Friendship…

    Friendship…

Developing the simple Thinking perception

With Sam Mwaka-karama

Question and Answer

What is friendship?

Friendship is closeness between two people [or more] with liking of each-other as the binding element that keeps them close.

Can friendship also harbor love between the two [or more] people?

Yes! Friendship can also harbor love (like a ship docks at the port) but the [love] becomes a third party; because friendship between two persons [or among people] who like each-other has enough binding element.

That makes [the import of love] third party… because with or without it friendship can still survive and goes-on between the two [or more people].

So what is a harbored [or docked] third party love then?

Harbored [or docked] love becomes the ‘innocent attraction’ factor; like the flower was there and the butterfly got attracted to it! Or the nectar was there and the bee got attracted to it (that is love! Which is different from; [the milk was there and the fly landed on it] that is not love! Because much as the milk which is the fundamental product and substance of love [the fly who is always attracted to milk – does not represent or produce substances of love… like a bee or butterfly].

Now if friendship between two [or more] people “has enough binding element” to it – which automatically relegates [innocent attraction] to third party love, then where does that leave ‘God love’?

‘God love’ is inspirational feeling! It has or represents no physical substantive element… so that [God love] is actually [housed] in celibacy of the mind and soul – parental love.

How so - explain?

‘God love’ is here equitable to ‘parental love’ because it is expressed to the child in a depreciative manner… it is intense at birth and progressively depreciates as the kids grow-up, become adult and eventually a parent... Parents are supposed to progressively and slowly change their love [of their own children] so that it become liking of their children as they grow older; which is why if you [a child] went wrong, your parent told you that it was wrong to do this or that – but her/his words becomes progressively harder [with the use of sticks or cane or insult] as the children grow bigger and older.

Why must ‘parental love’ [God love] eventually change as the children grow older?

Because a child growing older [in the physical world] needs strength [faith] to eventually be cast-off his/her parents to survive on their own – and maintain a distant but [faithful and constantly linked] relationship with their aging parents [you]; you are physically [cast-off your parents] and gain attraction [friendship and maybe love] and attachment [by faith or maybe love] to your partner/spouse where you are supposed to be survived also by another generation [kids of your own].

Your responsibility to your kids is giving them cultural [language] teachings, sense of direction, education and attachment to their roots [before demise of the grand-parents]. That is the norm worldwide.

A parent who betrays his/her partner/spouse creates disability in this process: Better a family thrown asunder by an act of war or natural disaster, than a family torn-apart by the misdirection of a jilted parent’s teachings…      

So when is a person really free – if you must maintain link with your parents at the same time?

“Freedom” per-say does not actually exist… but your attachment to your kind is your life heritage – which is why birds of the same feathers flock together – but then crossing the cultural [or racial] line is also a natural aspect of life, but it might become a [curse] if it causes you to [hate] your parents or shun your roots… living in [self] curse is the problem.

If you crossed the racial line and discovered that your partner/spouse [hates your kind, parents or your roots] then you risk becoming a [slave] locked-up inside an open sourly, infective and eventually festering ‘concentration camp’! If it is your destiny to live that sort of life… then it is your misfortune! Your Karma!

But there is also an element of personality [rooted in faith… “I leave you my faith”] should tell you that; you can pull yourself out of that open prison and seek adventure instead of the cocoon-ism of slavery; you always have a choice. But then again; ‘choice’ is also often subjugated by fear [and ignorance].

No! It is not that you [don’t like this] or [you don’t like that] - it is ‘fear’ and outright ‘ignorance’ that defeated [you].

The writer is an Independent Thinker, Author and Blogger

mwakarama@gmail.com            

Neo-Imperialism and the future Africa

Sam Mwaka-karama

Initially this article was written for World Press Freedom day – I had been thinking of what to share on that fine day. Fine day because it reminds us especially we Africans living on the mother continent; that freedom needs be guarded! Your freedom is valid only as far as you were free to practice in whatever you did without undue state control, all comer hindrances and worst;  peddled malicious foreign ‘influences’ that drag your thinking and actions contra to your legitimate  African journey… was to me the sort of banter to guard against.

