By Barrister Peter Magomu Mashate
CLASSLESS SOCIETY is an ATTITUDE of MIND. It’s aspirational but achievable not necessarily in puritan sense but in as far as narrowing societal class gap inequalities.
Once the LESS FORTUNATE or less privileged are seen as of inferior class that mindset is dangerous as it apparently appeared to manifest, albeit wrongly, in recent times by reason of corruption and impunity until political will & enforcement ability was resolutely demonstrated and continues to be applied by ministerial STOCK EMPYA with real biting teeth (AMANYO AGALUMA BYADALA).
Indeed, the less privileged who are the majority become commoditized (a living example is well enshrined in Voter bribery of “Lukumi-lukumi” in exchange for MP/leaders incumbency for 5 years), a school village mud- kitchen worth a parltry shillings 100K corruptly constructed at shillings 400 million, a school with 60 children but immorally listing a ghost figure in the Ministry of Education of 350 pupils, a hospital in Gulu listing 15 medical staff but only two internmitently in attendance, a community bridge constructed for less that 3 million shillings but billed 100 million shillings and various bizzare hair-raising and heart-wrenching discoveries by STOCK EMPYA Local Goverment CORRUPTION BUSTING Ministers.
Therefore, on account of corruption, Uganda society was on a DRIP-IN-INTENSIVE CARE-UNIT. This corruption and impunity was very dangerous as it undermined faith in our society’s only democratic safety valve of respresentative democracy. The question has been to whom then does this defenceless society run to? President Museveni seems to have answered this WANAINCHI question by appointment and exceptional empowerment of these STOCK EMPYA Ministers Hon Balamu Barugahara & Hon Justine Namere with “corruption blitz-krieg” powers equivalent of the American Blitz-Krieg of desert storm of Saddam Hussein in 1990 & 2003 ” now Ministers Balam/Namere are competently Corruption “Blitz-Krieg” enforcers.
Yes, from a legal standpoint there are issues of due process but are the beneficiaries, the masses happy?
On the facts and evidence so far the public is overwhelmingly supportive and extremely HAPPY with these political results of vigorously demanding for accountabilty from these unpatriotic and shameless government servants’ impunity in the length and breadth of our country and whom for long have remained untouchable.
In this intensiveIy condesed article I will pitch my arguments and indeed illustrations on a few mutually complementary strands.
Article 1 of Uganda’s constitution stipulates that power belongs to the people and shall be exercised in accordance with the wishes of the people.
Therefore, it seems to me to be far-fetched to even remotely suggest that calling for a CLASSLESS SOCIETY is unthinkable and unachievable as it can only happen at the behest of MACRO/ BOURGEOISIE benevolence and the Proletariat and masses have no choice. This school of thought is misguided and gullible as to the super power of the thieves who are very few but a nonetheless a very ruthless and serious scourge.
First the MACRO/BOURGEOISIE class or call it level are in the minority and extremely reactionary all in bid to mantain status quo or otherwise ill-gotten wealth and status. So they have no interest in a fair and just society which in effect is a CLASSLESS SOCIETY.
The latter, therefore, can only come about by the active participation of what you would call the MICRO/PROLETARIAT and the MASSES by changing their MINDSET.
This is inevitable because to deny the wide gap between the “haves” and the ” have nots” is to court disaster. The question is how then do you manage a peaceful coexistence?
MYTH OR REALITY – PHENOMENON OF PARTY POLITICS & PATRONAGE/HYPOCRISY OVERSIGHT ROLES;
One school of thought argues that; Corruption is a lubricant to governance world over. This school of thought contends that; even in the ancient world Joseph a Jew while serving as a chief minister under the pharaoh in Egypt offered more logistics to his people than even the indigenous people.
Like in Russia, Saudi Arabia, Kenya (euphemistically called Matunda ya Uhuru) and other countries natural resources go to those close to the ruling class. In UK ruling party through innovation of quangos creates this political patronage and selfish diversion of resources meant for equitable national development.
Therefore, in contemporary times and indeed terms, it could be submitted in abstract terms that it’s only when you are outside the clique that you may realize and see reality of corruption but when you get incorporated you become docile.
