Opinion: Teargassing the Mbogo clan meeting was a big mistake that will be costly

I taught at a university and wrote and presented some theological articles at theological fora. My students loved me so much and yet I pushed them the most to earn their grades. I did not last long enough in the School of theology to publish in theological journals but may be I shall return and do that some day in the future given that my heart remains there. Thankfully through before I left I caught the concept of “peer review’ very common is scholarly circles.

“Peer review refers to evaluation of scholarly work by individuals qualified to verify the validity of the work. In doing so, peer reviewers assist in ensuring the credibility and accuracy of work accepted for publication.”

I think if you are doing a public job and you want to do it well you have to invite criticism to push you to do not just better but best. That’s the very essence of “okuhaburwa” You just can’t be a nyantagambirwa and certainly not a “Timpaburwa” in public service. The biggest loser would be you.

H.E Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Museveni often loves the Luganda idiom Nantabulirirwa yasaabala bwabbumba. The legend refers to one who refused to heed the call not to sail the high seas in a clay boat! He took the unfortunate position that those who wanted him in a wooden boat cared less about him and his welfare, and that they were most probably jealous, or simply sour grapping since the ground breaking, earth moving innovation was his and not theirs.

Self-obsession is often that suicidal for sure. Off he sailed in a clay boat and he did not live long after. This ancient wisdom is meant as a word of caution.

Before I even go any further, I must insist that I am not under any illusion that those that are already negative towards reproach will benefit from this wisdom. Wisdom being that ability to act in ways whose consequences avert chaos, resolving contexts or transforming them.

I then ask of those running the affairs of this state, who told them that whoever has an alternative way of doing what they do is one that hates them?

On what grounds do these imagine that everyone that offers alternative ideas of how to deal with policing or public administration is one that wants them gone! If they heeded to what we share and things got better who would take the praise?

Why not take the ideas of those of us for instance who have no interest in your jobs? Are we not here to make your jobs easier? In the long run yes.

We are not Cameroonians or Ghanaians. Do we look like Guatemalans? We all wish this nation well that why we advise. Any married man would know that its time what I am about to say. When she is still interested in the union she will be critical of the goings on. When she gives up and checks out, even when she still lives with you, she keeps quiet and lets things go on as they will. That is dangerous for the union. Is this what you wish?

I can scarcely understand how and why you would tear gas a religious gathering at a cultural site…The implications of this are huge and grave. Even if it were true, that the meeting did not follow the POMA and SOPs it’s a religious meeting for crying out loud. Tear-gassing nuns and priests later on cultural heavy weights has serious implications! How do your children go back to school to share the same class rooms with their peers as children of a dad that tear gassed religious leaders?

https://nilepost.co.ug/2020/10/20/igp-ochola-apologises-for-police-firing-teargas-during-clan-meeting/

There is the law and then more importantly the intention of the law otherwise known as the spirit of the law. You are best off knowing what the lawgiver and maker had in mind. Was the unfortunate history of Kayunga not lesson enough? The people of these parts have ways of dealing with pain. The simply keep quiet and resolve to “leave you alone”. When they do that, you may not know, but you never last.

They then decide what to do next. Before they do that, they start speaking in their idioms and allegories talking of how to manage the interim and what never to do again and what will happen beyond you!  The Uganda police force, and by extension government, is walking a very tight rope here.

Right after a video of an officer (RIP) who beat up an old woman went viral prompting those alive to look for the old woman and offer a full apology, those wearing its uniform go tear-gassing nuns and priests. Well an apology has come but who takes these apologies seriously when this is not the last reckless action?

I am of the view that we can have a better history than this. For no reason other than this one that because this was in Buganda let me borrow from the wisdom we found here as we were being hosted, “ekizimbya omuweesi ku kkubo kulagirirwa” loosly translated that: the one reason why a smith builds along the road side is to benefit from free information”. This is the essence of public jobs. There is a working assumption that those that hold them in public trust will realize that they will take all the credit even when they accept to be advised by the masses. I do not know who you are but it does help if you do not do what I see often these days.

Governments gone by behaved as if they begun this idea of running a nation Ugandan. They were warned of the “Luweero bush boys” but they laughed in scorn as the Luweero boys won over the hearts of many. The end was what we all know. I now see the Obote syndrome returning to haunt us.

Uganda is very kind, you grow arrogance defending wrong these Ugandans will sit, look at you, because they know you will be the next in the long line of those on the rubbish hip of our not so good history.

We continue to believe here that we invest time in criticism because we want people to do better and when they do so we also well. We shall see you soon. Hoping against hope that this one will help you in your service to Ugandans. Mwanawe kyarenga…