In our previous article, we labored to show you why we all should rally behind MK because in MK we have an emblem of continuity which is paramount for success, prosperity, and stability. We saw that countries like China and even our neighbor TZ have prospered because of the continuity and stability those countries enjoy. Uganda itself has for once enjoyed steady progress under the leadership of Museveni and in MK we have a bridge from the stable and able leadership of the old guard to the younger generation. This should not be rocket science to all those who love Ugandans and have Uganda at heart. What has eluded Uganda for generations is finally possible through our generational leader MK the man himself.
By the way, the US is also stable largely because it has a two-party system where national interests take precedence regardless of who is in charge or which party is in charge. So all our debates should be in the national interest but of course with our particular and peculiar history in mind. More on this on another day!
In today’s article, we will explore the question of security and why MK is the right man to secure our future, our country, and the East African region
Security and development are almost Siamese twins; they are so conjoined that an attempt at separating them is always almost fatal. Security is paramount to the livelihoods of the ordinary Wanaichi, reducing poverty and actively creating wealth and even health.
(Okwebaka ku tuuro) loosely translated as having freedom to sleep and rest should never be taken for granted. It is a known fact that the old generation that experienced the past governments under the colonial government, Amin and Obote, and the other failed governments continue to support Museveni because they have the luxury of sleep much to the chagrin of the opposition and the haters. Those who experienced the kind of insecurity that Uganda went through know the value of sleeping and waking up without worrying whether you get thieves or government operatives knocking at your door.
But on the economic side, most towns and cities have a nightlife that helps to boost their livelihoods because they know they are safe. Trucks and even private cars drive throughout the night to all corners of the country unhindered and undisturbed which means goods and services can move or be accessed at any time. So it is not just the sleeping but awareness that security is tight and that is the launching ground for thriving and prosperity.
Uganda has taken off largely because we have been secure from border to border in the last few years. Now one needs to visit the border towns of northern Uganda especially cities like Gulu, towns in the Teso sub-region that not long ago were struggling against the LRA and Lakwena, and appreciate how peace and security foster development. These towns that had been turned into ghost towns are now thriving thanks to CIC and the men Uniform of which MK has been a key Cog.
I don’t think it needs to be retold how MK fought the insurgents and personally commanded the army raid that expelled Kony from Congo jungles into oblivion. Now Kony is fading from memory but what should never fade is the fact that there are people with the capacity to cause such mayhem.
Now Because of the great work of our men in uniform under the command of Muzie who day and night toil to keep this country secure, and because Uganda is at peace, many have come to an erroneous conclusion that security is not a key element to consider as we look at the future but they couldn’t be more wrong.
The time is now to consolidate the gains, continue professionalizing the army by ridding it of corruption cleaning up the police, and professionalize all the agencies that are concerned with safeguarding Ugandans.
With the work that MK has done in the military in all the areas that have been under his jurisdiction, he has excelled and has shown that he is the man of the hour. Now imagine what he will do as a CiC. We need not look hither or there but just to pray ‘May those days come soon!’
I think Uganda should get in the habit of declassifying some of the information about all the potential attacks and threats that our enemies have thrown and keep throwing at us but have been thwarted by our men in Uniform so that people have a balanced picture of what we are up against on the daily basis. The problem with not getting a balanced picture is that it creates an illusion that it is easy to run the security apparatus of a country.
One needs to look at what is happening in West Africa to know that one can never rest on their laurels and take things for granted because everything could quickly go south. Almost all the coups in West Africa have been blamed on the sitting government’s inability to deal with the insecurity and instability caused by the terrorists in those regions and guess what? Corruption! Of course, there is more at play in those countries that I don’t have time to discuss here except to point out that those countries now need a lot of work to stabilize their countries.
The enemies of Africa have always used insecurity and instability to hinder the development and progress of African countries. For example, when they needed to halt Libya’s progress, they took out Gadhafi who was a stabilizing factor not just in Libya but in the entire West African block. They left Libya in tatters and at the mercy of different factions of warlords. Now they can sit back in their cozy offices in their God-forsaking countries and sip our coffee as they pick out the next victim. Meanwhile, Libya may never recover and even if it does, it has been literary set back to the Stone Ages and West Africa is on the verge of war.
Talking about West Africa being on the verge of war, we had a similar incident here when we almost went to war with our brothers in Rwanda, and guess who intervened? Yours truly, MK, the son of Yoweri and Grandson to Kaguta. Why this incident is forever significant is in what the President of Rwanda who himself is a great general and fighter reflected on after the tensions had died down. He said that “greater generals are those who win peace” and this was in direct reference to MK and how MK had prevented what would have been a needless war and a needless shading of blood among brothers. Uganda needs MK to keep peace and continue on the father’s legacy and bring stability in the East African block and beyond.
Therefore, we are at a critical moment where we need one who understands how to fight to secure our country and our continent but also better still, we need one who knows how to win peace without fighting. and we are privileged that God has sent us MK at the right hour. He is more than capable a person as he has shown on ground which even enemies find hard to discredit even after employing all their resources towards the same.
Lastly, let’s not forget that MK has had extensive training not only in the best military schools in the world where he emerged as one of the best- please note that these military schools have nothing like mwana wanni contrary to what some myopic detractors would have Ugandans believe. This means that he has been tested in different contexts and results are the same. has earned everything on merit! but also, let’s never forget that he has been a student of one the greatest revolutionaries in Africa; that is, His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta M7. No one else has such a blend or comes close.
We must not risk and we will not risk to bet the future of our country in the hands of non-starters, failures and clueless people when we have in MK a Patriotic, disciplined capable leader who has shown that he is available to serve.
The greatest thing about this is that I sense God’s hand and destiny is in it as the timing shows. For God and my country.
The author, Paul Taremwa, president of Patriots Club Uganda
