Keeping army off politics would be suicidal
Apr 16, 2006
In The Daily Monitor of April 12, Kalinge-Nyago repeated the erroneous view that the army should not be represented in Parliament. Without delving into his unfair attack on my person, I wish to say that Nyago is mixing issues.
In The Daily Monitor of April 12, Kalinge-Nyago repeated the erroneous view that the army should not be represented in Parliament. Without delving into his unfair attack on my person, I wish to say that Nyago is mixing issues.
Right from independence, the military was confined to barracks and indeed with a signpost at the Quarter Guard, “Keep politics out of the Armyâ€. Having succeeded in ‘barricading’ soldiers into the barracks like wild animals in a zoo, civilian politicians became more commandist than the military, using the latter in their quarrels. The military was both illiterate and politically un-informed, but some shameless people used them to settle political questions!
The UPDF is a product of this sad history of civilian politicians messing up the country. These politicians had no respect for the rule of law and democratic governance. They lived in opulence and travelled on pot-holed roads without shame and used the military to serve selfish interests.
The UPDF is subordinate to civil authority not by mere words and posturing, but in reality. In some countries the military, which does not control the government, enjoy enormous luxury, great respect and if a soldier gets a problem in public, that area will pay dearly. In Uganda, the reverse is true.
The military, which according to Kalinge-Nyago controls government, lives humbly, works tirelessly, is bashed by civilians and life goes on. There are many decisions that have been made and continue to be made and we simply salute. Is Kalinge-Nyago telling us that we are actually foolish, we don’t know that we control government and should therefore disobey the civil authorities? The military is the mother of the current democracy, while the people of Uganda are the father.
It is the strategic partnership of the people and the UPDF that gives the likes of Kalinge-Nyago the platform to insult us and go home safe and dry. It is this strategic relationship that allows the judiciary independence to decide on cases, whether we are happy with the decisions or not. The recent bashing of the Supreme Court — the highest court in the land comprising Lordships of long experience and great authority — was by civilian politicians not soldiers.
Lastly, my absurd, but arrogant answer of “they will be on Uganda’s side†is based on my little knowledge of parliamentary democracy: I said voting in Parliament is on issues, not sides.
Ends
Right from independence, the military was confined to barracks and indeed with a signpost at the Quarter Guard, “Keep politics out of the Armyâ€. Having succeeded in ‘barricading’ soldiers into the barracks like wild animals in a zoo, civilian politicians became more commandist than the military, using the latter in their quarrels. The military was both illiterate and politically un-informed, but some shameless people used them to settle political questions!
The UPDF is a product of this sad history of civilian politicians messing up the country. These politicians had no respect for the rule of law and democratic governance. They lived in opulence and travelled on pot-holed roads without shame and used the military to serve selfish interests.
The UPDF is subordinate to civil authority not by mere words and posturing, but in reality. In some countries the military, which does not control the government, enjoy enormous luxury, great respect and if a soldier gets a problem in public, that area will pay dearly. In Uganda, the reverse is true.
The military, which according to Kalinge-Nyago controls government, lives humbly, works tirelessly, is bashed by civilians and life goes on. There are many decisions that have been made and continue to be made and we simply salute. Is Kalinge-Nyago telling us that we are actually foolish, we don’t know that we control government and should therefore disobey the civil authorities? The military is the mother of the current democracy, while the people of Uganda are the father.
It is the strategic partnership of the people and the UPDF that gives the likes of Kalinge-Nyago the platform to insult us and go home safe and dry. It is this strategic relationship that allows the judiciary independence to decide on cases, whether we are happy with the decisions or not. The recent bashing of the Supreme Court — the highest court in the land comprising Lordships of long experience and great authority — was by civilian politicians not soldiers.
Lastly, my absurd, but arrogant answer of “they will be on Uganda’s side†is based on my little knowledge of parliamentary democracy: I said voting in Parliament is on issues, not sides.
Ends