Respect History

YESTERDAY UGANDA marked the overthrow of Idi Amin in the biggest commemoration of its kind in 20 years.There have been mixed feelings about marking the event, many callers on talk-shows claiming that since many Ugandan towns were destroyed in the process of liberation, the event should go down in infamy. Others have been posturing, claiming credit for this political group, or that social consciousness movement, detracting from the centrality of the event.Whichever way, Amin’s rule affected many people, within Uganda and without, in different ways, and, ultimately, his overthrow was the result of a multi-pronged process. This year, there may have been few parties and little merry-making, possibly because the immediacy of emotional impact has been eroded by the passage of a quarter of a century. But the mode of commemoration, in the Julius Nyerere memorial, is timely.The roots of instability in the Great Lakes region, which is still troubled, can be traced back to Amin. His hostility to Tanzania precipitated two wars and numerous border incidents. His uninspired policies brought about the closure of the Kenyan border, leading to suffering on both sides. In a way Amin’s eccentric ways, while not being the sole cause, played a pivotal part in scuttling the East African union dream.It is therefore timely that we should use this anniversary to reflect upon the region’s ills and plot a way forward for the dreams of prosperity and oneness. Uganda has a history that has affected its peoples profoundly. It is also inextricably intertwined with her neighbours. While commemorating this history, it is just as well that we reflect upon the lessons it has taught us.Ends