Dangers of Bobi Wine's fundraising, endorsements in the US

By Milly B Babalanda

Various media outlets have reported that Kyaddondo East MP, Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) has been on a tour in the US during which he collects "sacks and sacks" of money as a "war chest" in preparation for his 2021 run. It has also been reported that he has earned the endorsement of notable figures in US leadership.

If the reports are to be believed, they corroborate the exchanges in informed circles to the effect that my son politics is all about reaping quick monetary gain from donors and selling off Uganda to the highest bidder, if possible. The weight of his interests What he is doing is unprecedented and spells a very big problem for our electoral politics.

Commercialisation of politics is a big problem and upstarts are most prone to taking it to another level. The begging basket being carried around not only in America but other countries are tainted with blood money and that from groups buying patronage in order to deepen their queer culture and practices in Uganda. Others are shopping for a right of way to Uganda's natural resource basin.

If Bobi Wine believes that he has popular support, why does he need all that money? Why would he need an endorsement from foreigners? Save for the fact that the endorsements he is getting are from lightweight personalities without official clout and backing, they are nevertheless a form of interference which cannot be allowed to metastasize and to taint our politics.

Americans are conversant with the effects of meddling in elections and politics in general. It undermines democracy and creates fault lines in the relations of sovereign states. The American government should come out and condemn persons operating on its soil and holding federal service jobs who engage in subverting the will of citizens of other countries. Failure to do so will be an invitation for American politics to get swamped with foreign hands that will drive it in any direction.

It is also possible that the mobilisation of these upstart groups is part of a programme to cover illegal activities such as facilitating money laundering and dealing in contraband. Some "illegals" are finding convenience to claim benefits they are not entitled to while others are part of the groups giving the American government, and President Trump, in particular, a hard time. My office had unearthed an extensive network of trouble causers posing as change agents and aspirants for leadership worldwide but with Uganda as a focal point.

Politics will be fought on the basis of ideas and local talent generated and nurtured within the context of conditions existing on the ground. What has an American, or any other alien, got to do with it?

2021 threatens to be a give-and-take affair if the monies being collected are introduced into the economy. This must be resisted and neutralised right away! There must be a limit to election spending (as proposed in electoral reforms which are still under discussion). A high level of commercialisation makes elections a business rather than a merit-based appliance in democracy.

Commercialisation of politics is advanced by mostly young and unexposed players who have not cultivated a fertile mind on policy and high-level governance issues enough to articulate them to the voting public for acceptance. They think that pooling a war chest will automatically get them elected without taking into account that Ugandans are generally knowledgeable and empowered to question everything and everyone.

The problem with fronting money in politics is that one can never have enough to give everyone. In the end, it boils down to coherence and clarity of purpose in leadership. Bobi Wine is going to be put under pressure to an extent of considering selling off his personal assets to meet the demands of his followers who are all aware that he is being bankrolled heavily by "whites".

We need more stringent laws and deterrent penalties to entrench honest interfaces between voters and aspirants. The reason why NRM dominates elections is that emphasis is on service delivery, in which case voters decide on the basis of common interests instead of going with the wave.

I call upon and expect civil society, religious leaders and the usual vocal (social) media influencers to come out on this matter. So far, all of them are nonchalant about it. The Electoral Commission (EC) should intensify civic education to sensitize all concerned parties about the danger of money in elections-and foreign meddling.

The suggestion for stronger laws and thorough implementation of the same may not attract the backing of all and maybe fought by those who are counting on manipulating future elections but I am certain that with President Yoweri Museveni's goodwill, the practice will be defeated, leaving Ugandans with the exclusive right to vote tested and trusted leaders they believe in.

I wish to take this opportunity to remind all Ugandans to participate in the Voter Register Update exercise which has been going on since last week. Your vote is your power!

The writer is Personal Assistant to the NRM National Chairman and Senior Presidential Adviser