Opinions
Dr Yusuf Sserunkuma: Only The Termites Knew King Solomon Had Died Long Ago
In the Islamic tradition, we are told about the story of Prophet Sulaiman (King Solomon in the Christian tradition) whom the Almighty God had given immense powers and capabilities.
He was tyrannical with his powers but simply blessed. Not only did he speak the language of insects, animals and birds, but he also had spirits (the jinns) labouring for him. But death met King Solomon while he was standing upright, holding his staff over seeing the jinns that were working his farm.
His dead body remained upright, and the spirits continued labouring, believing the king was watching them. For days, maybe months, they laboured on. It was only after the termites ate away his staff – sort of a walking stick – and his body fell that the spirits realised the king had died a long time ago.
Yoweri Museveni is no King Solomon. But it appears that Uganda is in a situation of the king’s death while his body remains standing upright. Our ‘King Solomon’ even continues to walk like those characters in the movies.
The spirits are still working – although not for him in this case but stealing and committing crimes in his name, thinking the man is still alive for their protection. What is becoming more apparent, however, is that the worms and termites have not finished their job – for the spirits and us wananchi will take time to know.
Look, at one point: Museveni appears to be in charge of the country. But then not really in charge at the same time. Because, after some 40 years, the country – and even Museveni’s loyal supporters – is familiar with his game of denials and clandestine dangerousness.
His son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, that he made chief of the Defense Forces (CDF), appears to be calling the shots, overrunning every institution from the judiciary, parliament, to the police force. But he then appears not to be in charge and tells the country that he, too, has to wait for instructions from his father.
But then his actions clearly compromise his father’s interests. While it might be true that Museveni is fully aware of his son’s dangerous escalation, it is visible that the entire house is out of joint.
Museveni might only be standing upright but held in place by a walking stick. That the former CDF, Gen David Muhoozi – now minister for Internal Affairs – finds himself openly disagreeing with the current CDF is a tale-tale sign that the centre can no longer hold.
That even NRM diehards, spokespeople (such as Emmanuel Ddombo, Afande Fred Enanga, Maj. Gen Felix Kulayigye) and renown surrogates find themselves speechless at their boss’ dangerous boisterousness is telling enough.
BEATING THE DRUMS OF GENOCIDE
To folks in the armed forces – especially folks inside SFC, and directly under Afande Kainerugaba – it seems unthinkable that Ugandans are capable of revolutionary action. To them, we seem thoroughly emasculated.
If they have not bought us off like our colleagues in parliament, they have thoroughly threatened us with drones and torture. This explains their confidence to ask: “what will you do?”
It could come off as one of those crude jokes, but Muhoozi Kainerugaba might struggle to understand how genocidal his tweet with a tortured picture of Bobi Wine’s longtime bodyguard, Eddie Mutwe is.
Unbeknownst to him, the sentence, “He is in my basement. Learning Runyankore,” labels and classifies Runyankore as the language of the oppressor. I know, many wonderful ethnic Banyankore have been equally emasculated and marginalised by Muhoozi’s father’s government – and many are at the forefront in the struggle for a better Uganda.
But the problem with actions of powerful individuals (kings, queens, generals, etc.) is that they tend, by default, to represent entire constituencies. If the Mabira forest protests of 2009 could be taken as the example, where all Indians became a target of violence because of the actions of a single sugar factory, Muhoozi should have known that Runyankore is a language of a community.
This is the stereotype that Kiswahili suffered in Uganda.
THE POET ON THE OTHER SIDE
It is a sad fact that revolutions, on the specifi c issue of mobilisation, are like genocides: All must have their poets: the poets craft opinions and slogans around which a revolution or genocide is executed.
In what appears to be not too distant threat for Uganda, while the one beating the drums of genocide in this context is Museveni’s son, and the poet on the opposite side is the NUP President, Hon. Bobi Wine. (It used to be Dr Kizza Besigye who actually did a wonderful job keeping Uganda together for the last 20 years despite all provocations).
Responding to Muhoozi’s tweet, it was impressive listening to Bobi Wine during an online conversation stressing the point that Museveni’s son was conscripting innocent Banyankore speakers in his crimes.
This point was well articulated – and it might have to be emphasised when the spirits and wretches realise the king died a long time ago.
But if our ‘King Solomon’ is not simply a walking spirit himself, there are things he ought to do immediately: Painfully, he has to demote his son from the position of CDF, and or throw him in jail.
He is too risky: out of sheer excitement and bravado, Muhoozi might send drones to pick up Bobi Wine (Is he not, NUP foot-soldier 001?). Next thing, he could be sending drones to pick up the Katikkiro Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga – just for the show of power.
yusufkajura@gmail.com The author is a political theorist based at Makerere University
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