold a peaceful rally was thwarted by Police and again it was chaos and violence in the city. These are recipes for disaster.

The government is preparing to host CHOGM in Kampala in November 2007. Massive construction and renovation projects as well as public awareness campaigns have been launched, and money is being spent to ensure that CHOGM succeeds. Of course every Ugandan of goodwill should work and pray for the success of the three-day summit because its success will be a source of pride and economic benefit.

However, the needs of Ugandans should not be neglected or postponed because it will definitely impact negatively on the CHOGM project. This is the time when the state should try to practice and adhere to commonwealth values such as observation of human rights, freedom of association and speech, good governance and justice for all. Yet it is clear that recent events have fallen short of the standards and if such strikes and responses continue, Uganda may lose the chance to host the summit (Canada is on standby in case Uganda fails).

It is not fair for a father to invite guests to his house, paint the house to look good, furnish the sitting room and hire catering services to prepare quality dinner for his guests while children sleep on mats and are forced to go bed when the guests come around. In the end the guest will have the impression that his host and the children are doing well when they are not.

This should not be the case with Uganda. We should give a face-lift to our infrastructure while at the same time seeking solutions to the problems mentioned above. If we have some true patriots around, then the welfare and needs of citizens should be more important than trying to impress outsiders.

The writer is a veterinary doctor

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