Opinion: Museveni & his fellows Don’t Have Moral Authority to Command Responsibility in COVID-19 Crisis!
- Vicent Nemeyimana
- July 19, 2020
- Thoughts and Opinions
In the first two weeks of lock-down, every citizen was happy and proud of his country and the president, not because it was easy, but because each one of us felt compelled and determined to pay up a sacrifice for Uganda, for all of us. It was worth it. People obeyed curfews. People listened to COVID-19 messages and, yeah, all of us, whether people power, FDC or NRM or what, were happy and eager to listen to our president make those remarks on TV. We were responsible, a nation with social responsibility. For once, I thought Uganda and her citizens were a Scandinavian nation! In the same period, I remember chatting with my Tanzanian friend, who lamented over her president not taking strict measures. And, as I comforted her, I felt proud that my president, my country was doing everything to protect us. I was proud and very responsible. Everyone was!
Sadly, few days after the first two weeks, shit happened. People realized that, all along, it was never about them or COVID-19; some lucky ones were mining. Ministers enjoyed ‘a double your cash’ game whereby they stole 20m per each, had it taken from them, and then 40 million given per each. Trucks that were sustaining the lucky ones’ businesses kept ferrying COVID-19 from neighboring countries and, it seems, the president, ministers, and all those benefiting from the chaos, started showing some signs of celebrating the increase in number of cases. You could see it in how they announced that, and how each announcement would be backed up with new laws. It was sweet, exerting control on a population that was under a threat of an increasing number of COVID19 cases, lol. The president, based on these ferried-in cases, and while sipping on his tea cup, kept tightening the lock-down, and his sons and daughters kept milking.
Soon, he launched the fundraising campaign and ordered the type of cars and things he wanted for his children, the #bazukulu. In my entire life, it is my first time to see a beggar decide and dictate on what he wants. The president asked for cars and described well the cars he wanted for his children. Yes, cars were donated; his children are riding. Foods and all sorts of equipment flowed in. Billions of money was flown in too.
Every time that woman, I mean Jane Aceng, the minister, received billions and tonnes of goods, she would mutter; these will be used to provide for health workers, especially those on front line. We will buy them masks and all sorts of protective gears. It doesn’t matter the amount she received, she always said, we will buy masks for basawo and support their lives in this period. Up to now, basawo (except few daughters and sons), are struggling just like anyone else. People stomached it all. We waited a little longer while our small businesses collapsed and our children went hungry. We tried the social distancing, the stay at home, and washing with soap or sanitizer from your factories. And Mzee kept up with his swagger of tightening the lock-down as he sipped on his cup.
Later on, the numbers increased and multiplied. Not a surprise, please. Don’t tell me the ministry or the president didn’t see this coming. It was their plan. A money making scheme. Evidence has shown how they mishandled many quarantine centers, facilitating transmission rather than prevention (see here and here). Evidence has accumulated about how reckless and indecisive they were regarding truck drivers from neighboring countries (See here and here). And some scanty evidence has pointed out the possibility of fake results (See here and here). All of this for one goal; increase the cases, make a case and chip in money. It worked.
We got billions of money from well-wishers, received billions of loans from global community (For some loans, see here and here. Also, read about our revised loan acquisition scheme here). Get reminded that paying up loan interests is one of our big priorities and takes a serious share of our budget. Literally, we are all paying up for what few of us enjoyed. I hope guys who always argue that government spending is good can always see this; government spends what it has borrowed. This is bad in itself. And it is worst when what she spends on isn’t you. Anyway, we received brand new 4*4 wheel drive cars in tens, received hundreds of tons of foods and equipment. And, somehow, I still don’t see these resources anywhere around. Ugandans (I did a research myself and called most of my friends who stay in various parts of Kampala) kept up with empty stomach, pain and lack and yet tolerated the lock-down a little more.
Listen, have you realized that some donations were actually masks and the sanitizers and yet we are told that the moneys will buy those same things? I mean, where do all equipment, other than money go? Of course, some is really at work. But most isn’t. And you know it.
My point in this post is to confidently ask the ministry and Museveni leadership to stop blaming Ugandans for not being responsible. We are tired. We were lied to. We thought we were in this together but, it seems, for you, you were busy making money. And now you want us to be responsible; to stay at home while you roam around in those sterile cars, close our businesses while your sons and daughters are making money, keep a distance while you guys are having in-house parties and wash with soap and water or use sanitizer, of course, so your favorite companies can go forward. Is this what you call responsibility? Social responsibility is possible if both sides do their part; government leaders are responsible and citizens are. But not a one sided kind of responsibility. You are using us to enrich your lives. And it is not fair.
Of course, you can propose and even enforce a second or third or a forever lock-down, yes, you can. But it won’t be forever. One day, one time, you shall be alone answering to questions regarding how you exploited us. So keep it up. It is your time. It is your show. Starve us and our children. Go on.
NB: This post isn’t intended to make you not observe COVID-19 prevention guidelines. You now have to do it even more than before. You already know. They really don’t care about you. So, as you find a way for you and your loved ones, take care of yourself. Otherwise, this ministry and this government are just a big JOKE. A JOKE, my friend.
