By Fortunate Ahimbisibwe
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” (Edmund Burke)
It is not in doubt that a lot of people at home and abroad now see President Museveni as an autocratic leader who is hanging on to power at whatever cost.
Whoever comes foward to remove him will be seen as a liberator. Museveni, formerly a charismatic leader liberated the country from anarchy and blamed problems of Africa on leaders who overstay in power.
When he made good his threat against former President Milton Obote, that he would go to the bush if elections were rigged. The country saw in him a liberator and many people supported his struggle.
However, when he started practising what past regimes did, the liberator status has been waning, more so after 33 years in power and still counting and a failure to show an exit strategy which is a hallmark for any democracy. Noone can rule forever except in a monarchy.
Kiiza Besigye after three unsuccessful attempts seems unable to remove M7. Thats why #PeoplePower has emerged as a new vibrant force to change the country’s leadership.
But while the so called intellectuals have been massaging the leopard and the regime that is increasingly intorelant to opposition, Bobi Wine stepped fowarded and faced the bull by its horns. Using his music and now his position as MP, he told off the President in very clear language that M7 is too old and should to pave way for the young people.
Bobi Wine said many things that people have been shy to talk about. That is why he is facing the wrath that he was subjected to.
To be seen as a liberator, one must put himself on the line to face the dictatorship. Museveni did this in the past. Bobi Wine has done this and thats what it takes to be a leader. To be in position to confidently say things that people are shy to talk about. To speak the truth as you see it. The intellectuals only come out to criticize him about his past and his capability to speak good English. My view is that this is immaterial.
Although Bobi Wine has not declared his intentions to stand for the Presidency, he has made it clear that its time for the youth to mobilise and remove M7.
Bobi Wine says the current regime is benefiting a few people. While the rest of the population is starving with poor service delivery, some people are enjoying the taxpayers money with their immediate families.
While the learned people have taken up jobs in Government and are busy accumulating wealth, Bobi Wine who represents the ordinary citizens (Ghetto people) are struggling to pay fees, pay medical bills and sustain themselves and families on a high cost of living, unemployment etc.
According to UBOS, at least nine in every 10 Ugandan youth who have completed any form of education are unemployed
Uganda has 42 Million people.
32.8 Million people of that population are youth (below 35yrs). 27,224,000 Million people of the 32.8M youth are unemployed. This means only 5,576,000 youth are employed.
Only 24% (1,338,340) people of the 5,576,000 employed youth earn a monthly salary.
The intellectuals can continue yapping about Bobi Wine being inexperienced and not able to articulate issues, but he has many people on his side. And in politics, its the numbers that matter.
Youth in Uganda are the youngest population in the world, with 77 per cent of its population being under 30 years of age. There are about 7,310,386 youth from the ages of 15–24 years living in Uganda.
Remember out of the 15.6m registered voters, Museveni only managed to get 5.6m votes in 2016, an indication that with proper mobilisation, he can be defeated.
And I am sure he is aware of this challenge that his popularity has been declining.
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Mr. Fortunate Ahimbisibwe is a seasoned Kampala journalist currently on a sabbatical to the UK
