From a darling of the West to a pariah state in two decades

On Thursday, June 19, 2014, the US government dropped a bombshell on its erstwhile premier ally in the Great Lakes Region whose full impact and repercussions are yet to emerge. According to the Saturday Monitor of June 21, 2014, the spokesperson of the US National Security Council, Caitlin Hayden, announced new measures which are intended to “further reinforce our support for human rights of all Ugandans, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity”. She added that the US Department of State, i.e. the US Foreign Ministry, would take measures to prevent entry into USA of certain unnamed Ugandan officials involved in serious human rights abuses. The spokesperson also announced that “the US will take steps, consistent with current authorities, to prevent entry into the US by Ugandans who are found responsible for significant public corruption”. That in effect means the vast majority of the NRM regime’s ruling class! In a related development, the White House announced cancellation of aid to Uganda and redirecting of funds earmarked for programmes intended to assist Uganda Police Force, Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Institute. Despite the brave face they put on, the NRM regime’s spokesmen and spin doctors were at pains to explain the dilemma and they resorted to using all sorts of tricks to limit the enormous damage which the US decision has done to the economy and image of Uganda. They have downplayed the significance of the drastic measures the US government has taken against Uganda, but in their heart of hearts they know that their corrupt regime is in hot soup and in deep trouble! Could this “breaking news” signal the end of the road for the NRM regime? Most Ugandans hope so. The anti-gay legislation was the straw which broke the camel’s back; prior to that it was the OPM scandal which rocked relations between Uganda and the EU countries. The OPM scandal showed that the NRM regime does not care about the plight of the needy, dispossessed, marginalised and vulnerable citizens of Uganda. During the period 1996 – 2003 when I regularly visited the US, especially New York, to attend meetings as a senior official and delegate to the UN General Assembly and the UN Economic and Social Council, Uganda was held in the highest esteem; only South Africa during the administration of President Nelson Mandela got equal, may be better coverage and treatment than Uganda. The Pearl of Africa was a role model for the continent during the 1990s and the first few years of the 21st Century. Uganda was the first country to qualify for debt relief under the HIPC initiative and our ABC strategy to fight the HIV/Aids pandemic was praised worldwide as a success story. Uganda was the darling of the West, the United Nations, the World Bank and virtually all international organisations. The Ugandan head of state was called “the beacon of hope” in a continent where hope was scarce and two US Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush visited our country to affirm Uganda’s rising status in Africa which made Uganda the envy of our neighbours. During those good old days, Uganda got whatever she requested and got away with many things; it was in many ways simply too good to be true! Such things do not last. Why and how did things unravel and fall apart to the miserable level Uganda is at today - more or less a pariah state feared, despised and avoided by most of our former friends? Only North Korea has remained a loyal ally of the NRM regime. Many factors have contributed to the dire and tragic situation Uganda is in today. First, arrogance of our ruling class which acts as if they know it all and do not need advice from anybody which reminds me of the saying pride goes before a fall; second, endemic and systemic corruption on a massive scale which our development partners tolerated for many years until they decided they could not take it anymore! Third, lack of compassion and empathy on the part of our leaders for their fellow citizens as exemplified by the OPM scandal. Fourth, the gross violation of the human rights of Ugandans with impunity by Uganda Police and other security organs of the NRM regime is a matter of national and international concern. Must it take a foreigner to tell our rulers that all Ugandans deserve fair and equal treatment? Fifth, Uganda’s adamant refusal to withdraw UPDF from South Sudan despite repeated appeals by IGAD and the US Secretary of State John Kerry has given the impression that our government does not believe in international cooperation to solve regional problems through negotiations.Uganda is increasingly acting like a regional power which everybody must bow down to. The culture of impunity which is rampant in Africa has infected our ruling class; whereas the poor and helpless Ugandans can put up with it, why should the US, EU and other developed countries fold their hands and simply watch as Uganda goes down the drain with their investments. With all due respect, the NRM regime should not look for scapegoats to blame for its self-inflicted wound; the regime does not, in fact, meet the minimum standards to qualify as a responsible government which puts Uganda in the category of countries like Gambia, Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe which have lost all credibility. I believe and I know Uganda can do better; Ugandans deserve good and clean leadership and the challenge for all men and women of goodwill is to rise to the occasion; we should not under-estimate our inner strength to halt and reverse the downward spiral. Our hope lies in summoning our adaptive capabilities and resolve to bring about positive change in Uganda.