ROBERT ATUHAIRWE: In defense of UMC boss, Allan Kasujja, and the “politics” of Gen. MK’s birthday run

I saw the article titled: “When Journalists Cross the Line: The Cost of Proximity to Power” by Leonard Kamugisha Akida on parrotsug.com hurling tactical missiles at the new Executive Director of the Uganda Media Centre, Allan Kasujja, faster than Iran giving it to its aggressors and neighbours. Kasujja’s “crime” is announcing the upcoming MK Birthday run. Kamugisha, a journalist himself, notes in his bio at the end of the article that he is also an advocate for public health issues.

In the “strait of hormuz scenario”-like article, Kamugisha is displeased with Kasujja, apparently, for losing his journalistic independence and taking on the “language and posture of power”.
While Kamugisha has a right to question things, we ought to be fair and grounded in enjoy this libertarian allowance. My reading is that the new communication boss of government is a sellout without a backbone. One would think that taking up a corporate job, more so one in government, is a criminal offence or some sort of sacrilege.

Obviously, that tells you that the complainers (who the author supposedly represents in their diversity) are using a political lens and, more so, taking on the UMB boss as a “proxy” of Gen. MK. The target isn’t Kasujja but the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF). For being a son to the president, anything he does, says or is associated with attracts the ire of those that are not at par with his father politically or otherwise. It doesn’t matter how noble or objective what he says or does.

If that weren’t the case, what’s the problem with doing a charity activity and using a centralised communications base to inform the world about it? What’s the problem with the head of the unit making the announcement and endorsing the activity? Kamugisha is an activist himself. What does he use to publicise his activities? What most people don’t understand is that UMC is a unit accessible to any Ugandan to use its services if they are promoting something for public benefit. MK being the CDF, he is an official of government, and the press conference where the announcement was made had other officials and UPDF officers. Meaning that the activity is mainstream, and it’s open to everyone including those criticising it- so that they can pick a leaf.

To reduce the activity to a just a birthday anniversary certainly goes to show how things weigh differently depending on who is looking. A birthday is an ordinary milestone that some of us don’t even mark. But others tag major activities to the day and use it to cause change in the lives of others.

From the start, I always wondered at those who looked at the MK birthdays as just a merrymaking thing contrary to what the celebrants intended. Well, the “birthday boy” doesn’t seem to look at it that way from insider information and wants to enrich the occasion to much his public persona. Partying and cutting cake is just the formal part.
Will those that have issues to sort out with him propose a law banning public birthday celebrations so as to even out what stops them “mainstreaming” their own anniversaries?

Back on Kasujja: when he was doing his “independent and neutral” journalism, to who did owe anything? Who chose for him his career path? When he was on Capital and BBC, who sent him there? Whose interests was he serving? Did he have a right to choose his employer? Does he still have that right or entitlement to choose who he works with or for? Which is this public that knows and minds Kasujja’s journalism practice better than the practitioner himself?

It’s the same scenario with politicians that cross from one party to another or like Nobert Mao of DP, cooperate with the ruling NRM government, then they are derided as being sell-outs, etc. Question is; when they were breaking their political teeth and choosing a side to belong to, on whose orders or opinions were they working? In short, who put Mao in DP and whom did he swear an oath to that he will never cross or work with NRM or any other side? In 2016, he embraced and backed Amama Mbabazi of Go-Forward. Did anyone lose his head for that?

We are seeing dangerous symptoms of intolerance and self-righteousness when people start to want to direct others on their political choices and association. Right there is how democracy becomes like the Kharg Island in the midst of threats of obliteration versus adamant blockades all around.
And I say this without ever having met the UMC boss in person. Nor do I need to have met anybody caught up in a similar situation to advocate for their right to a “backbone” of their choice. Journalists must stand as one to promote one another than being seen putting themselves in a chokehold.

The author is a Promoter of African Integration and Greater Public Good

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