In the process of wanting that fairer moments, waiting for what befitting topical moments that never came, I had shelved this article… and did not want to publish its original version because [press freedom day had passed] amid too much chaff and  gamely repartee coming off our parliament (with the four NRM rebel MPs) making the waters of debate even murkier and dialectic with over simplification and gross misunderstanding… the level of reason had suddenly dropped – this article would not blend but instead stick-out or some newspaper editor friends of mine won’t run it either, so I held back on my article, and later re-wrote it for my blog.    

The wider world media thinking was largely developed on the theory that the Press and the media at large watch-dogged upon activities of the state; reported on political, economic, security and generally national issues and happenings with the premise that the State was the leading villainous player and often the culprit… the lopsided debate on ‘freedom of the press’ would therefore be therein anchored. It is syndicated reason; press freedom was from the state - full stop.

However little was often considered when the press encountered hindrances that weren’t exactly state triggered – there are organizations for example that often threaten or even take the press or individual members of the press to court, or even dish-out covert silent sub-terrarium punishment to journalists and editors; or taking advantage of the ‘Libel’ legislature to subdue press objectivity or using other sinister covert means. The difficulty and deprivation of individual pressmen often too, emanate from the free corporate world.

In Uganda this has reached a point where the press is largely endowed with everything tilted to rubbishing the state and government, while creating high-profile imagery of the largely foreign organizations in play: my typical example is; the Oil companies that have been on the front pages of Uganda’s newspapers like Tallow, were still respectably nibbled by the press… even as they [talked of then apologized] for ‘attempting to induce’ a whole presidency for a token… this though was the only time a little bit of teeth showed from the Ugandan press towards a corporate – a softly little bit of teeth – not the sort our press offensive that often chewed-up the state!

What I believe is in the stoical horizon though is the ‘menacing and growling’ of the Neo-Imperial types impatiently waiting for the older generation Africans to depart:  imagine the Mandelas, Mugabes, Musevenis, and Kagames generation of African leaders gone… the younger generation of our sons and daughters obviously won’t manage! At least the stakes are getting stacked too-high against younger generation leadership…

We the older generation now mellowing  have created room for the imperialists in our countries and these fellows love chaos, challenges and wrangle  – it is already evident for example that the many-many NGOs focused on child-everything are here to develop all these “Watotos” for their future control of Africa.

A much larger area of the future of Africa is already occupied by an infant generation they have created out of Africa’s war displacements, orphans, and disadvantaged they have already picked and established contact with... I don’t want to talk about the ones they are preempting; ‘nodding disease’ types and the premature departed who are all victims of queer-ism and devious sex-clinico-mal-practices. Even the Viagra teenage [emergency] red-sex-pest-stampede…

We were celebrating ‘World Press Freedom’ and we were all of the thinking that the freedom was ‘all about love’ –  but then more and more that ‘love’ seem alien even remote; either it is love of religion [God], love in the corporate sense [which is corrosive and often corruptible] or love of imported views and theories. It is not! It is all about objectivity and owning one’s own mind, and not selling your soul.  

Being yourself. Respecting foreigners at harms-length. Jealously guarding your economy and good institutions and generally being aware and on-guard… much as the Walk-to-Work and other elements of the greater reform agenda battled the teargas canisters [for example] – it was wiser to go it several steps shorter than the levels of the Arab Springs. We are Ugandans and we do have our own characteristics – there is a point over which we won’t go on our streets.

Now barely two years down the road… from spring one, the sudden removal of Mohammad Morsi in Egypt so soon after his election confirms that ‘spring revolution’ usurps national power once and for all – the spring-crowd will stone their way into removing any leaders after leaders - once it succeeds a country becomes paralyzed and permanently vulnerable. That crowd is the ultimate mob – whatever it’s religious, political or economic group thinking - its actions once established will recur, again and again. Look at Egypt now [July 2013], so soon after the first spring, the mob came back and ejected Morsi.    

I was recently walking into the Oasis Mall in Kampala – and there was a lone white man about 36 seated with African Ugandan kids; one boy and three girls (12-14/15) – everything about the children was village, actually up country village. Shortly, a waiter arrived with massive plates of grilled chicken and chips, and smiling she looked plain stricken placing the plates on table: to me her point of embarrassment was; these were not the usual children of well-to-do Kampalans - these kids were plain and very much village.

