ASHRAF SIMWOGERERE: Any good leader should never put his immediate family in danger

I DON’T know how many of you have watched that film “AIR FORCE ONE”, by Harison Ford?. The official plane of the American president is called, ‘Air Force One’. In the film, the plane is hijacked when the President and his family are on board.

The hijackers wanted their leader, who was in a Russian maximum prison to be released. He could only be released by the order from the US president. The president was in their hands. The American don’t negotiate with terrorists. The president had refused to give the order after all the threats from the terrorists. Even the point of the gun on his head couldn’t break him.

Not until the terrorist grabbed his (president) daughter, pointed the gun at her head and started counting up to 3. This broke him down and he gave in……

Any good leader, popular or notorious should never put his immediate family in danger. Especially when the danger gradually develops. The enemy may easily break the will of a strong leader once the leader’s family is put at stake.

During the Luwero war, Mr Museveni DIDN’T leave his family here nor did he trust Tanzania or Kenya. But he took his family to Europe in Sweden. He continued to lead the war when at peace.

I’ve seen many people criticizing Hon Kyagulanyi for taking his family out of the country. For me I praise whoever advised him. And I agree with his wise decision to take away his family.

After tear gassing, beating, killing, and imprisonment of his close associates, Kyagulanyi has remained strong though heart broken inwardly. The other day I saw him almost alone in Namisindwa. His associates are either in prison, dead, or bed ridden.

Everybody will blame Hon Kyagulanyi once anything happens to his family. That he saw that coming and he focused on the struggle living his family in danger. Securing his family is a sign of a good leader. Always family first.

In Uganda today no body can be trusted with a family. That is why president Museveni took his daughter outside Uganda for a nomal delivery.

I have been imagining the trauma Kyagulanyi’s family members have been going through. Seeing your dad leaving the house in a bullet proof jacket, and coming back in the evening with bad news of torture, and deaths of his friends. Haaa, those boys and girls have suffered. Uganda isn’t a safe place for them. To clarify more Kyagulanyi and family are no longer ordinary people anything that happens to them affects the country.

That is why you see all the security around him. Its not only to prevent his rallies but to keep him safe too. Somebody can act stupid and shoot at him. I don’t want to think about the effect. What about his family.

So please let the family of the leader leave. They left through the front door – Airport, and not some obscure backdoor.

Hajj Sim.