UGANDA AFTER 50YEARS SINCE INDEPENDENCE

October 9th 2012 jubilee celebrations at Kololo Uhuru grounds.

October 9^th 2012.

Its Tuesday 4:00am in the morning.    

The day we had all anticipated is finally here! The mood is a mixture of nostalgia and anticipation, its a defining moment for the future of our lives as Ugandans. I personally feel unfulfilled without attending celebrations of these now 50years golden jubilee since we got independent from British colonial rule on October 9^th 1962. Happiness this day has brought is so overwhelming that I don’t seem to tire or even feel the need of food and drink to enhance my physical strength, this day is an energy in itself!

I board a taxi that rushes me to the city center, at Ben Kiwanuka Street I start walking towards Kampala road. The clock reads 5:17am and am closing in to Jinja round about. Here, I start meeting with small groups of people in various corporate outfits all headed to my destination. Together we lazily climb ourselves to the Kololo ceremonial grounds; it’s a walk to freedom we really can't rush.

At Kololo, we run into a check point mounted by the Special Forces (an elite presidential guard brigade), I flash my magical ID to a major who looks to be in-charge of the guard. He is kind and understanding, he then directs me and some other group of journalists to the entrance with buzzing walk through metal detectors and sniffer dogs.

7:00am.

Am cleared through security and minutes later am on my way to the newly built pavilion facing the parade grounds. Now, I had expected to find ushers posted in different areas ready to guide incoming guests in their official capacities to where they are supposed to be seated according to event plans, how wrong was I!....the few security operatives I could see at least are busy taking photos with their buddies and people had to seat themselves wherever they felt fit!!!!.... Hours later when crowds had already built up, then comes members of “protocol” trying in vain to relocate the already seated and very excited crowds  (mostly youth) to where they had been meant to sit. Their efforts are booed and even threatened with a nasty riot if they dare moved anyone from the pavilion!

As usual, uniform has its magic on kavuyo moments (riot scenes), special forces commandos try to force crowds into intended order but then conflicting command strikes!.....plain clothed security operatives seem to have sided with the self-imposed decisions of the crowds (actually only to win cheap favor from already unruly crowds) into staying while uniform says, “stick to the game plan”.

OBSERVATION:

        I.            While event organizers are busy arguing on protocol and procedure, each pulling stunt and rank, the crowds are watching and listening. The confusion of security (in other words, administration) is quickly interpreted as weakness thus influencing crowds into more unruly behavior.

      II.      Security and protocol people lack one thing in common, accurate communication means! They strongly relayed on mobile phones as their general mode of communication and not the efficiency of two way radios. Agents at the lower side of the stadium with tents (which were initially meant for members of the general public) had totally zero communications with their counter-parts at the upper side. So when lower tents had been full to capacity, the remnant of the crowd would be sent to the upper side without knowing there too was full to sitting capacity.

a)      This lack of coordination leaves people cris-crossing the parade grounds even after the marching parades had been already assembled!

b)      Security at the entrance too is affected by the same as they too keep sending in people to the upper side (initially reserved for government officials and special guests) without knowing status of crowd capacity at scene. So hours later, the crowd overrun security and protocol and the whole event is hijacked by hooligans mostly composed of the youth, but hey, this was the golden jubilee celebrations and all Ugandans from all social domains were invited except for opposition leaders who had been days earlier under house arrest while the rest boycotted the event.

THE JUBILEE 

50years after British colonial rule, the golden jubilee was a check point to reasons as to why we had demanded for independence.

         i.            Sovereign freedoms to supreme and independent authority over our country, abilities to make laws based on political fact but not mere ethnic segregation.

       ii.            Freedoms to social justice:

a)      Equality in distribution of wealth, labor, health care, education and other social privileges.

b)      Solidarity regardless of ethnicity, political and religious affiliations, or economic status.

c)       Respect of human rights in state and public affairs.

      iii.            Economic freedoms to all Ugandans in having equal abilities to;

a)      Free markets,

b)      Abilities to own private property and,

c)       Collective bargaining engaging trade unions with employers into negotiations to establish wage scales and various working standards.

So, it’s upon Ugandans to check themselves after these 50years of independence using the above guidelines in measuring out degree of achievement they’ve so far been able to accomplish, but mostly working out legal and peaceful means of straightening out folds and crooks along their path to total liberty. After all, power belongs to the people.

It would be so unfair and unprofessional of me as a member of the scientific community to influence end results or in this case, pick political sides as in who is right or wrong. Therefore I chose the post of an observer in order to make in-depth study into Uganda’s political phenomena.