Time to re-define ourselves as Ugandans

It’s time to re-define ourselves as Ugandans

By: Silver Kayondo

During this post-election time, a lot of sentiments are being expressed from both the winning and losing camps. However, none of those either celebrating or crying foul has a bigger challenge than we the citizens of Uganda.

Leadership, whether good or bad, affects all of us collectively cutting across all social classes, tribes, religions and regions. Therefore, it’s on the above account that we as citizens ought to redefine ourselves and the expectations we have from those in power.

A Dutch psychologist, Geert Hofsteed submitted that cultures are judged on three principles. It’s these same principles that we should objectively use to judge ourselves as Ugandans and bring these into perspective with the trend of events happening in our country. These principles are;

(a)    Whether the individual members of a society make independent decisions and expect no one but them to be held accountable.

(b)   How well the people tolerate ambiguity.

(c)    What attitude a society holds towards hierarchy and those in power.

On the first principle, most Ugandans rarely make independent decisions. The current political environment is full of fear, cowardice, intimidation and uncertainty. Most people lack the independence of mind, but rather base their judgment and decision making on history, media stories while some are bribed. Therefore, there is no sense of collective accountability for the decisions made.

If a nation worships and fears those in power rather than holding them accountable on key issues like resource allocation and usage, policy undertakings, competence, respect of fundamental human rights and freedoms, and the rule of Law, it expresses the failure of a people to challenge their leadership for better services and service delivery. If such nations crumble and eventually collapse as largely evident in Somalia, both the leaders and the citizens should equally take the blame for the passivity, conformism and docility exhibited.

In the words of Tony Lawrence, too many people are only willing to defend rights that are personally important to them. It's selfish ignorance, and it's exactly why totalitarian governments are able to get away with trampling on people. Freedom does not mean freedom just for the things I think I should be able to do. Freedom is for all of us. If people will not speak up for other people's rights, there will come a day when they will lose their own.

Let us not be a people who are intimidated and scared, but rather look at the future with smiling faces full of hope, turning every challenge that comes into our way into opportunities for the betterment of our country. This will only be possible after we have carefully assessed and redefined ourselves as a people of a difference striving for the common cause of redeeming our motherland.

The writer is a Law student at Uganda Christian University, Mukono