Why Mamuganza, Kayihura are true pro-people leaders

By Amlan Tumusiime

On Wednesday, August  9, I got an opportunity of traveling together with the State Minister for Lands, Persis Namuganza, and the Inspector General of Police, Gen. Kale Kayihura to Naluvule Parish, Kapeeka sub-county in Nakaseke district.

The minister and the IGP were responding to a petition by the area MP Nakaseke South, Paul Luttamaguzi, that Swaibu Yiga Mukasa was threatening to evict over 3,000 residents on an eight-square-miles piece-of-land covering nine villages.

I had gone to Namuganza's office when she asked me to move with the team to Nakaseke. I was happy for the offer because as a person from Bunyoro and an NRM supporter, this was going to be my opportunity to visit an area well known in the NRM circles as the "Mecca" for the Museveni regime due to the area's support given to Museveni during the five-year bush war struggle that brought NRM to power.

On arrival at Naluvule, I saw an excited crowd with a clear message on their faces that Namuganza and Kayihura were their last hope. I was more humbled when Luttamaguzi, an Opposition MP and well-known critic of the Museveni regime, knelt before Kayihura expressing his happiness for the IGP's coming to the area. He said: "I am a Member of Parliament and I have never knelt even before my Speaker, but today I am kneeling before you because I know you care about people and I am sure our problem is today going to be solved".

I quietly observed the way Namuganza and Kayihura were responding to the local people's concerns with simplicity, fairness and objectivity. I concluded that the two leaders are pro-people and can understand and appreciate the ordinary people's problems.

I have personally known both of them for some time and I know they are honest people and above all generous, friendly and approachable.

I have been to their offices several times, but whenever I visit, I find many people of almost all groupings.

So I was not surprised when I saw the people of Nakaseke freely associating with Gen. Kayihura. I have written about Kayihura several times in the newspapers saying Ugandans are lucky to have Kayihura as an IGP because he is a friendly and generous man. The Nakaseke people tasted this when after the meeting, Kayihura ordered his handlers to provide drinks to the residents. I overheard one pregnant woman speaking to a friend wondering how a general would be all that generous to buy drinks for the people he came to save from eviction.

It is, however, unfortunate that people who are hard working, honest and connect to the population are sometimes fought and undermined by others who do not even do much.

Recently, President Museveni in his statement explaining why NRM was wining most of the parliamentary by-elections, said NRM's challenge was having leaders who are not connecting with the local population.

The President's observation was right. Many of the people he appoints in various positions of leadership are not helping him to reach out to the ordinary people. Many of such officials including some ministers are arrogant, selfish and unaccessible.

They "use" people during campaign periods and abandon them thereafter. They cut off communication with the local people until the next elections.

Some pretend to be in touch with the people only when the President visits their home districts and that "relationship" ceases once the President leaves. 

If all NRM leaders would emulate Museveni's style of leadership that includes close to people, I have no doubt Museveni would have been scoring over 90% in the elections.

The President's percent keeps dropping not because people hate him but the actions and behaviours of some of the people he entrusts with leadership positions make people get frustrated and disappointed hence leaving NRM.

Why would a leader like Museveni credited for re-building a once collapsed, divided and unstable country. A man who has built schools, hospitals, electricity, roads, free education, provided safe and clean water, stabilised the country and above all caused huge change in general development for the country continue reducing on his presidential percentages. Does it mean that the opposition keeps improving on their presidential manifesto after every five years that attracts Ugandan voters to their side?

The answer is no. The NRM manifesto is always a pro-people and the Museveni regime has tried to implement it for the benefit of all Ugandans.

It is some of the NRM leaders whose behaviours are driving away people from NRM and hence affecting the President's percentage. It is some of those leaders who are making people hate Museveni yet he is a good and a wonderful leader.

The behaviours of some of the NRM leaders has created three categories of people whose actions contribute to the decline of Museveni's presidential percentages.

They include;

• The inpatient ones: These after being "used" by such leaders and abandoning them end up joining other opposition parties mainly Forum for Democratic Change(FDC)

• Royal  carders: These also after being "used" and neglected but out of too much love for Museveni stop campaigning for him but only go on the polling day and vote for him. This is a dangerous group because they have the capacity of mobilising people to vote for Museveni in thousands but end up only giving him their votes leaving thousands of other voters either un decided or misguided.

• Voter apathy: This group also feels "used" and dumped and end losing interest, enthusiasm or they feel not concerned to vote. All these affect the President's vote and reduces his percentage a reason why I said earlier that Museveni if the people he entrusts with leadership positions can follow his examples he can still win the Ugandan vote by 90%.

It is unfortunate that some of such NRM leaders who are doing more harm than good to the party are the same people who have access to him. They tell him lies. They will never allow other people who are genuine and honest to reach him because they know that Museveni is a gifted good listener and will listen and respect the information given to him by such genuine groups of people.

Therefore, people such as Namuganza whom by the way I knew when she was still in youth councils and later Deputy RDC Luweero who are good mobilisers and unites people from deferent regions should be supported instead of being fought.

We need leaders who are in torch with the people so that the NRM party remains strong and in power for the good of the country.

Writer is NRM Mobiliser for Bunyoro Region