NRM: The old must give way to the youth
Jan 14, 2010
EDITOR—The NRM party must invest in its youth. The greatest asset a person can have is bearing children. This is because it enables continuity that makes families, clans, tribes and therefore a nation. The old generation must never undermine the young one because at some stage, the old must rely o
EDITOR—The NRM party must invest in its youth. The greatest asset a person can have is bearing children. This is because it enables continuity that makes families, clans, tribes and therefore a nation. The old generation must never undermine the young one because at some stage, the old must rely on the young for both physical and economic support.
The NRM party’s primary elections are around the corner and my prayer is to see as many youth joining in, demonstrating that our party has a strong backbone. As I write, several youths have been compromised to step aside. Naturally, because of their position and financial incapacity they have no choice but to stand down. One such people is Sedrack Nzeire Kaguta who was to stand in Nyabushozi.
In Sembabule, foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa recently exchanged words with Theodore Sekikubo in public. Kutesa is old enough to be Sekikubo’s father! Rumours have it that Gen Caleb Akandwanaho intends to stand in Nakaseke, Kirunda Kivejinja in Busoga and Henry Kajura in Bunyoro. Tarsis Kabwegyere also wants to stand.
Why should being an MP be considered prestigious? An MP is not as important as all these people I have mentioned, especially considering that they are at a national level. MPs represent constituencies. For people like Kutesa, Mbabazi or Akandwanaho to start competing with fresh graduates at a constituency level is not only limiting the base of the party but is like a father fighting his son!
It is true the NRM has very experienced cadres with vast knowledge of Ugandan politics but we are at risk of suffering a generation-gap (dead generation). Henry Kajura was Bank of Uganda governor in 1978. Why can’t he let some young person from Bunyoro take up the mantle?
Kabwegyere was a household name by the time we were growing up in the early 1980s. Being an MP should not be taken for a job but a service rendered in good faith. There is no village in Uganda where there is only one educated person.
That is why ministers should not be chosen from MPs, because there is that constant fear of losing ministerial positions! We have a situation where some NRM cadres are beginning their political careers when they are 50 years old.
This is a disaster and it is because the ‘historicals’ have refused to give way. This is the right time the NRM young cadres should take responsibility and have some wisdom and advice from our seniors before they die.
Compromise in the NRM party should be avoided because it even limits internal democracy and can cause defections if some are not convinced.
We need a younger generation to face political challenges. By doing so it creates a generational network that is capable of solving their own issues, just like President Museveni has helped his generation to get empowered. Lastly, the NRM party should learn to reward its supporters at all levels.
The NRM is not a religion that people must have faith in all the time. It is a political party which must reward the loyalty of its members and not just consider people in terms of votes. There is a tendency to reward people who were formerly in the opposition thereby creating a feeling in the party that there is no reason to be good. I rest my case.
Justus Amanya
amanya_justus@yahoo.com
The NRM party’s primary elections are around the corner and my prayer is to see as many youth joining in, demonstrating that our party has a strong backbone. As I write, several youths have been compromised to step aside. Naturally, because of their position and financial incapacity they have no choice but to stand down. One such people is Sedrack Nzeire Kaguta who was to stand in Nyabushozi.
In Sembabule, foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa recently exchanged words with Theodore Sekikubo in public. Kutesa is old enough to be Sekikubo’s father! Rumours have it that Gen Caleb Akandwanaho intends to stand in Nakaseke, Kirunda Kivejinja in Busoga and Henry Kajura in Bunyoro. Tarsis Kabwegyere also wants to stand.
Why should being an MP be considered prestigious? An MP is not as important as all these people I have mentioned, especially considering that they are at a national level. MPs represent constituencies. For people like Kutesa, Mbabazi or Akandwanaho to start competing with fresh graduates at a constituency level is not only limiting the base of the party but is like a father fighting his son!
It is true the NRM has very experienced cadres with vast knowledge of Ugandan politics but we are at risk of suffering a generation-gap (dead generation). Henry Kajura was Bank of Uganda governor in 1978. Why can’t he let some young person from Bunyoro take up the mantle?
Kabwegyere was a household name by the time we were growing up in the early 1980s. Being an MP should not be taken for a job but a service rendered in good faith. There is no village in Uganda where there is only one educated person.
That is why ministers should not be chosen from MPs, because there is that constant fear of losing ministerial positions! We have a situation where some NRM cadres are beginning their political careers when they are 50 years old.
This is a disaster and it is because the ‘historicals’ have refused to give way. This is the right time the NRM young cadres should take responsibility and have some wisdom and advice from our seniors before they die.
Compromise in the NRM party should be avoided because it even limits internal democracy and can cause defections if some are not convinced.
We need a younger generation to face political challenges. By doing so it creates a generational network that is capable of solving their own issues, just like President Museveni has helped his generation to get empowered. Lastly, the NRM party should learn to reward its supporters at all levels.
The NRM is not a religion that people must have faith in all the time. It is a political party which must reward the loyalty of its members and not just consider people in terms of votes. There is a tendency to reward people who were formerly in the opposition thereby creating a feeling in the party that there is no reason to be good. I rest my case.
Justus Amanya
amanya_justus@yahoo.com