Buganda kingdom premier Charles Peter Mayiga has criticised those comparing the National Resistance Movement's (NRM) regime to previous regimes led by former presidents Apollo Milton Obote and Gen Idi Amin Dada.
The comments come after the 33rd anniversary of the NRM liberation on January 26, commemorating the day in 1986 when fighters of the National Resistance Army (NRA), led by Yoweri Museveni overthrew the military junta led by Gen Tito Okello Lutwa.
Museveni went to the bush in a five-year armed struggle after the 1980 general election which was allegedly rigged in favour of the Uganda People's Congress party, led by Obote. This was the second time Obote was ruling Uganda after being overthrown by Gen Amin. However, Amin's regime was characterized by widespread brutality and oppressiveness.
Now, several commentators including former NRA fighters, have started comparing the NRM excesses to the previous regimes, saying Museveni has lost the clout and accepted the same ills that the country witnessed in the '70s and early '80s to supersede his leadership. Many a commentator point to the political intolerance, high levels of corruption, security brutalised, bogged down service delivery among others.
But speaking in the Buganda Lukiiko sitting at Bulange-Mengo this morning, Katikkiro Mayiga said that the comparison is farfetched and hollow.
"The truth is the NRM government is way better than Amin’s and Obote’s government in so many aspects. It’s only those who don’t know the past or have not read history who can compare the NRM government with those governments." said Mayiga.
Mayiga advised that instead of such an assessment, Ugandans should make comparisons with the Asian tigers, which had the same GDP with Uganda, underwent rapid industrialization and maintained exceptionally high growth rates over the years.
"But also, we should not compare any government with the bogus governments of Amin and Obote. If we’re to compare governments, then it should be with progressive governments such as Singapore, Malaysia or even Ghana. We were at the same level of development with those governments and now see where they are." he said.
Nevertheless, Mayiga said that NRM needs to improve its record on a number of challenges like unemployment, poverty levels and human rights violations.
The NRM regime prides itself in improving physical infrastructure, power generation, security, health services, water and sanitation, economic growth and youth empowerment, among others. NRM officials are quick to point out to the past ills of the Amin and Obote government to show the progress that they have made on the country's governance and democracy strand.