Not only teachers need patriotism
Apr 15, 2009
IT is good President Museveni has discovered that most Ugandans are not patriotic. However, there are several reasons that can be advanced to explain the non-patriotism.
Steven Busuulwa
IT is good President Museveni has discovered that most Ugandans are not patriotic. However, there are several reasons that can be advanced to explain the non-patriotism.
In my opinion, the President’s needs to take his string of advisors through patriotism lessons. After that he should find out from these advisors why Ugandans are not patriotic.
Teaching teachers and threatening them will not solve the problem. However, the President should ask himself why Ugandans are more attached to their tribal kingdoms than their nation?
Some of the things that take place in our society have forced Ugandans to hate their motherland. Things like corruption, torture by security agencies and at times the Police, especially during elections. Poor pay for the teachers and doctors, fires gutting schools and markets, rampant eviction of peasants from land, to mention but a few.
Why should one love his country when he does not have a place to call home? There are no drugs in hospitals and the hospitals are in a sorry state.
The biting poverty that Ugandans are entangled in is also another reason that can explain why many people end up stealing and thus becoming unpatriotic.
I would advise the President and the leader of government business, Prof. Apolo Nsibambi, to give patriotism lessons to the Cabinet and presidential assistants before going to teachers.
Ministers and other responsible people who commit grave mistakes while in office should be brought to book. Patriotism should not only be taught to the lower rung of society who suffer the brunt of collapsing buildings, human sacrifice and fire outbreaks but also to top government officials, ministers, businessmen and women.
We all need patriotism lessons if we are to enjoy the Pearl of Africa.
The writer is a freelance journalist
IT is good President Museveni has discovered that most Ugandans are not patriotic. However, there are several reasons that can be advanced to explain the non-patriotism.
In my opinion, the President’s needs to take his string of advisors through patriotism lessons. After that he should find out from these advisors why Ugandans are not patriotic.
Teaching teachers and threatening them will not solve the problem. However, the President should ask himself why Ugandans are more attached to their tribal kingdoms than their nation?
Some of the things that take place in our society have forced Ugandans to hate their motherland. Things like corruption, torture by security agencies and at times the Police, especially during elections. Poor pay for the teachers and doctors, fires gutting schools and markets, rampant eviction of peasants from land, to mention but a few.
Why should one love his country when he does not have a place to call home? There are no drugs in hospitals and the hospitals are in a sorry state.
The biting poverty that Ugandans are entangled in is also another reason that can explain why many people end up stealing and thus becoming unpatriotic.
I would advise the President and the leader of government business, Prof. Apolo Nsibambi, to give patriotism lessons to the Cabinet and presidential assistants before going to teachers.
Ministers and other responsible people who commit grave mistakes while in office should be brought to book. Patriotism should not only be taught to the lower rung of society who suffer the brunt of collapsing buildings, human sacrifice and fire outbreaks but also to top government officials, ministers, businessmen and women.
We all need patriotism lessons if we are to enjoy the Pearl of Africa.
The writer is a freelance journalist