A letter to my Brother Emmanuel Mwaka Lutukumoi

Vincent Nuwagaba
A letter to my Brother Emmanuel Mwaka Lutukumoi
Dear Emmanuel,
I received various calls on Saturday July 23 asking me about the shocking news that you have crossed from the Democratic Party - a Party that cherishes and espouses the principles of truth and justice to the NRM. Allow me share openly with you how some of us view the NRM. Its owners call it the National Resistance Movement. I have always wondered what they resist twenty six years in power. Do they resist other Ugandans? Do they resist equitable distribution of the national cake? Do they resist constructive criticism from the opposition and human rights groups? What exactly does the NRM party resist? Since you have joined, you will help us answer those questions. While the owners call it the National Resistance Movement, some insiders who are evidently disillusioned but have possibly not got an exit door call it National Resource Mismanagement/Misallocation. I have not seen any reason to disagree with them because I am sure more than anybody else; you know quite well how lavish the ruling party is.
As I was writing this letter, I was shedding tears at the betrayal from young people; people who I think would take charge of this country five years or ten years from now. I would like to ask whether Brother Mwaka, you have joined as a member, shareholder or worker. Frankly, the NRM is a company with Museveni owning majority shares and the other shares owned by his bush war Comrades, his cronies and in-laws and his Old Students at Ntare School and Dar-es-salaam University. Don’t delude yourself that you will be an equal shareholder for you fall nowhere among the above.
Brother Mwaka, I have a hunch that for so long you have been a mole for the ruling party. I am convinced that Brother Lyandro Komakech would be serving his second and last term as Gulu Municipality MP had he not been blocked by you. I will not claim to know you so much although we have been together since 2001. I was introduced to you as a friend by Wilfred Opobo, former Guild Speaker but I must be frank, I have never seen ideological clarity in you Ladit Mwaka. You have confirmed my view by jumping out of a party that cherishes justice to a predatory party – a party that is crumbling to make matters worse. However, I know that Lyandro Komakech has always stood for social justice and national unity. I am sure, Mzee Robert Kitariko, Brother Asuman Basalirwa and many others can attest to this. Personally, I had given up and wanted to go back to Bitereko even when I had enrolled for a master’s degree. However, Lyandro told me, “Be firm; don’t go, we shall share whatever I have”. Indeed, on a daily basis, I had to go to Lyandro’s office for survival. Sometimes, I would find there Yusuf Mohammed who would also share with me whatever he had.
Ladit Mwaka, you have joined NRM at a time when all ministerial positions have been given out; maybe you will be deployed as RDC and I mean Redundant Discarded Cadre. I wish you luck in your new found home but my hunch is that you have buried yourself politically. While I was definitely appalled by your decision, I told everyone who called me that you exercised your rights. The DP should only say good riddance. I beg you not to start a smear campaign aimed at portraying the spotless party leaders in a negative image. Don’t start telling lies and claim to speak with authority since you have been a party spokesperson for as Mao once remarked, lies have short legs; they cannot go far. I wish you success in the NRM but surely, you’ve joined a sinking ship. As a mass communication graduate who studied political science for three years you should be in position to forecast. I pray that your ilk follow you immediately so that boys can be separated from men and wheat separated from chaff.
Mr. Nuwagaba is a human rights defender cum political activist
mpvessynuwagaba@gmail.com