Unlike in the classroom, life first tests you before it
teaches you the lesson. And it is true too, that you will continue to seat the
test until you learn the lesson.
This week the political opposition came up empty handed in
their attempt to agree on a single candidate for next year’s presidential
election.
The Democratic Alliance (TDA) last week, with four
presidential flag bearer nominees --- FDC’s Kizza Besigye, DP Norbert Mao,
Former vice president Dr Gilbert Bukenya and former prime minister Amama
Mbabazi, it was hoped by mid this week they would have a single candidate they
could rally around.
The NRM’s President Yoweri Museveni had already been duly
nominated during the weekend.
Reports were that very quickly they had narrowed down the
choices to Besigye and Mbabazi, which was not a surprise, but it also became
clear that both men were unwilling to budge, to give way for the other and give
up their ambition to lead a unified opposition.
They say we are wiser after the fact.
Beyond the individual personalities of the two men, one
wonders whether TDA ever had a chance at achieving this goal.
They say the seeds of any endevour's destruction will be sown
at the beginning of the process and that light we have to ask, who is TDA?
TDA has projected itself as a pressure group that will force
government into good behaviour, with the secondary aim of unifying the
opposition under a single candidate ahead of next year’s polls. As time has
gone it can be argued that the emphasis has shifted to the latter from the
former.
The idea seems to have been that they would whip up popular
discontent against the government which would force them to a negotiating
table, where they would steam roll the NRM into a raft of concessions not
limited to electoral reforms.
The idea was good but the execution may have fallen short.
"TDA did not muster any traction among the masses – despite their shrillest protests, and therefore made little to no impression on the government, the evidence being that in bringing constitutional amendments to the house a few weeks ago, the cabinet all but ignored TDA’s “Citizen’s compact”...
The truth of the matter is that TDA is a political elite
grouping who have analysed our situation and have a proposed solution to the
country’s challenges. They do not have a popular mandate, like parliament or
other elective offices.
This is not a crime and is not necessarily a weakness.
The political movements of the world have been directed by
men and women who take it upon themselves to crystalise the society’s problems
for the masses and then rally those same masses to overthrow the status quo.
The trick of course is to sell the alternative view to the
masses. This takes time, patience and persistence.
People dwell on the romanticism of the Arab spring or the
Ukraine’s orange revolution or even our very own NRA bush war, they forget the
hard work, disappointment and the numerous times victory was snatched from the
jaws of defeat.
Truth be told TDA, this time last year was not in existence, is looking more and more like a desperate smash-and-grab attempt at State House without paying the price that high endeavour demands...
I would like to be wrong, if only because this country needs
a credible opposition, not only made of high profile, charismatic individuals
but in addition the opposition we look forward to is one which has men and
women of substance as their flag bearers, but who are also backed by organised
operations which can project their will nationwide.
