Peace time Challenges

Watching Uganda and its leadership i get the impression that the biggest
struggle that the government is going through the challenge of
governance in peace time.

A time of war while being perilous at least provides clearer lines of
demarcation between friend and foe. Its also has clearer objectives. If
you are in the bush or waging a different kind of war, you tend to have
only one objective. Winning or at least wearing your adversary down.

The true test comes when the battle and the bigger war is won and you
are faced with the task of ruling.

Suddenly all sorts of men emerge from the woodwork and claim to have
supported you. Those who are genuine emerge with a sense of entitlement
and a feeling that they deserve and have earned what you are about to
give them.

You are also faced with the task to creating as large as possible a
distinction between yourself and the those from whom you wrestled
power.

In addition to this historians rush to your side demanding some ideology
in order to find a place where you can fit in the larger picture.

While there are many trends that have emerged in Africa in the last few
years, two are determining how governance takes place here.

The first is militarization. It is not a recent trend and if you watch
what Big Hat says here, there is still a sense of defeat and
disappointment at the realization that our cultural bastions would still
have been in existence had we flexed more broadly our military muscle.
Even if other issues came into play (like religion and commerce), the
reason why most of our Kings bowed was because they did not want to shed
more of their peoples blood on the already blood drenched earth. In this
sense it is understandable why in some respects there is a queue of
nations waiting to become part of the nuclear gang.

The second is the rise of the Police as an instrument of state power.
Governments would be silly to ignore some the changes that have taken
place in other countries. The result of this is an effort to safeguard
democracy. This is a global trend and it is not strange to see that most
Riot Police have the same outfits.

One of the obvious benefits of militarization is the idea that to a
large extent, there is money to be made. Ugandans seem a little less
sentimental than our Kenyan colleagues. maybe it is because they have
had their share of dances with death and he no longer frightens them.

Perhaps the other benefit of militarization is the creation of a more
aware populace and there one that can be called upon in times of
distress.

The other benefit is internal and in my view makes leadership a little
easier for Big Hat. If all factors remain constant, hierarchy tends lead
to more effectiveness and stability. Which is why we have seen a major
push favoring the role of the military (in internal affairs and in the
leadership of the police).

The opposition in some sense also sees the hurdles that are involved in
this especially since many have chosen to use non-violent means. The few
tools that are then left in the hands of those who seek change are
Non-Governmental Organizations, Civil Society Organizations, the press
and Activists.

The residue of all of this is predominantly an intellectual war of
attrition overseen by stronger military powers who serve as adjudicators
and who will only step in when the tide turns in a significant manner
and the current head of state no longer holds a significant set of
cards.