SSUUBI (HOPE) 2011 /INTER PARTY COLLABORATION (IPC) International Conference For Ugandans in Diaspora
I am very proud to stand here to address Ugandans in diaspora, fellow Africans, members of the Conservative Party and the member of the London Assembly representing the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson on this auspicious occasion.
First and foremost, I must thank my colleague and brother, Mr Richard Semitego for his vision in organising this conference. Richard is an exemplary African son who has excellent community spirit with special reference to the work he does amongst the people of Africa in diaspora and in the local community where we live.
That Africa is a rich continent in terms of natural and human resources is a fact everyone agrees on. Although some of the poorest of the world can be found in Africa, many Africans can be seen in positions all around the world, contributing and helping to sustain various fields of endeavour in economics, science, music, literature, politics etc.
It is true that the wind of change is blowing around the world; it is true that the days of military insurgents and coup-de-tats are over; it is true that the days when one man and his hand-picked collaborators dictate the way a nation should go, are over. I once said to Richard that a person, who arrogates to himself, the exclusive right to leadership for well over two decades, has no more fresh ideas to offer and desperately need to be consigned to history and I am not shy to say that I speak of President Yoweri Museveni. Stagnated leadership and dictatorial governments are now frowned upon by the progressive people of the world.
It is also true that democracy is the way forward for all freedom-loving people of the world. But because cultures differ and our needs differ from country to country, democracy is relative to the culture and needs of a people. The needs of many Ugandans are still very basic as in many other African countries. Basic amenities such as safe portable drinking water, constant supply of electricity, primary health & social care and a good nutritious meal a day, which are taken for granted, in Europe and America are still elusive amongst many Ugandans and many other African nations.
Without diminishing or casting aspersions on the work of charitable organisations who work tirelessly to raise funds for less privileged Africans, this situation has portrayed Africa as a charity case when in reality, the resources of Africa, if properly harnessed and administered could turn Africa into one of the richest continents in the world and her people, the better for it. In regions where huge deposits of crude oil, diamond and gold can be found in Africa, successive governments, have enriched themselves at the expense of the teeming population who are left in abject poverty and penury.
But there is light at the end of the tunnel. This dark tunnel, in which we have stumbled and fallen into poverty; where HIV-AIDS have ravaged men, women and Children; where the cold hands of death walk in daylight in the form of malaria; where young and promising graduates are left without jobs years after graduating from universities; where the very best of Africans have and are still migrating in droves to western countries in search of a better life. Another opportunity is here for the people of Uganda to arise from the ashes of yesteryears, to embrace change, to take their own destiny into their own hands, to decide who leads them, to choose wisely, shunning tribal and ethnic sentiments and turning out en-masse to speak loudly and clearly by the use of the ballot box.
In the forth-coming election, men and women of questionable integrity and kleptomaniac tendencies, who have openly and shamelessly, ripped off their fellow countrymen and women must not be allowed to use their ill-gotten wealth to buy your votes.You must not let this opportunity to choose a man or woman of the people pass you by. Your choice must be one who has the spirit of service, one who is not ashamed to be called, ‘The Servant of Ugandans’. You cannot achieve this by being nonchalant towards the democratic processes that are being put in place. You cannot afford to be aloof or lukewarm in this process. You must demand that your votes count. We cannot cry marginalisation if we sell our votes or not register to vote at all.
It might not be possible for some of us to register to vote but we can play a huge part in educating and sensitising our families back home, on the need to register to vote. As I speak, we are running a similar campaign amongst our people in Nigeria and the catchphrases are becoming, “ONE MAN ONE VOTE” and “MY VOTE MUST COUNT”
“The truth is that any leadership not truly elected by the people can never be accountable or answerable to the people it purports to lead! Many of our political office holders treat our people unfairly because they believe they can manipulate their votes at will without the fear of repercussions.” –Emmanuel Ohai (Convener, Umu Anioma Foundation)
This is a clarion call on all Ugandans, particularly, those at the home front, you must be conscious of your democratic right to vote in the forth-coming elections. All Ugandans must troop out for the Voters’ Registration Exercise. Your vote is your power, your vote is your voice. Use it wisely.
Thank you.
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