Uganda's Unfinished Revolution: The Path to True Uhuru Awaits!

Hon. Jimmy Akena




Uganda is struck with some issues that need to be addressed as well as offering some

approaches to solve them in order to achieve Uhuru.

1. Uhuru is not yet achieved

On the 60th anniversary of Uganda's independence comrade Jimmy Akena said that

Uganda would be in a state of “Not Yet Uhuru”1


. He is right: Uganda is not actually

independent. Uganda is still reliant on foreign capital. Uganda just switched allegiance from

being dominated by Western imperialist powers to now Eastern imperialist powers - mainly

China as well India, who both are part of the BRICS.

The fault for that lies in the privatizations of the 90s with its sellout of state assets as well the

neglect for cooperatives in those days. The consequences of that neoliberal policy of the

NRM government still shape Uganda's economy until today.

Museveni claimed in 1989, like every neoliberal leader: “Private entrepreneurs in Uganda

are more dynamic than those in public enterprises.”2


Is that true? Not at all! The

privatizations of Ugandan state property under the NRM did not in the slightest lead to an

upswing. This becomes very visible on the field of industry. In 1982 Uganda’s GDP had

6.3% share by manufacturing; in 1997 8.4%; in 2008/2009 6.7%; in 2012 8.8% and

accounting for only 5% of the labor force3


. Could a sane person say based on these

numbers, that the privatization of the industry would have led to a “more dynamic”

development? It was more a move like Esau selling his birthright to Jacob for a stew of

lentils4

: Vital national assets were sold for some money, while the long-term national

development suffers from that decision.

The worst thing is not even that Museveni made such claims and took such measures, but

that people believe him. Even among the UPC you can find those5

.

2. Uganda ́s working people are stuck in illusions

The dependence on imperialist powers is also reflected in the ideological field where it mixes

up with the native backward conditions. Looking at Uganda ́s ideological landscape, Engels'

words seem to fit: “To the crude conditions of capitalistic production and the crude class


1 https://www.pulse.ug/news/politics/with-so-much-poverty-ugandan-independence-is-not-yet-reality-

akena/sfy7kfe


2Yoweri K. Museveni: What is Africa's Problem?, University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis 2000, p.

192

3Cf. (Ed.) Jörg Wiegratz/Giuliano Martiniello/Elisa Greco: Uganda – The Dynamics of Neoliberal

Transformation, Zed Books, London 2018, p. 152

4Genesis 25:34

5 https://www.upcparty.net/upcparty/roots_rubaihayo.htm


conditions correspond crude theories.”6


There can be no doubt about Uganda being a

capitalist country just as much as Uganda being an underdeveloped country. It is natural that

under these circumstances ideas appear that can only be related to a lack of education and

access to information as well to illusions stemming from a peasants ́ mindset. Lenin was

right: “The lower the educational level of the masses, the more easily political utopias usually

arise and the longer they persist.”7


This is why it is important for us to be active teachers of

the masses in order to overcome the blatant lack of education among the masses. This is an

important part of our struggle against poverty, ignorance and disease.

With the educational level also the consciousness of the Ugandan people will rise to take

their destiny into their own hands.

3. What has to be done to achieve Uhuru?

The working people of Uganda have to take their destiny back into their own hands.

This is why we demand the following on Uganda's economic policy:

Nationalization of Uganda ́s big companies to run them in the interest of the working people.

Giving trade unions more say in their enterprise to improve the livelihood of the workers.

Promoting agricultural cooperatives and giving them aid by the state to increase rural income

and productivity.

Promoting cooperatives among merchants, craftsmen and other components of the petty

bourgeoisie to increase their productivity and livelihood as well.

Creating a planned economy to replace the market economy.

This is why our call goes out to the Ugandan working people in the cities and countryside:

Fight with us to finally achieve Uhuru together!

Let us achieve a truly independent Uganda!

It is time to rebuild socialism in the Pearl of Africa!


6 https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1880/soc-utop/ch01.htm

7 https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1912/oct/00.htm

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Bond of Struggle: A Message from a German Comrade to Ugandan Workers!

Image
Dear Ugandan comrades! As a Muzungu comrade from Germany I feel honored to address you. Unfortunately I cannot speak in the name of my party, the Communist Party of Germany, as a whole, since I am no high-ranking member. But be assured, that there are also other comrades from Germany that are following the progress you are making. Franz Kafka wrote in his “In the Penal Colony”: “It is always questionable to intervene decisively in strange circumstances.” The reason is that it is hard to know the national conditions.  I have been to Uganda thrice and read quite a bunch of literature on Uganda's political, economical and social conditions. I am far away from knowing Uganda's national conditions as well as a native, but I hope to know them well enough to be able to at least give some advice. I will try to help you with all means I can spare, also ideological input in form of articles in English. Trotsky, the counterrevolutionary renegade of the October Revolution, was correct...
Read more

Ugandan Communists Stand in Solidarity with Kenyan Comrades on Congress Week

 Dear Kenyan Comrades, We hope this finds you well. As Congress Week approaches, your journey has been inspiring to the youth and the population in the fight for justice for everyone. Your dedication to spreading the true message of communism and socialism reflects the legacy of great comrades like Dedan Kimathi, who fought for justice and democracy for our grandparents. We deeply appreciate the efforts you have undertaken, particularly with Generation Z, in resisting Zakayo's Finance Bill and opposing the extravagant foreign loans designed to weaken African economies. The journey you have embarked on is ongoing, and it continues to inspire many. Your significant contributions to the fight for justice and the promotion of communism and socialism have opened the eyes of many. We extend our congratulations as you approach Congress Week, celebrating the new leaders who will carry forward the mantle of progress. We also thank the current leaders for the tremendous work they have accomp...
Read more

The Coffee Crisis: Dr. Ezra Suruma on the Risks of Dissolving UCDA

Image
  Coffee from Uganda The ongoing debate over Uganda’s coffee industry has sparked intense controversy, culminating in a heated exchange in parliament and the recent passage of a contentious coffee bill awaiting the president’s signature. The bill has stirred public debate about whether the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) should remain an autonomous agency or be absorbed into the Ministry of Agriculture. This has led to widespread concern, with many Ugandans, including prominent economist Dr. Ezra Suruma, voicing their opposition to the proposed changes. Dr. Suruma, one of Uganda’s most respected economists, shared his perspective in a critical response to these developments, underscoring how the current structure of UCDA has historically supported the coffee industry without financial dependence on government funds. Established in 1990, UCDA was designed to operate autonomously, funded by a 1% service charge (or “cess”) on coffee exports rather than government allocation...
Read more