In the 1970s/80s – white Europeans and American tourists did the same in the [Tourist Marrakesh markets] of North Africa. The Marrakesh Market kids are energetic young men today, they are the brothers or other groups – but a child impressed at an early age won’t ever forget… is this another psychological element of Neo-Imperialism? Are we seeing a future being snatched away – and actually we are aiding the process…?

The Author is an Independent Thinker, Writer and Blogger

mwakarama@gmail.com

Are colonial Kenya laws affecting business?

The real issues… [Last year 2012 article rejected by Daily Monitor – as sensitive material]

Are colonial Kenya laws affecting business?

Sam Mwaka-karama

Debatable recent events emanating from the Mombasa Port Authority actions; stepping-up port charges on cargo haulage – triggers questions as to whether Kenya’s industry protection laws that stem from ancient statutes of British colonialist legislature are the devises actually affecting economic progress in Kenya and, sending Kenyan businesses to set-up import shops in Uganda.

The run-away Kenyan companies now registering and setting-up in Uganda, need the front shops here in Kampala  and indeed Ugandan towns generally, so as to take advantage of both the EAC economic union principles and Uganda’s liberal import and export policies; they, the Kenyan companies also again take advantage of the clearly unfair and ill-formulated exchange rates between Kenya shillings and Uganda shillings (Most Ugandans ‘wa-ordinary’ have never actually understood the basis for the ill-balanced exchange rate between Uganda and Kenya).

The Kenyans utilize the (20+ to 1) money-rates advantage (on capital transfer) and utilize Uganda’s free import trade atmosphere to greater advantage over Ugandan companies…  for direct import of goods from countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and other ASEA countries some of who [seem to] have no preferential trade pacts with Kenya.

The goods imported by the Kenya companies through Mombasa as transit goods to Kampala… wind-up re-exported to Kenya on new EAC tariffs [before the ‘free-tariffs’ latest terms came in force] updating customs regulations, which are principally favorable between the member states of East Africa. But more and more eventually disadvantageous to Uganda!

First of all – goods from overseas countries that have no preferential trade treaties with Kenya… eventually accepted into Kenya as re-exports by Kenya companies based in Uganda, negates the very existence of the ancient protectionist laws… if you don’t accept certain category of direct imports, why should you accept - the same - as second country re-export under EAC? 

As a result Kenya has become a rather heavy burden on our country – considering fact that all the imports paid for through Uganda’s exchange control foreign trade rates, made by Kenya companies based in Uganda, have to re-export to Kenya – nearly at zero tariff under the EAC.

In Tea Export - Kenya has imposed at the port of Mombasa for decades upon decades – a tea auction system, where Uganda’s tea has always been trapped, declared as of low quality and bought by auction to obviously be later repacked as “Blended” Kenya Tea.

Again and again - considering exchange rates that are perennially disadvantageous to Uganda against Kenya shillings – it is debatable if the economics, at the end of the day, might not work-out burdening Uganda economy instead. In practical terms, the capital markets fiscal rates and finances might look to the economists very much balanced and desperately competitive – but we Ugandans might still yawn due to sapped strength.

Even bad as the Kenya import policy is biased towards protecting the mostly British and American or European founded industries and other Investments (that might in this age and times have majority share holders from the Arab World or Asia etcetera) play a modern game by ancient rules since Central Bank of Kenya is as well still said to be largely rooted in the 1980s restrictive ‘Exchange Control’ – with very limited and actually tourism rated ‘Bureau de Change’ system still reputed to be in force.

Liberalization of exchange control

Uganda started its liberalization of the foreign exchange system way back in the early 1980s, when the ‘Obote 2’ government introduced the “window two” all bidders foreign exchange accessibility; if you wanted the (at the time) limited foreign exchange that badly, you paid more than the official rate, then termed ‘Window 1’. Some Kenyan traditionalist economists, at the time, criticized [even laughed] at Obote’s ‘window 2’ system. Whose line was never towed then by Kenya. The last three decades the Kenyans have remained rooted in the old principle – perhaps that is why Uganda shillings remain perennially disadvantaged against the Kenya shillings.

