Gawaya Tegulle
17 May 2008
column
In 1986, two seemingly unrelated events took place in two parts of the world. In January that year, in Uganda, a small ragtag army marched from the bushes of Luweero and other parts of Uganda's periphery onto the capital, beat up a much better equipped, much larger and far better-trained army and took power.
A previously little-known and (by then) small chap called Yoweri Museveni, 41, whom few people had ever taken seriously till then, assumed power and announced a new era based on a fundamental change. Folks thought they had heard this stuff before, so they snickered and sneered as they munched pork ribs and sipped doses of beer or kwete.
Several months later in Manchester, England, a little known manager called Alex Ferguson, 45, assumed control of Manchester United Football Club (Man. U). Then, you had be crazy to see any similarities between the two men; now, you have to be dumb and daft not to.
Man. U is now the world's biggest and most popular football club and at the current rate, in a few years time, will have overtaken Liverpool as Britain's most successful club and the "you will always walk in our shadow" chants that Anfield fans love to throw at Man U supporters will be silent.
Uganda is generally lauded as one of Africa's success stories, with a great Constitution, growing economy, thriving education sector, more enlightened politics (albeit with a strong remnant of backward politicians and outdated soldier boys) and now a relatively stable spell in terms of security and sheer political calm.
A keen eye can see that both entities are struggling with the succession question, many feeling that neither Man U nor Uganda would be the same if Fergie and Museveni respectively, left office; some predicting outright doom. Tons of paper have been used writing about potential successors; but this year both Fergie and Museveni have it clear they have no intention of quitting soon and whoever is eager to succeed them better be patient.
Getting to this success, the methods were the same: Two strong-willed leaders, each with charisma and laudable character, relying on ridiculously small local resources to surmount a huge task by simply imparting belief into their troops. In 1981, Museveni defied logic, starting with 41 men, just 27 guns and later, recruiting peasants and beat up a modern army in five years without outside help.
And against everybody's advice, Fergie relied on young kids from the neighbourhood - Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, the Neville brothers, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and a few others- to establish Man U into a super power, with a strong winning mentality, captured in the 1999 Man U song "It's all about belief."
And for good measure, both men are blessed or dis-blessed with huge egos and occasional bursts of temper that might see a boot flying across the dressing room after a loss to Arsenal, or a fist pounding the table (live on air) after some 'silly' judges have had the temerity to nullify the referendum or some other such vital law.
But that is where the similarities end; for while Fergie has registered fresh success by slowly phasing out his 'historicals', with only Giggs, Gary Neville and Scholes left (and due to retire), Museveni's failure rate is growing because of clinging onto historicals in the army and politics.
Recognising that the era of winning by relying less on talent and more on work rate, character and tactical discipline is over, Fergie, under the influence of his deputy Carlos Queiroz has changed to Latin flair.
So the likes of Wayne Rooney, Owen Hargreaves and Michael Carrick are complimented by Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Nani, Oliveira Anderson and Carlos Tevez. So Man U, still maintaining a strong British tradition is a better team and a joy to watch because Fergie changed plans without altering his vision.
Uganda, on its part, is deteriorating, with Museveni's historicals causing him all kinds of trouble in cabinet and army. Tainted with one scandal after another and ineptitude all the way, the president's old mates are giving him bad press and in the army, stifling attempts to professionalise it.
With all his grand ideas, the president is pouring new wine into old skins. The solution is simple: discard the historicals totally because their time is over. You can't solve today's problems with yesterday's solutions. Give Sir Alex a call.
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