By Lawrence Kazooba
After he served out his term in prison over corruption, Teddy Ssezi Cheeye is still too guilty and dearly wants to clear his conscience.
However, Cheeye who served as director for economic planning in Museveni’s government before he fodged receipts and used tractors to drive from region to region in his economic monitoring course of his duties, leading to his conviction, has not forgiven himself, and inside him has kicks to settle some scores.
His release from jail came with a bang before he declared he was returning to what made his Teddy Ssezi Cheeye: journalism.
True to his word, his first magazine issue is out. It is largely his personal feelings and wondering thoughts about what was happening in the country while he was away.
Unfortunately, Cheeye’s “While I was Away” diary reveals how Uganda has moved on…and the ex convict still has a lot to catch up.
The Uganda Confidential magazine leads with his usual punching bags, going for articles “Mutebile wrong to oppose plan to print money”, and adds other titles such as why he is not surprised with Crane Bank collapse, plus belittling Museveni’s ideological orientation as well as penning his prison memoirs in a manner portraying his down but not out attitude.
In all honesty, Cheeye’s bitterness is seen through. He still feels betrayed by who he called his friends, and how prison time was a lost treasure that he cannot rescue from the dungeon of history.
Publishing is of course Cheeye’s first resort, though he’ll soon realize the odds against publishing hardpaper.
But he has an opportunity to publish hard hitting articles, as long as it’s better than content of his first post prison issue. That would attract some curious readers who might find pleasure in reading Cheeye’s frustrations.
