After #M7Address on Saturday, I received several phone calls from people in rural western Uganda sharing their reactions.
The first call came from a woman leader in Rukungiri. Her immediate response was: “Hati mwaza kukoraki?”—meaning, “So, what are you people going to do next?”
I asked her why she believed the situation our country finds itself in was the responsibility of only a few activists and public actors. Why should defending the Constitution, the rule of law, and human rights be left to a handful of individuals while the rest of the country watches from the sidelines?
The last call this evening came from a community organizer and leader in Bushenyi. He asked, “What is happening in Kampala? First it was you in December, then the former Speaker, and now Matembe. How can this happen to a 73-year-old woman? Are you people in Kampala serious? So, what are you going to do?”
These conversations reveal a troubling mindset. Many citizens recognize what is happening, but still see the responsibility for responding as belonging to “other people.” Yet the erosion of constitutionalism, human rights, and democratic freedoms affects every Ugandan. Defending them cannot remain the burden of a few voices; it must become a shared national responsibility.
As way of demonstrating the context, watch a summary Animal Farm skit 👇
@arihojulio When she was still a WMP representing Bugiri, she was very brave, articulate, and armoured with intelligence. But what she's doing now, ,,, mmmmmmh
@BalaamBarugahar@SenateForeign I thought this response should come from minister of foreign affairs and not minister for Local Government? Someone to help me understand.