By Dickens Okello
A former colleague I steered Parliament Press administration with before we retired in 2019 called me on April 15th 2020, a day after we (ChimpReports) published the 10bn story. His first question was, man what’s happening in “your” Parliament? It was not about the money, which I guess he believes it’s necessary, but nearly parallel activities happening at Parliament. Why’s Madam and Commissioners also active in COVID-19 mobilization?
I had no immediate answer but it soon clearly came out and I plainly told him that man, Aunt Becky’s been in Gov’t and knows better than most of us the downside of the people inside. She’s aware the mafia in Gov’t can easily and precariously play bad or mislead even the President at the detriment of the 43m people. Obviously we don’t need to take chances with a dangerous thing like COVID-19 and above all- she strongly believes that it’s only her and her crew (Parliament) that can put things in check to save the nation from any eventuality to be precipitated by the irrefragable crooks in Gov’t.
Parliament has indisputably stood and reigned on innumerable things including support to She Cranes, Cranes, trapped students in Wuhan, salaries for teachers and doctors, resettlement of Bududa disaster affected persons, police SACCO, maize farmers, empowering Cancer Institute and many others. For the last seven years I’ve been at the place, matters from each and every single village in country first come to Parliament and they (MPs) direct respective agencies to address them. Indeed the House became a thorn in the flesh of many agencies, more especially the Executive.
In 1787 Thomas Jefferson (US 3rd President) stated that if he had to choose between “a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter”. It was in the context of freedom of speech. In our context of desiring a strong nation under check and balance and to avoid creating a Ayatollah, we need both a strong Parliament, Executive and Judiciary. Yesterday, I heard Ladit Ofwono Opondo saying Parliament (Speaker and MPs) want to bulldoze everyone. Well, the Executive shouldn’t also be left to bulldoze everyone and it can only be when Parliament is a strong institution. Kadaga has put good energy in advocating for independence and separation of powers and that’s what we desire. Judiciary shouldn’t celebrate, Churches shouldn’t celebrate, press shouldn’t celebrate and why? We risk creating a precarious situation of Ayatollah and few advisors. Uganda’s a democratic republic and that’s what our forefathers sacrificed for.
However bad we believe the 10bn process was, the spirit was good and Kadaga in her heart of hearts want to save you from danger. I believe her in this and truly l?ve her for it.
