I frankly apologize to the nation today, seeking their indulgence that I could do what Ofwono Opondo did if I happened to sit on the same panel with Lukwago. I am sorry I could be violent or even use vulgar words in my local language to express my anguish. The reason for all that is that violence has no monopoly and Ugandans must know. I believe and I’m convinced that something unusual happened to force a once composed, disciplined and calm debater to get off his sit and shout against another panelist. something unusual must have happened to force an ever sober Ofwono Opondo, a cadre of the movement to follow up the mayor to the park yard and beat him up. It’s on rare occasion that Opondo gets angry to that extent, something unusual must have happened. Fortunately, today the opposition have something to say, they’ve something to base on to legitimize their bad conduct, violent and unethical kind way of politicking. Today they’re at liberty to concoct all kind of stories against a comrade that lost his temper to force some manners to the member of opposition who deliberately tickled him with an intention to cause anger and perhaps win the public’s sympathy.
Why should you wet your bed and refuse to sleep in it? why should someone who preaches about heaven then fear when he is called upon to go to heaven, I mean you tell people about the good things about heaven and how it’s better than the life on earth then when heaven draws near you step back, how shall we believe your words? Wouldn’t that be hypocritical and misleading? Recently I watched one of the political talkshows which the Lord mayor participated in together with the Rubaga RCC. In his first remarks, Lukwago told the moderator that he felt disrespected and dishonored to be hosted on the same show with someone of Burora’s caliber. He said he expected to be hosted alongside the minister of Kampala or the RCC of Kampala but not Burora because to him Burora was small. It is until Captain Babu complained that Lukwago stopped. This was taken normal by viewers and nobody complained. As Lukwago made those demeaning statements Burora was quietly looking on and listening without complaining.
Who wouldn’t lose his temper to beat up Lukwago? a radical opposition politician who deliberately refused to accept defeat in Soroti East by – election but instead described it as a misnomer Even when we know that the opposition tried the best they could to win but still badly lost. For the first time NUP fronting an FDC candidate but they still fail to have enough votes to make their candidate win. it should be noted that, they had met at Makerere with different candidates in the guild presidential race and one innocent student unfortunately lost his life in a scuffle. That’s the same violence that Lukwago was carefully hatching in last night’s debate. They have since then gone mute and moved on as if nothing happened, it’s the parents of that child who will now nurse their wounds and find reasons to move on.
Lions do not eat grass but they could eat it in tough times and when it’s the only option left for them. This however does not make them cows, they remain lions. What do you do to a violent debater who openly tells lies to the public, keeps shouting in the background to interrupt you as you try to clear the air and explain the propaganda they have put across? Every penalist is given their time to make own submissions. in instances when someone keeps speaking when a colleague is giving his submission it means that the panelist is looking for conflict and deliberately causing disorder on the studios or maybe wanting to be the Only one to be heard. As a celebrated lawyer, Lukwago knows all these rules. How comes he never shouts against other lawyers during court proceedings? because he knows the penalty.
Etiquette is very vital in such situations but there are instances when emotions arise, and all you can do is to force someone to behave. I think that’s why we have prisons filled up all over the country because human beings love to be whipped even when they know what is wrong and what is right. I could do exactly what comrade Ofwono Opondo did if I was on the same show with Lukwago on Thursday night. In fact mine would look more shabby because I can’t sustain a noise maker who deliberately makes unnecessary noise to stop the public from getting my submission which would be obviously different from what he was telling lies about. His intention was to taint the victory of NRM in an undesirable image so that the public perceives it in another way. During the age limit debates in parliament, the opposition members of Parliament decided to make noise and interrupt the debate so that it doesn’t proceed, the speaker had no choice but to bring in security. This has always been the strategy of the opposition which Ugandans must know. Every time they fall to convince the public they will resort to violence and drama.
The writer is a deputy RDC Kyenjojo District.
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