However, Obote’s ‘window 2’, became Museveni’s 1990s “Forex Bureau”. Bank of Uganda had come-up with the liberalizing policy – to move ‘window 2’ onto the streets and bazaars…

Impact of the ‘window 2’ factor was immediate way-back in the 1980s. First to benefit was Uganda Airlines, with several local travelers beefing-up its carriage to London, Bonn/Cologne, Brussels, Rome and Dubai. Ugandan traders utilizing ‘window 2’ created many businesses between those European countries and later still when Uganda Airlines opened-up the Dubai route, Ugandans boomed! Soon, a Uganda Golf team went-out and played in Dubai – Ezra Bunyenyezi, a long time renowned Travel agent owner of Uganda Travel Bureau, was billed with innovating that ground breaking Dubai golf tour, together with others including Zia Moshin, a Pakistani travel expert who was Uganda Airline representative in Dubai in the 1980s.

Museveni’s 1990s “Forex Bureau” policy that threw ‘window 2’ onto the streets, set the next phase of Uganda’s traveling trade. And there has been no looking back ever since. Uganda’s biggest problem though, has been Kenya’s internal industry protective laws… that has somehow unfairly kept Kenya’s exchange rates too high against Uganda shillings, what makes business lucrative for Kenyans based in Uganda and disadvantageous for Ugandan business men, or virtually impossible for Uganda businesses to equally flourish in Kenya – for those who might want to do business in Kenya.

For example Kenya’s products are generally more expensive in Uganda shops, than imported versions from ASEA countries – it does not make sense at that exchange rate between Uganda and Kenya shillings, to buy consumer products from Kenya sold by the trick of packaging! Like a Kenyan tooth paste tube selling at a price close to that from Indonesia or Singapore – will be smaller in size, while the packaging might look to be nearly of the same size… that is tricksterism in marketing! A tooth paste from Tanzania beats the Kenyan one in size, price and quality…

Recently Kenya’s Port Authorities have been challenged by the Kenyan importers based in Uganda who triggered that debate… otherwise those port charges rates now [which was] in debate in Kenya are killing business with the South Sudan as well and, affecting Rwanda’s businesses… one might imagine that Kenya having a much larger port should have a more friendly ports charges to the neighboring member states of the EAC, not to be seen as undermining the other members.

So that it is Uganda’s liberal import and export policies that has generally become central to the harmony of business within the region’s hub – otherwise given the uncertain status quo Kenya might have to redress much more than it might ever have imagined possible.

Kenya’s Members of Parliament are [were]said to be set to walk away with about 9Million Kenya shillings at the end of a term. That is about or a little less than 290MillionUgx equivalent - in Uganda that will buy two small three and two bedroom mansions in an estate like Akright or Kensington or even Jomayi. While in Kenya that would build not less than six three bedroom mansions…

The economics of pricing building materials in Uganda and that of Kenya are two really very different formats - Uganda economists might yet have to scratch their heads about. While the building industry is picking-up with the baby elephant strengths all over the Region, a huge bulk of the building materials originate from Kenya industries - shouldn’t Kenya now redress its colonial laws and, make life a little easier for the other neighbors also? ***

Uganda’s endless encounter with classic commission agents

Sam Mwaka-karama

To take Uganda’s economic dilemma into perspective is difficult due to land-locked implications! Mostly those who write on the various aspects and fragments of what constitute the ‘economy’, only tackle the discussions from a premise based solidly on what were the ‘norms’ of the whole matter – like, what might normally be applicable in the understanding and practices of a particular aspect of consumerism - And there are so many aspects and factors of an economy.

However, the ‘norm’ as it were might [actually] also turn-out to be what is considered practicable – in as far as ‘regulations’ and ‘guidelines’ were concerned. Critical factors might more often get construed by cosmetic analysts to mean unworkable views. Negative viewpoints or even dismissed as isolated thinking.

 In the various fields of consumerism, there is always a common denominator which in this case might be seen as commission-driven. In the more modern language deemed as ‘consultants’. The consultants are otherwise known to be commission-driven in a polished kind of way.

Yet, these more and more might actually be the driving factors that critically influence economic performances. Downwards or upwards. Simplified one might say that commission agents market their expertise on short term contracts, for a price.

