Uganda attained her independence from Britain in 1962 and has since been governed by successive Ugandan leaders to date. Uganda, however still relies on other countries especially in areas of development and health initiatives.
As a country, we have made tremendous strides in efforts to break this reliance with government being able to fund over 80% of its budget from locally generated funds.
However it seems that some elements in the Ugandan political arena are hellbent on seeing us rescind to the dependence on other countries for our existence.
Lobbyist Robert Amsterdam recently wrote a letter to sitting US President Donald Trump asking him to stop aid funding to Uganda due to the arrest of his client Robert Kyagulanyi.
This is very ironic, given that previously, Kyagulanyi was a vocal critic of reliance on foreign aid and even in his engule song, he sings of Uganda ruled by his own Ugandan people. This development contradicts his preaching.
Amsterdam describes disrespectfully Uganda’s government as a Junta. One asks himself, what kind of junta organizes elections that are won by opposition politicians? And if indeed state machinery is used to rig elections, then why is it not the case when an opposition candidate wins?
How exactly did Bobi wine win the election if the junta was in control of the process? This is aptly described as selective amnesia – a habit of only remembering issues that support ones narrative.
The contradictions are telling. Are these the people Ugandans want in charge? Those incapable of respecting the basic tenants of our constitution that aptly says, power belongs to the people. Is it not the same people who voted for the sitting government? Is their a Uganda different from the one that doesn’t support their cause?
Why else would a foreigner be expected to advocate for our interests? Don’t the people of Uganda have a choice over who they choose to lead them?
Ugandan government has built strong criminal justice systems and Democratic structures to ensure law and order. This request for international intervention in a simple issue is undermining of the integrity of these systems moreover coming from a sitting legislator with powers to intervene personally.
If Bobi Wine is indeed interested in seeing a structurally strong democratic political system, he would instead advocate for their strengthening.
His lawyer Robert Amsterdam is an international lobbyist willing to do the dirty work for whoever is willing to meet his costs. Why would Bobi Wine a perceived people’s person, advocate for undemocratic action to be taken against his own country?
We need to look beneath the veneer of lies that these agents of western imperialist proclaiming to be holier than holy are parading before the inter
