Most leaders and presidents often wait to react to events or catastrophes when harm has already been done.
A protestor shouts near a burning barricade in Kampala after Ugandan opposition leader Kizze Besigye was arrested (Photo by The Guardian)
Why is it that when a landslide, mudslide, tornado, bomb blast, accident or terrorist attack happens, is the time when the authority in-charge remembers to react, by sending authorities to evacuate people or supplying aid to the affected or decide to declare a public holiday to focus on the harm done.
And yet, when the situation was a little calm but at the same time deteriorating, the people in-charge were busy focusing on less important issues or pursuing their own interests at the expense of the public. Why do most leaders remember to be best at scandals or disasters when nearing next term elections?
Is it that hard for governments to prevent some disasters from happening? For example, can’t they ensure there is peace and total security in the country? Let them punish corrupt officials who embezzle public funds, install cameras on streets, in malls and ensure there is tight security in public places in order to prevent terrorist attacks like the unfortunate 2010 Al-Shabaab attacks at Kyandondo Rugby grounds and in Kabalagala, which left many dead and others injured.
Why do you have to wait for a problem in order for you to do good or improve yet harm has already been done? That is like sugar-coating pepper, although that can’t last forever. Eventually the bitter part with come out and haunt you.
I wonder why leaders persuade people to believe in them and yet all they want is to receive another pay cheque or be voted into a post or get another term.
Why don’t they instead focus on the big picture which should be to get solutions for the main domestic problems? It’s like most of them (leaders) forget all their promises the moment they step into power. But remember, if you delay to fulfil your promises, you lose leverage.
It is funny the way a politician campaigns and promises “heaven and earth” and vows to make the world a better place in his/her manifesto but the moment they are elected into power they act as if they lost the paper where they had noted their main points. Could it be that power changes people’s minds? Just wondering!
A government or leadership full of loopholes is inefficient and regressive: it encourages too much corruption and deters many leaders from the right path. With time, those loopholes will be difficult to get rid of and will be forced to be inherited to the next and next generation.
Getting rid of particular habits such as corruption in governments may prove impossible especially in Uganda.
I always ask myself, Uganda has more than five opposition parties but if any was to be voted into power for at least one term, would they be better leaders than the current government? You can judge them by the way they run and handle issues in their parties but I doubt if much will change.
However, for all this to change, I believe people have to work together.
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