In this article, I am trying to visualize as rationally and fairly as possible from outside of the [box] ethics (a white woman once commented that some of us have not experienced a [Box] of our own – so I asked – what is ‘Open Courseware?’: my experience). To sort of try and place the pointer of arguments, onto the actual problem-spots where the many-many question-marks ought to be. My theme here is critical view on ‘Classic Commission Agents’.

Classical Commission Agents  

In thinking outside the box, as it were, I would in my own words define them as [foreign] political business venture companies that commonly operate as ‘high profile’ corporate here in the third world. The classical commission agents always existed in Uganda under various names and titles or organ types.

In the 1960/70s these included trade companies fronting for the likes of ‘The Old East’ colonial founded multi-national for far East trade with East Africa or ‘The Old Mutual’ (based in Kenya) the often [cold] company that was reputed to secretly represent (then Apartheid) South Africa even in the heavily embargoed SA pre-independence years or ‘Tywensche Overseas’ the import/export company that operated under the ‘Crown Agents’ where the company enjoyed political protection status with tremendous British influence; shipping in supermarket supplies and exporting tea and coffee with questionable tax anything – if at all!

The classical commission agents were a phenomena all by themselves, in the age of ‘Multi-Nationals’ even competing with Tiny Roland’s LonRho. Actually and certainly ironically the classical commission agents in the twists and turns - exited the multi-nationals. As the World Economic Order of the 1980s and 90s were ushered-in, to be crowned by the century and millennium change over. Mercantile Trade in the third world has since shifted downwards into the hands of the myriads of the lesser even local companies. The old naturally de-functioned, while the millennium also brought about the ICT and Hi-tech to create even more complex Trans Nationals hybrid digital online companies that re-defined commission agent-ism.

The Oil Explorers

Though compared to Gabon, Uganda was [not very surprisingly] indeed, thirty plus years late to get to the point of exploiting its oil reserves – the business end mostly quagmire(ed) in dire and very blind politics – always confused by that ancient rule of the [trade] game... both Heritage and Tallow being actually white-collar  ground-breaker commission agents! To me these companies in the Oil business weren’t like Total or for that matter Shell, who are long time established oil exploration (even deep sea) and vending entities.  

Frankly stated the speculators generally and wheeler-dealers have been Uganda’s biggest problem since colonial times; being a perennial market and a most lucrative ground for financial and commodity speculation and now even oil production wheeler dealing.

Even outright big game hunters and smugglers of game trophies have curved enormous wealth in Uganda. Problem was, they, the international commission agents never left much in their wake – whenever they left Uganda.

Now Tallow’s one arbitration court case is still on in Britain [January 2013 as I wrote this article], another one has reportedly already been triggered in the USA – the revolving-door between Heritage and Tallow is classical commission agent stuff, diplomatically politicized though.

 The bottom-line is; between the two companies the take-over deal just got caught-up and entangled in the widespread tentacles of Uganda’s Direct Foreign Investment DFI and URA taxation statutes, actually the taxation cutting rather thickly into the commission...

Heller’s catch double-double! The terribly imaginative English had once upon a time designed an extra cuff and collar set out of it creating affordable executive shirts [Double Two] ‘stuffed shirts’! - So that the pinstripes and charcoal gray lawyers might sweat it out under the collar in arbitration court rooms - while the commission agents nervously wait it out.

The politicians are at each-other’s throat locally – with oil bribe money accusations - even delaying and actually postponing exploitation of the oil. It all makes no sense! Arguing over who got a bit of the revolving door money! When actually the bulk of the oil reserve is intact deep in the bowel of the Earth, waiting to be accessed, processed and sold for National Wealth and gain of individuals as well... and eventually the Ugandans at large.  

In appraising development it is often misleading to make quotation of experts in short two liner comments – explaining the ‘Norm’ of how things should be! The real life is unlike the ‘Text Book’, things often work themselves differently in reality! The ‘norm’ cannot guide you! ***

The Author is a Free Lance Writer. Book Author.