Indeed, a live Uganda example lies in the National Unity Platform (NUP) 11th Parliament politicians who shouted the loudest that FDC were in bed with NRM on the plane of corruption. However, the rhetorical question is where are they now or where did they end? Didn’t they eat quietly? What happened in the Parliamentary commissions corridors in relation to the 11th Parliament innovation of Service Awards? What about the noise around the Chairman PAC? or which miracles did he excavate in the 11th Parliament if any? Did they end up mute like those they has previously castigated?
So arguably, until the NRM/PLU arrival on the scene of this STOKE EMPYA Ministers, corruption hypocrisy has been only relevant when you’re outside the establishment as opposition figure. The saying goes that; “if you cant beat them then join them” but once the opposition oversight crusader joins the system he becomes an accessory and by extension culprit.
Its further arguable that it’s even better to join those eating openly than claiming to be opposition when you’re amassing unexplained wealth under the same system.
Until the arrival of STOCK EMPYA it seems there was an overwhelming trend amongst the political class that let us join the system other than some people hoodwinking us that they’re opposed to the eating when all signs show that they’re the most beneficiaries of the system they castigate during day time and embraced it during night time.
SO WHAT HAS CHANGED? POLITICAL WILL UNVEILLED BY PRESIDENT MUSEVENI’S SWEARING OF 7TH TERM & COINED AS “KISANJA NO SLEEP & CORRUPTION ZERO- TOLORENCE.
Politicians too are inherently born with conscience thats why some of them would not even remotely contemplate (even if it means them losing leadership including the much coveted parliamentary vote) some immoral ant-people shenanigans that include, but are not limited to Voter bribery, i.e. this phenomenon of ” election vote finishing of shillings lukumi-lukumi” and ”Mutwalo-mutwalo”. This voter bribery and corruption has rendered the Proletariat and the general masses as slaves in perpetual chains of this class injustice and exploitation.
This category of principled and selfless politicians are in the minority but are at the forefront of Sensitization for mindset change and transformation. It is most respectfully submitted that with time and persistence they will succeed because it’s the right thing to do.
For example, Mwalimu Nyerere to a degree managed instilling in the Tanzanian society the ideology of UJAAMA lòsely translated also meant a CLASSLESS Or EVEN SOCIETY.
The fruits are seen through the length and breadth of stability and resilience of the Tanzanian society and though not evidently perfect but at least a begenning because SOCIALISM IS NECESSARILY AN ATTITUDE OF MIND and this is IDEOLOGY.
This ATTITUDE of MIND was picked up and/or continued by HE Pombe Magufuli (RIP). The ferocity with which the MACRO/BOURGEOISIE reactionary class fought back is evident in Magufuris death as its evident in that of Patrice Lumumba of Congo and many other pro people (MICRO/PROLETARIAT) Pan Africanists.
A lot of ink can be poured on this societal equality struggle of class or social-economic emancipation otherwise called empowerment because the two go in tandem.
As a matter of fact this is a universal struggle of mankind but our concern relates to our people here in Uganda and in our towns and villages as we care about them immensely. We should NEVER EVER abdicate this duty to our people.
INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE & INCLUSION.
For example, Britain is a Class society where however wealthy or affluent you may be, you can never belong to the Royal class.
Then come to the Aristocracy and Nobility these are the WEALTH monopolists etc. So in short this Class system especially that of capitalists is arguably a social arrangement of SOCIAL APARTHEID.
However, they (Labour Part) still acknowledged that there was a yawning gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots” in society.
Thats why conscious effort through Labour government under then Prime minister Tony Blair in 1997 made conscious effort by creating a Special Social-Economic INCLUSION Unit in his (Prime minister’s office) in terms of equitable access to services and opportunities especially for the ethnic minorities that is the Black & Ethenic minority (BME) social INCLUSION programme. That UK has had an Asian Prime minister Rishi Sunak (Conservative) and a black Deputy Prime minister Barrister David Lammy (Labour) in 10 Downing Street is remarkable MINDSET TRANSFORMATION in the British society so far. So it’s mindset transformation and its possible (KYISOBOKA).
