Ettoffaali Initiative is a bold mark of our internal potential

true
By Adventino Banjwa

Ever since Buganda Kingdom’s Premier Charles Peter Mayiga launched Ettoffaali drive in 2013, a lot has been said and written about the initiative.

There are those who were enchanted with the idea, viewing it as the only sustainable strategy for (among other things) reconstructing the torched Kasubi royal tombs (Amasiro) – to which many Ugandans, especially in Buganda, are attached in diverse ways.

But there are also those who, from the go, advanced the view that ettoffaali was multiplying the burdens of the ‘poor’. The views and pessimism of the latter group did not, however, alter the Katikkiro’s plans to proceed with the initiative. I will add my voice to these debates by trying to fix the discourse into a rather broader frame.

From inception, the Katikkiro made it clear that he was not about to ‘beg’ from the outside to reconstruct the tombs and build the kingdom. Instead, he insisted on building upon the power from the inside through Ettofaali.

Fixed into a larger frame, this was indeed a powerful message. Powerful partly because up to date, Africans, after all we have offered – many times unwittingly – to the advancement of the ‘Now developed Counties’; the best we have earned is a brand of ‘weak’ and ‘helpless’.

With all the connotations and implications; we have continued to be called ‘poor’, even, unfortunately, by our own leaders! This bothers me so dearly! Yes, because I think ‘poverty’ is, in many ways, one of the strongest colonial conceptions about Africa yet to be dumped. It tells more about how we are viewed as opposed to what we are and/or think of ourselves. ‘Advanced countries’ have continued to advance their arrogance and control on Africa primarily due to the latter’s continued need for their ‘help’.

This has not been priceless!

Throughout the continent, those concerned about this phenomenon are engaged in struggles geared towards ending it. I want to suggest that in Uganda’s case, Ettoffaali initiative provides interesting insights into what this may take.

The initiative in many ways alludes to our collective potential to effect change, of course, with committed leadership. All over the world – including those countries that had an opportunity to plunder wealth from others and get away with it; the role of leadership is generally undisputed when it comes to effecting changes that impact people’s lives.

What the leadership of Charles Peter Mayiga has managed to achieve on primarily local voluntary contributions within such a relatively short period is reasonably commendable. His highly applauded transparency and accountability has ensured the continuation of the drive, and the result-oriented approach of his administration has inspired many to contribute even more. I am referring to the visibility of outcomes.

Arguably, failure to see the impact of one’s contributions, in any context, surely pains! The willingness to contribute any little you could is curtailed by inability to see the resultant change. No wonder, plenty of research today indicate that in countries where governments put taxes to proper use – through provision of public goods and services –; people are willing to pay even higher taxes.

The reverse is generally true in situations where citizens do not think their governments properly manage public funds, primarily due to high level of state corruption. That partly explains tax evasion, as people struggle to meet the basic needs that their taxes would otherwise have covered – things like basic health care and education.

The Ettoffaali drive would not have meaningfully lasted any time longer, had it not been the high level of transparency involved, and the visibility of impact. From Masiro to Masengere; Buganda’s premier has demonstrated to Ugandans that their Ttaffaali is working, and they can see it.

Above all, the entire process and results so far somehow tells us about our internal potentials – the power from within. It tells us that together, with committed leadership, we can achieve so much more.

Equally vital, it proves the view that we can make the largely disastrous foreign aid a history by building our local capacity to organize and work on many of our issues.

The writer is a graduate student of Development Studies
@lunduniversity