Mob: 077 7 164787 Email: mwakarama@gmail.com         

      

  

Coo-lony i Larakarama

Coo-lony i Larakaraka
George Moggi

In the stray of an eye,
the dragnet of the ample Labenu underlings
of the dancer skewed,
spreading wealth of latere
like the fisherman’s dragnet that caught
River Nile’s best tilapia.
Amuru i dog-nam, ineno Pakwack loka-ca

In the stray of an eye, igayo lamyel ki teng-wangi
The dancer gleamed with a musky oily skin,
digging her heels; now left – now right
with the drummers ullorro-bul
Scattering labenu underlings... te-pene lutaanya!
Awal o kok too-bel ki kiddi

With her thighs; now left - now right
labenu underlings of the dancer
Skewed like the dragnet of the fisherman
Spreading over the gleaming sunset
over the Nile... Amuru, ineno Pakwach loka-ca
Awal kok apyetta – bul-kok lawang dyang...
Coo-lony i larakaraka

When the tilapia danced the spinner
Round and round, again
In a spray of the ovulation of fine caviar...
Spreading wealth of latere
The dancer’s labenu underlings skewed...

As the ovulating tilapia spanned with the male a-drip...
Otigo luwaka cwer dok pig-wang – lirok-ton-tic...
Coo-lony i larakaraka –nye!

Drum-beat talks to you - Bul kok lawang dyang – Oroo dong oyec!
a wealth of hairy... ye-nya peeks-out stark and sweaty
te-pene lutaanya... tongo iri langudde – alanya!
in the stray of an eye – igayo lamyel kit teng wangi...
Coo-lony i larakaraka!

Pien ka ceng do-odonyo – Ce wek dwe dong tucci,
Langala dong rammo boo ki toyo – i dog Nile
As the sunset gleam over the Nile – at Amuru.
Coo-lony i larakaraka
***

This Millennium - is opposition still viable in Africa...?

Personal Opinion
This Millennium - is opposition still viable in Africa…?

Sam Mwaka-karama

African political opposition is slowly getting onto the think-tank chopping blocks: the questions are on the increase; how viable is this aspect of democracy anymore…? Couldn’t Africa be better-off under a unitary (intellect concentrated) and structurally all inclusive political system? What interests does opposition serve - by merely existing? Who is responsible for the maintenance costs of opposition political parties? Will opposition perennially depend on foreign and international finance benefactors? Who foots the enormous costs-bills incurred during opposition election primaries? Is an African opposition able to deliver an alternative (change) model of democracy? Significantly - what would such models be like in terms of ‘ideology and manifesto’?

Isn’t it becoming increasingly apparent that western models don’t work in Africa? Or might begin to practically falter… in the dynamics of the new Millennium?

In the socio-political curricular of most African studies, there seem to be a huge pothole in the promenade of academics here - where the identity of the African “Political Party”, is ill defined. Whatever paltry definitions often cited by anybody… are usually direct quotations from western scholars. Quotations from philosophies written based on non African society backgrounds.

Apart from directly identifying with the western concepts (almost rudimentarily), where are the more realistic definitions of the African ‘political party’?

Well, social sciences studies describe these (political party) entities in generalized terms… but, apart from (the activity of arguing in-precincts, to control incumbent excesses - where are the opposition parameters for delivering the alternative…?), traditional opposition parties like the DP - Democratic Party, CP - Conservative Party etcetera have never actually ruled in Uganda… though many of their members have participated individually in governments; taking-up jobs, where their parties won’t achieve outright…

These are some of the many-many questions likely to cramp popular debate-forums throughout African as we move forward deeper into this Millennium: truth is - as this millennium matures, what is likely to become more and more visible is the lacking of solid ideological and manifesto inputs note-worthy, that the (traditional) opposition could offer.

African political thought hasn’t as yet visualized the role of the opposition in terms of tangible framework ideas that could viably implement changes (traditionally oppositions often talk more of change - than development), and these are two different aspects of the national endeavor.; nationally we endeavor to create changes as often as possible - likewise - we endeavor to achieve developments as mile-stones for our advancement towards the greater common goals - goals that are constantly time-shifted further and further away, as we reach newer landmarks.

African political thinkers might yet have to align certain political party principle-terminologies to relevant features of political democracy in Africa (if at all there is such a thing): terms like “Democratic Party “ principles or “Republican Party” principles, “Liberal Party” principles, “Conservative Party” principles, “Labor Party” principles, largely manifest themselves as components of western world capitalism ideologies… more appropriately applicable comfortably in the developed cosmopolitan and metropolitant western countries.

