It is wise to handle candidates with care

SIR — I read with amazement a story in The Monitor under the headline, “Residents abandon Museveni”. In the article, it was reported that the residents of Tororo county booed President Yoweri Museveni at a rally and jeered him after he refused to “declare a borderline for their new district as they had requested…” One thing these people should know is that today it is Museveni’s turn to beg them but it will not be long that the same people will bend on their knees seeking his attention. Remember at that time he will not be seeking any favours and could decide to offer a deaf ear to their problems. Drawing back to our secondary school politics, one would not dare mistreat a candidate standing for Head Prefect because the consequences were obvious. These people would wear a smiling face during campaigns but soon after being sworn in, they would show their true colours and the people who were smiling, kneeling and bending low, would make inaugural speeches with statements like, “Time for campaigns is over, we must now focus on business, no more jokes…”
You would then see how the people who had “power” (the vote) would fall back in fear of being pounced upon should they come face to face with “the law!”
In the short run, the people of Tororo county might be in control because of their vote but in the long run, they dare not fall victim in any way because Museveni might decide to handle them with very little sympathy, if any.
I am not sure if one day calamity befell the people of Tororo County when President Museveni is in power, he would abandon his breakfast to attend to them the way he would for the counties that unanimously welcomed him. President Museveni, and indeed all other candidates are human and they have individual sentiments and feelings and therefore people should be careful how they welcome or reject them.

Deo Tumusiime Kabwende
tumusiimedeo@hotmail.com