Vincent Nuwagaba
First published by The Razor News paper on Wednesday July 20, 2011
In the recent past I wrote about a kid who said he was incensed by the police because they use teargas and live bullets against innocent Ugandans. The views of that kid prompted me to do more interviews with the kids and so far my findings are amazing. I have come to realise that kids are more patriotic, more compassionate and possibly not less intelligent than the old people that we have. Because of what I have found out, I am beginning to question the relevance of having only mature people vote but also occupy public offices.
Just recently, I came across another young girl and I asked her what her name was and she told me she was called Sheba Najjemba aged nine years and that she is a Primary Four West pupil at Sir Apollo Kaggwa Nakasero. I asked her any two things that make her happy and she told me her family and school. When asked why, she said, “In my family they teach me good manners; how to respect elders, helping in household chores, and being a good girl”. She added, “And of course, you cannot be a good girl if you are not God-fearing”. Then, I asked her why her school makes her happy, she said, “At school they teach us to build for the future and become responsible citizens”. She added, “For instance, they teach us that if one is to become a doctor, they must place emphasis on science and mathematics”.
I then went ahead and asked her what annoyed her and she told me, “Corruption and child sacrifice”. I was so thrilled about the answers that this child gave me. Then I had another conversation with another pupil at Agakhan Primary school called Che Guavara, commonly known as Che. Che told me he doesn’t like the current regime because ministers squander public funds and they are never penalized for what they do. As for Moureen Eree a sixteen year old student in Senior Four at Good Shepherd High School Bweyogerere, it is painful that there are Ugandans who die because there are no drugs in hospitals and she blames the president for that. She says that if she was to become a member of parliament she would not seek fat salaries or Four Wheel Drive vehicles but her people. That she would make sure they have electricity, good roads and quality standards of living.
I was amazed that when I asked the impact of corruption the children knew quite well that it was responsible for lack of drugs in hospitals, poor roads and poor education standards, inter alia.
I am convinced that children can make better MPs because so far majority of them – with exception of those that have been brought up by corrupt parents, are not yet spoilt. Since, the constitution cannot easily be amended to knock out age and education requirements for one to become a parliamentarian, I would like to urge the civil society activists and the donors to support the idea of having a shadow parliament mainly composed of children wherein the voices of the children can always be captured. I am even convinced that the children are innocent and don’t want too much so they cannot drain our facilities for selfish aggrandisement.
My findings debunk the notion that knowledge is a preserve of the old and the most highly educated. In fact, there are some people who lose relevance as they advance both in age and formal education. I am sure many of you might have heard people wondering why certain people ever went to school. Our children are disappointed that public institutions are dysfunctional yet Ugandans part with lots of money through taxes. As our President talks of a referendum over bail, we should all push for a referendum to have children participate actively in issues of national concern. Since old men and women have betrayed us, why don’t we entrust national leadership with children. For God and my country!
The writer is a human rights defender
mpvessynuwagaba@gmail.com
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