There have been Reports that someone who served Uganda as Resident District Commissioner collapsed and got hospitalised on getting news he was not re-appointed. Whereas I believe this report was grossly exaggerated, the rate at which the story spread, is a reflection that Ugandans love controversy and a storm in their tea cup.
In speaking about the collapsed ‘RDC’, assuming it really happened and weighing from a few voices that keep saying that the Presidential appointments were imbalanced and insensitive, it would be good to borrow a leaf from practices of some successful political parties at building cohesion in their ranks.
A good party deserves members and especially their leaders, who can control their ambition. It is an art to exercise stoicism in the face of a burning matter – and also subdue one’s appetite for positions, power and other ambitions.
I want to believe that unknown to many people, the RDC in question was not disappointed because he knew from his contract that anytime he would leave his post – at the President’s pleasure. That is the president’s prerogative. Nevertheless, he is a man who should feel that he served his country diligently when he had the opportunity.
And maybe this is why NRM keep learning from the Chinese Community Party or Chama Cha Mapenduzi (CCM) in Tanzania – since it is values and culture of the party in which their members and leaders grow and nurtured, that eventually builds committed cadres to the cause, rather than who is leading the cause.
Whereas NRM still enjoys majority support of Ugandans, unfortunately, the NRM party members need to pay more attention to the ideology President Museveni preaches. The President has a population of 45 million he leads. From the same population, he has authority to pick on anyone he believes can support the cause of making Uganda a better country.
President Museveni’s announcement of the long awaited Resident District/City Commissioners, follows appointments of ministers, ambassadors, permanent secretaries, etc who he believes can use these opportunities to galvanise the support of all Ugandans to emerge from the downsizes following Covid-19 pandemic, now the war in Ukraine is also slowing down the progress the country should be moving, as well as the conflicts in the neighbouring countries particularly, DR Congo, among other challenges Uganda must emerge from.
This is where the secretariat of NRM comes in – to do more ideological orientation for its leaders – so that they don’t rock the boat unnecessarily. To always focus on the mission at hand and support those wearing the arms-band since not everyone can be captain at the same time.
New RDCs should work with NRM secretariat to create work plans for monitoring and implementation of the NRM manifesto as they pursue government programs execution by local governments.
Unfortunately – the cancer of looking at people in positions, and not the mission at hand – creates a crop of self-seekers at the expense of the whole party or country.
Hearing some people attack Presidency Minister, Milly Babalanda and other State House staff over RDC appointments, is a reminder to the party and government that mind-set change should be deliberately popularised across the spectrum.
If the party believes that the work of RDCs is critical to their government’s service delivery, then, consensus should be reached on what RDCs and RCCs should be doing in the next four years to ensure the party’s manifesto is reflected in the various local governments of their jurisdiction – and not create unnecessary discontent on persons in this or that service. Ultimately, everyone has their own time.
What makes China’s Communist Party special is that such an announcement would not have made any news. Why? They know that at every point in time there are leaders entrusted with a mission to serve the party and by extension, the China republic. Everyone will patiently wait for their time – meanwhile, they work hard to serve their party and country.
That sense of duty to party and country is still lacking in Uganda – especially among the elites. If you are not elected or appointed, it is prudent to wait for another round – join hands with those entrusted with the duties to make a better country for everyone. This is what good leaders do.
As long as Ugandans still cry for ‘our people’ or fuel sectarian sentiments – we shall not be doing ourselves any good. Otherwise how can NRM party members be debating and throwing tantrums at their party chairman or his staff for appointments made a week ago! Instead they should be looking in the future and task the party to assign work that builds a more united, transformed and prosperous country for the glory of the party, country and God.
Not everyone will lead at same time. At some point, guards change, and someone has to take the position until another round is called. If it is not your turn, wait. That is fair play. That is how we can win together.
The few voices blackmailing the President or NRM party over the recent appointments should instead show traits of leadership by restraining themselves. Instead, line up behind the entrusted comrades – to drive a broader agenda.
In the same breath, there is a story worthy of celebration. Only in Uganda is an announcement made that a man had risen from Village Chairman (LC1) to Deputy RDC – and not be celebrated. Elsewhere such a man should be a national hero. One whose story can inspire a country. Similar stories should have attracted lots of good will and acclaim if this was in America or Europe or in the Asians Tigers.
I have read the Ugandan version of the story – and the former chairman should be hiding from people – because his story has been poorly told. It is naysayers spinning it not to be inspiring to the majority of Ugandans who seek a breakthrough in life. If office attendants become mayors of big cities in the Western countries. Or actors becoming presidents – like is the case of Ukraine where the president is an actor and mayor of the capital city a boxer!
Why not an NRM story of rags to riches, underdog to heroes, poor to riches, etc – which should be used to inspire children and youth not to disparage humble beginnings.
Such a story should rally the NRM as the common’s party, which gives opportunity for everyone – to rise through the structures – despite their background.
It is stories like the recently witnessed history as two former opposition stalwarts cruised through the Speakership of the Parliament of Uganda. Only NRM can do that. Maybe even the Forum for Democratic Change who opened their door to Erias Lukwago who was a long-term admirer of one of the party leaders.
It is that important to highlight that anyone can serve his or her country. However, it is even more important that people serve according to the mission at hand. Like a good team manager should do, it is important that the coach picks the team to finish a game at time. In the mind of the appointing authority, the people who graced the list were the most appropriate. Why quarrel that you are not one of them?
Certainly, only a keen eye and mind of the Ugandan leader can identify with people of such walks of life – who I see in the list of new and old RDCs/RCC.
It should not be forgotten that despite the national mood being in mourning Speaker Jacob Oulanyah, still thousands of people celebrated the appointment of different leaders to the offices of RDCs/RCCs because they felt they were deserving. And certainly, they will play their part to serve like those before them, and others to follow in the future.
Party mobilisers who are into complaining and trading counter accusations on why they were most deserving and missed out, should reflect on the fact that service comes in all shades – and most good leaders don’t have titles.
Uganda will win when the mindset of servants of the party or supporters of leaders display traits which contribute to Unity, strength, cohesion and transformational agenda of Uganda. Mobilisers need not be broken-hearted.
President Museveni, who has millions of supporters, has always come out to preach about the party’s mission. The president has also correctly identified lack of ideological orientation as one of the stumbling blocks in the path of Africa’s development. Yet it is those who aspire to lead or those with the chance to lead, who should show the president’s call in action. This will demystify the allegations that those in NRM are there only to ‘eat’ and not to serve Ugandans. Otherwise why would anyone collapse or threaten to quit the party because their name is not on the list of appointments!
Mr Museveni, who prefers to identify himself as a revolutionary, has argued that being mission-led is different from careerism. A party of revolutionaries fight to ensure their objectives are met, and look for good commanders. The question is not about who seeks jobs or contracts – but work being done.
Ideological orientation, or what it called Mindset Change – in the recent Parish Development Model literature is needed – as Uganda embarks on selling its own success stories to itself and to the world – a story of rising from despair to one of the most flourishing democracies on the continent. This comes with giving everyone an equal chance to live or lead.
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