Indeed, like the British Labour party which articulated the IDEOLOGY of SOCIAL JUSTICE & SOCIAL INCLUSION Unit in 10 Downing Street, the NRM UNDER PRESIDENT MUSEVENI HAS DELIBERATELY SET OUT TO NARROW THE POVERTY GAP THROUGH STATE HOUSE DESKS OF SOCIAL INCLUSION & empowerment through viable and robust economic projects like ENTANDIKWA, BONA BAGAGAWALE, EMYOOGA, PDM etc. Yes, its about NRM VISION OF SOCIAL JUSTICE and the bridging of the gap between the “haves” & “have nots” by improving these HOUSEHOLD INCOMES in Uganda.
Therefore, as leaders this elusive question of MINDSET TRANSFORMATION has to be grappled with. Certainly it may seem a far cry in the wilderness because of the prevailing corruption in the vicinity but it cannot be ducked indefinitely.
Sensitization of our people to reject the convulted politics of bribery is a welcome building block in changing our people’s MINDSET.
PANDEMIC CORRUPTION
Until the arrival of STOCK EMPYA Ministers corruption busters, it’s undeniable fact that corruption in Uganda today is arguably at unprecedented levels. However these unprecedented level is here and visible today because there was no viable wealth basket to steal from in the past. Today the good political environment ushered in by the NRM/NRA under President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has enabled blossoming of business and with it through our taxes the big basket of our consolidated fund and with that the attraction of these white-collar cruel thieves.
The Idi Amin Congo Gold crisis or looting which Hon Daudi Ochieng successfully put on the Order paper in parliament in Obote 1 government is a testimony of the age-long patriotic efforts of sanitisation of our political economy.
But this struggle then was at MACRO/BOURGEOISIE level and we are now saying that we need to get down to the MICRO/PROLETARIAT and the masses through MINDSET TRANSFORMATION thank God to our STOCK EMPYA LOCAL GOVERNMENT ministers who are now on the move; CARRYING A PROMISE TO OUR COUNTRY & OUR PEOPLE.
CORRUPTION AS A WHITE-COLLAR CRIME;
This white collar crime phenomena has eluded even the British society. The British in response to the growing number of corruption matters created what they called the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) this is the equivalent of the Inspector General of Government (IGG) in Uganda.
However, the high profile trial of the Maxwell brothers on (Pension funds equivalent of NSSF in Uganda) in the 90s with Kevin Maxwell in the lead saw over £20 million British sterling pounds tax payers money from the consolidated fund go down the drain as the investigation and trials lasting years collapsed due to insufficient evidence threshold even when the ordinary eye could see the theft. This outcome eroded public confidence in the British government commitment to fighting white-collar crime. Thanks to President Museveni for trying and appointment of Local Government ministers for this noble and Patriotic national call.
Suffice to repeat again that corruption is a criminal offence but it’s a white collar crime. Perpetrators of white collar offences (corruption) tend to monouver and evade the standard prosecution evidence threshold. This is because the thieves deliberately and strategically engage the services of the elite like lawyers, accountants, doctors, engineers and IT experts and the list of professional experts is long and inexhaustible. Therefore the white-collar thief covers tracks.
In Uganda where the IGG and the long arm of justice approaches a would be Prosecution and conviction we often tend to see an uproar with well orchestrated village, district, cultural leaders, religious leaders etc delegations to His Excellency the President or to Senior influential leaders with power and proximity to the President of “HAVE MERCEY ON OUR SON/DAUGHTER AND PROTECT HIM/HER AGAINST THE “JEALOUSY” WITCH-HUNT OF CORRUPTION”. imagine!!!
This MINDSET TRANSFORMATION and sensitization may be still lacking but this battle must be won for posterity.
As for now, the Country & citizenery & with recomitted NRM Political WILL of KISANJA NO SLEEP & assignment of Local Goverment Ministers (STOCK EMPYA) Corruption Busters, Ugandans are extremely happy countrywide. (TELIKUZIKIZA).
THE WRITER IS; FORMERLY LONDON BASED BARRISTER PETER MAGOMU MASHATE AN ADMINISTRATIVE, CONSTITUTIONAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS BARRISTER-AT-LAW OF THE HONOURABLE SOCIETY OF LINCOLN’S INN OF COURT LONDON UNITED KINGDOM.Email; e2016v29@yahoo.com
