An open letter to Ugandan president Museveni

        Your Excellency president for life Hastings Kamuzu Banda, sorry, democratically elected president Yoweri K. Museveni,

First of all, forgive me for a mix-up. I happen to have roots from a country whose criminal president once declared; he was president for life as if the country were his private estate. This was long before multiparty democracy kicked in and kicked him out. This was none other than Ngwazi Hastings Kamuzu Banda of Malawi.

I write this letter to invoke your experience and wisdom about good governance and the sacrosanctity of the constitution of the land. I must clearly state in the outset that the story I am going to delve on is about somebody else but not you, Your Excellency.

Your Excellency, I was shocked when I heard and latter read that you allowed the tinkering with the constitution in order to rule by overruling it. First of all, I could not believe. However, I had to after reminding myself how you’re able to maintain power for over 30 years equivalent to six five-year terms. What prevented me from accepting to believe that this time the fact that same old tricks would be replicated to overrule the constitution contrary to the word of another Yoweri Museveni, who, none the less, is different from you I am writing.

In 1986, at a time, he’s revolutionary and refreshing, Museveni, with razzmatazz, said that “the problem of Africa in general and Uganda in particular is not the people but leaders who want to overstay in power”.

Joshing aside, as refreshing as Ugandan politicians can be, in 2015, former vice president, Prof Gilbert Bukenya said that “president Museveni has been in power for over 29 years but our hospitals are in a terrible state. He has failed to even repair the hospitals Dr. Milton Obote built. Whereas he calls him swine, Obote did better than Museveni in this area” (Daily Monitor 25 October 9, 2015).

Your Excellency, now, you can see the difference between the two Musevenis I’m talking about. I know as you know. You know what I mean. Allow me to ask you a few questions. Does a person who tinker with the constitution really believe in the sacrosanctity of the constitution of his country?

If he does, does he know that tinkering with it isn’t only treasonous but also a sacrilege? Why does such a criminal raise the Bible during being sworn in promising that you would protect, respect and uphold the constitution while in actuality you just underhold and abhor it? Do you believe in God? Do you remember the entire oath you’ve already recited five times since you came to power; and underscore its meaning, intentions , sacrosanctity and significance for you and the nation in general?

Your Excellency, may I remind you of the very oath which I’m sure you know and remember? It says: “I swear in the name of the Almighty God/solemnly affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Republic of Uganda and that I will preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. (So help me God). How faithful have you been to yourself forget about Uganda, especially when you remember the words you uttered when you were ascending to power? Does a person have any allegiance to the republic of Uganda whose constitution he can tinker with not once or twice but many times? Personally, have you preserved, protected and defended the constitution of Uganda while it can be tampered with under your watch?

The other day, I heard you saying that you tinker with the constitution in order to get more time to finish off the job you started. Is Uganda a private estate any power-hungry person can use and overspend as he deems fit? What lesson does such criminality teach others, especially those under one’s watch and age?

Your Excellency, do life presidents believe in mortality or infallibility and immortality? Why am I asking such an obvious question? It is because as the bible says “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2). Why’d a mortal who came from the womb of a woman deceive him/herself with mundane things as if he/she will live forever? How do you call this in your philosophy your Excellency? If all of us would like to die in power, who will die out of it? How many years will it take for each and every one of us to do so?

Your Excellency, the other day, I heard you lambasting foreign powers for wanting to intervene in your internal affairs by branding them colonisers. You said “Buli omu afuge enyumba ye,” meaning let everyone govern his/her own house (Observer, May 13, 2016).

What happened when General Idi Amin said the same? Do you know that since Africa gained its independence, it has been under black colonisers after they unseated the white ones and siezed power from the hoi polloi? Do you know that the same black colonisers tamper with the constitutions of their countries; and are also maintained by white or external colonisers?

Time is up; maybe, next time.     

        Nkwazi Mhango

Tanzanian writer based in Canada