A number of commentators have come out to criticize the Africa Kwetu Walk by president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni claiming that it is a wastage of tax payers money among other flimsy reasons.
However, most of this criticism appears to be more personal than ideological and ignores the major motivation of the walk and how this revision of our history is important and relevant in our current sociopolitical setting as a nation.
The walk is an important reminder to the sacrifices many Ugandans made to the liberation of this country. This is relevant at a time when many Ugandans especially the Youth that were born after the war have been misled ideologically by political opportunists. These claim and wish that this part of our history be forgotten since it is irrelevant to our present day challenges. This cannot be further from the truth given the levels of ideological corruption that exists withing the major political players in the country.
Politicians like Bobi Wine have been heard on international media houses claim that Uganda needs to become ungovernable for them to become leaders today. However, they can only make these claims and allegations under a political climate that was fought for by past generations. Any attempt to white wash their achievements would be a gross injustice to the efforts of thousands of Ugandans who had to fight the dictatorships of the past that had stifled democracy in this country.
The Walk also serves as a means of remembrance and appreciation for those that still remain with us especially those communities that live in the affected communities. These too are citizens of Uganda and tax payers at that. If a project is geared towards the benefit of these communities, who are these critics to stop them from enjoying from the fruits of their sacrifices.
Rather than fight such initiatives, critics need to study these initiatives and rather than bash and dismiss them, they could also suggest new ways through which the communities can best benefit and ways through which the current generation and future generations can appreciate what sacrifice can do for the nation. Some participants have suggested that, “I suppose the leadership is going to make this an annual event especially for young people. Next time, I am sure we shall go to the north, west and east because this war was fought throughout the country. It will unite all young people“.
