The Story That I have witnessed
When I was born, I was brought up in an environment where I knew questioning the elders was a taboo. I knew the good life was being a subject and accepting guidance from those you saw to be "Bigger in size than you". This sorry state of my mind was not mine alone but of many from my village and agemets I interacted with at that time.In my naive mind, I always associated success with certain families, individuals and friends. I doubt if I knew the definition success or rather even if I knew it existed. The life of plenty, pleasure and siphoning the best honey to me was unknown. But I wasn't sure to whom I would attribute this ignorance.
It is vivid in my memory that I must have known people like Martin Shikuku, George Amukowa Anangwe and The retired President Moi. I cannot forget that I knew the name of Raila too despite not knowing musch about him.
My life was coined and coiled in this little village where I could acquire probably everuthing.
My thought of political arena always gave me an impression of death, death, death and nothing but death. To me people engaging in politics and political arena at large were those who could kill anytime and take way your wealth just as they feel like. I liked Anangwe, a former served Butere MP by fact I used to hear people call him doctor, something I dreamt to be, but I hate him realizing he was a politician.
It was clear that politicians were responsible for all atrocities in my small world of imagination.
All I knew was if you happen to be in a house that water was leaking into, you were not supposed to question why or when repair will be, but take your small blanket and move to a small corner where it was not raining. But just in case you get someone else has occupied the corner, then persevere for that night and wait tomorrow to book that corner first.
Thanks to the World,
As I grew, I realized one thing, thatpoliticians were leaders, leaders needed by a society to drive change, spur development, and bring sense to a citizen like me, as I was by then on what government was.I learnt politicians were supposed to be good people to proclaim liberation and enhance good lives of their people.
Thanks to my dad who gave me opportunity to travel and tour the world to see further. I had an opportunity to explore, implore and visualize what these "politicians" thing was all about.
Yes, I learnt, I knew, I understood and I experienced, it is about the people, those people and the very people who vote them in.
Irony of My Knowledge.
But contrary to what I knew, I found the opposite in my locality. It is still the very opposite of my knowledge even to date. The locality of Butere constituency.
- Where a CDF project is a Mabati shade for a span of three years.
- Where bursaries are awarded in speeches but in practices money freezed.
- Where Bursaries are awarded to the poor, needy and the destitute in CDF reports but the rich benefit in real disbursements.
- Where Bursaries are awarded to all students in the constituency in speeches in Barazaas and political rallies but in offices only selected cadres are awarded.
- This is where a location remains with an assistant chief as the acting chief for years without promotion and no leader questions.
- This is where the well being of the rich is first fended for at the cost of poor citizens.
There have been colourful speeches, promising slogans and voices of honour call for this liberation but has it ever come?
Chronic Ignorance,
It remains apparent that the ignorance that our people suffered in 1963 at Independence is what our people still suffer to date.
How can you justify tarmacking of only one road in a spun of 50 years of independent rule?
How does one in his or her senses justify the poverty, Clan intolerance, unbuilt police houses, uncouth reserve policing, unconstcructed sources of safe water in a constituency whose icon is only presence on a national map?
If you can help me unravel this, I shall be grateful.
