By C.D Rauxen Zedriga

Dear Editor, allow me to first salute you all at “Uganda Correspondent” for affording a timely opportunity for Ugandans, through focused debate, to discuss the unfortunate political underdevelopment of a people; the people of Uganda that is.  My input in this instance is to do with the people of West Nile where I come from.  I think they must immediately disabuse themselves from the obvious misfortune imposed upon them by a bunch of illiterate professional politicians who have anointed themselves as representatives of West Nile within the dictatorial ruling “party of thieves” as Major General Otafiire is alleged to have called it. [Otafire denies it, ED] 

It is my wish to launch this exposition with a historical outlay of West Nile before delving into some facts about a selected team of politicians I have described above.  The conclusive remarks and propositions are my reflected views designed to generate serious debate about the future of West Nile [among other regions; ED] since I presume this as a pivotal objective of “Uganda Correspondent’s” editorial commitment. 

West Nile was an area coined by the British colonialists in 1914 out of Belgian Congo [now DRC] where to date the greater population of the constituent tribes reside.  A good proportion of its population has also deprived present New Sudan of the Kakwa and Madi speaking tribes.  It is therefore a place of diverse cultures and tribal compost where people historically administered themselves through personalities of physical prowess rather than heredity rights.  The British quickly took advantage and labeled them “acephalous”; meaning without a well defined head or leader.  Although the strategic British objective was complete control of the River Nile, they sought to recruit many people from here into the Kings African Rifles [KAR]; pronounced as “Keya” by some Ugandans].  This was certainly one of the key political misfortunes of West Nile that manifested itself into the reign of their son Field Marshall “Dr” Iddi Amin Dada [VC, MC, DSO, CBE].  Condemnatory opinions of various scholars and commentators on Amin are abound; so no need for further emphasis here. 

What should offer the first informed debate is the fact that this late presence of West Nile into the Ugandan nation and its seclusion by River Nile projected West Nile as an underdog in the geo-politics of Uganda.  Yet, the first generation politicians like the late Gasper Oda, Martin Okello, Onama and Mr. Lobidra offered very visionary but short-lived blessings that continue to challenge that stereotype to this day.  Thank God none of them [except Mr. Lobidra] lived long enough to witness the decadence and inept “new breed” like General Moses Ali; [a leaking Jerrycan according to Vice President Bukenya], Dr Yoram Ajeani Jumabuti, late Brigadier Wilson Toko and others bring down West Nile’s glory.  The current politicians in the ruling NRM party [NRM] can only be described as confused, raw, spineless, deceitful, and selfish.          

The Lugbara have the following saying: “Onyu ‘dde lea”; if literally translated, it means “fly falls in milk”.  The truth is not that the fly falls in milk, but that due to greed and lack of strategy, the fly, unable to see through the deceit of the nice scent of milk, seeks to partake of it by landing directly into the milk; not from the safe edges of the milk container.  It soon discovers that its weight, now boosted by a bit of milk in the belly, makes it sink into the depth of the milk.  In a desperate bid to refloat itself, it flaps its weak wings in the milk and finally drowns. 

The metaphor in this Lugbara saying provides a true reflection of the greedy, selfish and spineless West Nile politicians I am talking about. They are clearly a team of confused personalities cum politicians who were UPCs or DPs the other day, military strategists yesterday, and Movementists today who wear banana leaves like Dr. Yoram Ajeani while waiting for an opportunity to join another party tomorrow.  It is exactly what Hon. Alex Onzima did.  How can such people call themselves senior politicians from West Nile capable of giving the region a political vision? These are the same people who called me a “Kaffir” [or pagan] simply because I brought Dr Besigye to West Nile.  That was my democratic right; wasn’t it?  Hon. Kassiano Wadri saw this hole in good time opted for the more mature and principled politics in FDC.  

The people of West Nile must forthwith disassociate themselves from these opportunistic politicians and engage in a constructive debate with serious and patriotic political parties like FDC about the development of their region.  Let me conclude by saying that the forthcoming elections in 2011 are pivotal for West Nile and Uganda as a whole.  We the people of West Nile must not give these selfish politicians another opportunity to indulge in their greed and selfishness.  For a start, the NRM has very serious questions to answer about the graves at Ombaci as well as the shallow graves at Vurra that many suspect the late Kazini had something to do with.  The late Azumaga went to his grave still grieving the loss of his innocent son who had been hired by some NRM functionaries to kill a Bishop.  So the “party of thieves” may also be “a party of killers”.  

I know Mr. Agondua-Tee and Madam Bakoko Bakoru understand NRM better than Moses Ali, Idro, Emmy Allio, and Dr Salim Bachou.  So the people of West Nile should learn from Bakoko Bakoru’s experiences and steer well clear of the NRM.  God bless West Nile. For God and My Country!