Robert Kizito
5 October 2008
column
Real issues may be unconsciously, or, depending on one's intentions, consciously or semi-consciously obscured by fronting more seductive but side pretensions.
And so has the focus on the value of the investment, 'political vulturism', sectarianism and, on the absence of legal provisions on disclosure obscured the real issues in the NSSF Temangalo land saga.
As for politics, it is simply about winning and retaining power and; using the power so won and retained to (systematically) create a better society (economically, politically, socially, morally etc) than the one in existence.
The reality on the ground is that in their quest to win and retain power, politicians will use all manner of means including "vulture-like", "mafia-like" and such other uncondoned thuggery and tricks.
Depending on the circumstances, a politician will be a victim at one time and, a perpetrator of such tricks and thuggery at another.
The general public has many times suffered or lost a project thanks to politicians' wars. Politicians who cry over those who wish to finish them politically are, therefore, either naïve or are in the wrong game.
Indeed, the more sceptical public may have little or no sympathy for them at all. Politicians and aspiring politicians must, therefore, always live most carefully so that they may not provide 'political vultures' and other opponents with ammunition to finish them off.
The bottom line is simple and clear: if you can't stand the heat don't go into the kitchen or to be more precise, don't become a cook.
I know of people that would make formidable politicians but who have decidedly shunned active politics after realising their present and past, right from their college days, could neither stand serious public scrutiny nor weather the heat should political vultures and mafiosi choose to bite.
Andrew Mwenda has argued that "procedural defects should not blind us to the strategic value of NSSF's investment in Temangalo." But this is a double-edged argument.
Should the strategic value of NSSF's investment in Temangalo blind us to procedural defects and all other such flaws surrounding this public investment? I think not!
Onyango-Obbo thinks that the absence of a law on disclosure creates a loophole that has allowed big men and women to use their influence to award themselves and their cronies lucrative jobs and contracts.
True, such a law is desirable to control wayward public officials and politicians wishing to do business with government.
But it is an unwritten standard requirement, that public officials, political appointees included, must at all times be mindful of their fiduciary or trusteeship role and the unwritten social contract that exists between them and the general public.
Such appointees owe us a duty to promote and protect the public good. This among other things, includes pursuing the exposure of procedural flaws and/or such other misdemeanors whenever detected on the part of national institutions.
It also includes transparency and public accountability. In this case, public accountability translates in the duty of rectification or transparent correction (and not exploitation) of lax, erring or bungling government and public institutions before doing business with it.
Problem, however, is that politics which is a calling to service to society (at a fee) has unfortunately been turned into a calling to eat from society (for free) and the general abuse of office (with impunity).
These then are the real issues that should concern Ugandans. These are the issues that need to be investigated and the guilty punished as a deterrent and to provide guidance for others in future.
It does not matter that among the investigators may be political and sectarian vultures and mafiosi. Vultures and the mafia are non issues in this and similar sagas because for the case to be proven it must, and hopefully will, rest on real issues and not bigotry or partisan biases!
Mr Kasozi is a retired journalist and business executive
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