THE GOOD, BAD, UGLY AND SHAMEFUL SIDES OF 2012, A YEAR TO REMEMBER IN THE HISTORY OF UGANDA (Part 2)

‘Compromised espionage’, is the best description I would use for an African blogger working his brains to share truth about this continent. The burden of truth and the weight of pain that each one of us carries along as an African, challenges so many ‘little knowns’ to speak but from afar.

Weighing my options to complete this portion of thought caught me thinking aloud! Was it a farfetched decision to compromise intelligence that would make me a lesser independent thinker or would I be a complete ‘nut’ to do the unthinkable and be remembered 100 years from now?

This reminded the blogger whom I hope is not changing the path of thought that despite the opportunity for all of us to love and make peace Africa has for long been an environment gagged of these divine given fruits. The thrilling occurrences that closed one and opened another chapter say a lot about experience as being a bitter teacher rather than the best teacher. To some the latter questions your credibility.

In Uganda, at the unwinding of 2012, we were graced by a political shown down, for which some have termed as an unnecessary show of arsenal. The Fountain of Honor takes on a rematch with the wounded parliamentarians. Remember the 1^st match left parliament totally wounded, a match that was largely abusive and unwelcoming of our leaders. However the build up to collecting signatures to recall parliament a month prior to her sitting saw the architects to the process go beyond their milestone with lots of dramatic scenes including the snatching of a copy of 10 signatures by one of the prison warders and later on withdrawal of signatures by men who I could say lacked integrity.

The highlights of the month are that the Speaker of Parliament is wanted, has been summoned and probably unsure whether it’s a right decision to head that process. On the other had the Deputy Speaker whom people consider as the next substitute to head the session by virtue of his position, has ‘chickened’ out and vehemently assured us that even if the signatures are twice as much as the expected he is not ready to head the process… the situation is messy but I think it’s the best time for us to count the true patriots.

Heading back to “Weep Not, Child”, in one casual evening, Njoroge whose undying yet undisclosed love to a one Mwihaki whispers that ‘the country is so dark now… The sun will raise tomorrow … put faith in hope…..a daily cry for mercy…longing for a sunny day….’ This political gesture is clearly recognized by the church leader sermon that ‘If every man breathed the warmth and the purity of God, the hatred manifested by men would be ….’.

Unaware of these facts, inexperience in godliness has killed the appetite for many of us to allow sanity prevail over our decisions. This unmerited favor of God has for long perused us though we have often fled from the fact that our lives are under the mercy of God.

Certainly most Ugandans are now united by a common experience/sense of insecurity and fear. Walking through the streets of Kampala, you see a bunch of KCCA officials carry loads of goods for poor Ugandans into their pickups in the so called perpetuation of cleaning up the city; during the rainy days you find cars drowned in pools of water due to the unbearable blockage of trenches and construction of permanent structures in wetlands; the corporates are busy robbing and pocketing billions of tax payer’s money while we look on. Uganda of today has turned out in to a burden of some sort.

Remembering 2012 could be painful but also sad in many ways.  These are my thoughts for the top events of 2012.

The Good

1.      The 50 years of independence

2.      A 40 year awaited grand marathon win by Kiprotich.

3.      The official retirement of 2 collared men of integrity (Henry Luke & Zakke)

The Bad

1.      The exorbitant bank interest rates by the commercial banks.

2.      The heavy economic crisis causing a double figure inflation rate.

3.      Sports betting taking over as the most lucrative economic activity.

The Ugly

1.      The multi-billion corruption scandals.

2.      The relentless tag of war between our Lord Mayor and the KCCA Executive Director.

3.      The perpetual phone drop calls.

The Shameful

1.      The nodding and marble disease that racked the lives of innocent children.

2.      The mad slides Eastern Uganda both in Bududa and Bulambuli that left many buried under tonnes of mad soil.

3.      The chaotic scenes that surrounded the mishandling of the walk to work.

4.      The disappointing stand and behavior of parliamentarians.

5.      The USL-FSL Fufa shame of the century.

6.      The scandalous mismanagement of tax payers’ money by the government.

Shame is what clouds us as a people and I did think that such would not follow us to a new year but I got it completely wrong. 2013 is fast running with new scandals, battles, threats, ungodliness and numerous signs of hopelessness.  Getting to our knees for the mercy of God is all that we are left with and judging from so much seen in a little time as such as this, 2013 needs another divine intervention.