While typically African political parties; “African National Congress” or “National Resistance Movement” or “Uganda People’s Congress” or “Forum for Democratic Change” or “Rwanda Patriotic Front” or “Chama Cha Mapenduzi”- (Party for Change - or - Party for Revolution) or “Kenya African National Union” etcetera, generally come across as popular indigenous African political parties conceptualized to mobilize mass-following and render legality status to the entities for the purpose of sorting-out African self rule…

The break-up of the ANC in South Africa recently, demonstrates that the African political party lacked intricate security and safety parameters in its principles: the individuals within the party leadership often become more powerful than the organization - thus ANC could break-up.

It is arguable therefore that given our large African ethnic communities, with our multiple dialects and languages, implementation of individual political party concepts of change may bear no meaning and viability - rather a singular unitary sense of direction concentrated in a political system under which the collective intellectual capacity of a given country is housed, might generate better, the principles for development of that country.

Recent political developments in Uganda have demonstrated that; much as the Ugandan people crave for multi-party system of governance, still the viability of its parliamentary practice (both at national and local government levels) are questionable… Bills in discussions often create ‘tug-of-war’ along party lines that threaten the national goal! Forcing government in certain instances to (quietly) dish-out certain (softening) benefits to parliamentarians, under various tags ranging from the official ‘constituency funds’ to others less official ones, which are often swiped-at in the media as ‘inducements’…

But then the ‘reforms in discussion’ tabled by the incumbent or petitioned by the opposition and other entities, are never-the-less, bills that once passed, have benefits for the whole country… why would inducements be necessary.

How then would opposition ‘conditionally-agitate’ so as to bring to bear on government pressures that spur the state to dish-out those said ‘inducements’… aren’t the very principles of opposition parties being flaunted?

Political party members have also (during the current campaign period) been reported to have crossed to government side - including the Kampala Mayor Nasser Seya Ntegge Ssebaggala, who was since reported to have crossed to the ruling party. A man who was at one time billed with being a possible DP presidential candidate - had there not been better options perhaps.

Similarly there have been reports in the media - alluding to the notion - that come 2011 the year of Uganda’s next general elections, UPC Presidential candidate Olara Otunnu might opt for a political deal with President Yoweri Museveni - and a vice presidential appointment is cited… in a unitary political system, a whole college of potentiates would vie in competitive ballots for that post - while in the western model the arrangement might be called a coalition; where Olara Otunnu as UPC President might come-in with an entourage of his work team - but given our African-ness, there are always clutters of obstacles - including dire personality issues.

Well, politics is often said to be also a ‘game of chance’, more so in Africa where almost nothing is for certain and, “one in hand is better than two still out there somewhere”. What are our political interests? Do we need to be loyal to a political party even if it might never offer the dynamic development we aspire for? Do we have to subscribe to opposition or any party that promises no developments? When-actually, we see realistic advances being recorded under our very noses by the incumbent? Critically, what do we politically want… if not development - the question of leadership is participatory. And the question of leadership change becomes purely constitutional… if the nitty-gritty were set right by parliament.

Isn’t the unitary African political system then, the better developmental leadership funneling option? Where our concentrated intellect might create the better forum for the amicable arguing of our collective interests? Couldn’t an African concept of a round-table parliamentary system be an alternative to European’s (Incumbent Vs. Opposition settings) traditional parliamentary system that in Africa seem to generate nothing but negativity?

It is quite possible that had South Africa for example been a unitary political system, with a round-table conference setting parliamentary system, with perhaps a participatory lower galleria of human rights activists, the media and religious entities (in place of opposition voices in parliament), the changes that took place in ANC would not have created a break-away. The changes that broke ANC were very powerfully tribal.

This factor and the Kenyan election violence, should demonstrate to African Scholars, that a new purely African, by African political systems study, is very urgently needed.

Africans cannot hang-on to what western scholars formulated for their own democracies, and still think that these are going to work - in this new Millennium, with its new high-technology, there is a new value that has suddenly been added to Africa’s rural societies - African politics is not anymore going to be parliamentary (Us against Them), but rather (Our Common good). ****