OPINION: Where and how I differ with others on Bobi Wine’s presidential move 2021

The other day when comrade brother Hon. Bobi Wine went to the US and he missed a very important Parliamentary sitting, many people attacked, belittled and castigated him as being a traitor and a mole! Little did they know that there is time for everything. When he showed up in the subsequent sittings, and wholeheartedly supported the fight, the same people kept quiet. You don’t praise your wife today as being the most beautiful and when you have a few disagreements you tell her that she is ugly!

Politely I asked the colleagues who had started attacking Bobi not to destroy him but to instead help him learn and grow politically! There is no doubt Bobi Wine has been a leader in business and entertainment fields. He would honestly tell you that even in such fields there are a number of challenges. However the experience of having a girlfriend or boyfriend is different from a marriage where you live together. This is all about facing the reality. There are things which change in both situations.

I differ with the colleagues who are already up convincing comrade Bobi Wine to contest for Presidency come 2021; That’s not bad as long as it’s carefully thought, compressed and deliberately planned. Bobi Wine will no doubt make a good leader but not out of excitement. He needs more time to learn from senior leaders and mentors. He must associate with leaders who inspired him. He must learn a lot from people like Dr Kizza Besigye, Muntu, Nambooze, Lukwago, Mao, Segona among others since these have built experience over the years. He may not have the experience of how to challenge M7 and one remains economically stable. He must build networks and political alliances beyond Kyadondo, Kampala and Uganda! He must know his enemies and who to avoid. He must take efforts to interact with African leaders or Presidents, he needs this. How many Generals has he interacted with? You can ignore the rest but don’t ignore our political – military background. Today we are all convinced that we must pick up arms like M7 did to get rid of him.

Therefore my brother Bobi Wine needs to be given enough time to learn and grow, let’s prepare him. In Politics growth is not in terms of size or height! It’s about building strategic alliances and networks, it’s about building a solid political base and or foundation. Apparently, Bobi Wine hasn’t built that yet. It’s important for him to build trust with his allies, lest he may end up networking with schemers who will want to use him and immediately get rid of him in six months. It has happened here in Uganda, our history! We have had Presidents for less than a year! Do you remember how it came about! It’s crucially important that you give Ugandans time to also study, understand and trust the person of Bobi Wine. Bobi Wine must also understand himself more than anyone else.

Let’s not make other mistakes as a result of excitement! This happened when “liberator” M7 took up arms went to the bush and he took over power! We are grappling to get rid of him now. Great leaders are tested over the years, let Bobi Wine get tested too. There is one great international question many Ugandans have failed to answer! Wherever we go they ask us how we can allow one man to rule us for 32 years! We wouldn’t want to create another question of how do we groom and elect our future leaders!

Lastly, let’s not lose focus, there are forces outside there who will do everything possible to get opposition divided come 2021. They will support other emerging opposition forces to undermine the already existing forces. Bobi comes to build and add more energy to the opposition forces but not to lead it first. His time to be on the first eleven as the best striker is yet to come. We must learn how football teams groom their best players including keeping their young and good players in the academies not that they don’t know but to help them become firm.
Let’s give Bobi Wine time, let’s build and prepare him and other leaders.

For God and My Country

Kaaya Rajab Sema
Adult Educator/Politician