The Mysterious face of People Power and the Rise of Populism in Uganda. A Youth Baraza publication by Diogo Eric.

We live at a time when democracy is under attack, Global populism has best played in the USA where we’ve seen the rise and fall of Trump. The country Uganda has not been spared by this wave. Uganda has witnessed a political storm in the name of people power which has arguably buried many a political career and given rise to new faces on the scene.

That being so true, in political science populism is the idea that society is separated into two groups which are at odds with one another – “the pure people” and “the corrupt elite”, according to Cas Mudde, author of Populism: A Very Short Introduction. Populism therefore refers to a range of political stances that emphasise the idea of “the people” and often juxtapose this group against “the elite”.

The idea of people power , I dare say, is meant to encourage mass civic awareness and empowerment of the ordinary folks to have a voice in the affairs of their governance. Unfortunately, in Uganda, the phrase ‘People Power’ has become synonymous to a populist uprising wherein its crusaders consider any one that doesn’t associate with their ideology (if any) as not a lover of Uganda and the Honourable Robert Kyagulanyi, an outgoing Member of Parliament and 2021 Presidential aspirant has been the protagonist of this movement.

Harvard political philosopher Prof. Michael Sandel has opined that moral outrage can be politically energizing but only if its channelled and guided by good political judgement. Thus, Kyagulanyi’s election to Parliament as a member of Parliament and his subsequent votes in his Presidential bid have been a calculated tap into the various legitimate grievances that leaders have for a long time failed to satisfactorily answer to Kyagulanyi’s supporters.

It has not been enough for the current regime’s spokesmen to brand these supporters of people power as haters of development but the same ought to adopt a critical political inquiry into what led to the rise of the people power movement. The numerous wins of this movement under its legal umbrella the National Unity Party (NUP), considering that the movement hasn’t even celebrated its first birthday are a form of defiance to deep and entrenched inequalities evident in the country’s generational and regional divides.

The Uganda Government through affirmative action targets has tried to address these concerns by creating a youth fund, special affirmative action based seats in Parliament among others. However, it is true that despite these reasonable interventions of government to address these divides, many of Kyagulanyi’s supporters continue to feel disempowered because this mostly youthful population is largely outside the centre of power.

Some commentators have suggested that the government seems to advance a capitalist friendly approach which is geared towards attracting foreign direct investments in the country’s various industries and ensuring that investors enjoy their stay in the country with as little interference from the state as possible. Accordingly, such has made conversations like the ones on minimum wage, occupational safety standards and economic repatriation to be avoided by government officials hence growing mistrust towards those in governance.

Lessons learnt.

Perhaps the biggest students of this uprising are government the Forum for Democratic Change as a political party.

Government because the people power movement has revealed so much of young people’s grievances and their disruptive power during the numerous demonstrations and riots the country has witnessed in the recent pasts. The movement is an awakening whip to all sleepy officials who may find their way back to the next government considering that many, including  some government ministers were wiped out in the just concluded elections.

To the Forum for Democratic Change, it’s a call to re-structure and repackage its message in order to appeal again to those that supported it to be the main opposition political party and perhaps emanate again next time to its former position. Yet again, it’s prudent to note that despite this wave, the FDC came out third in the just concluded Presidential Election. This is something that can’t be taken for granted and arguably speaks to the political party’s might which has been previously downplayed by assertions that the party cannot do much without its stronghold, Rtd. Col. Kizza Besigye.

The Youth have had a key role in the latest political developments in Uganda. Many will agree that the rise of the people power movement was largely fueled by the fact that the vast majority of the Ugandan population are the youth. These numbers provided the fertile ground for this seed and the same easily related with the movement since many young people have for along time felt aggrieved and demanded inclusiveness. Evidently the rise of his movement has taught young people that they can and should have  a say in the matters that concern their well being.

Yet again, the big question for all lovers of democracy is, what is people power.

On many days, when men and women from a particular region of Uganda have been asked to part with their moneys or run for their lives, the reason has been PEOPLE POWER! When Hon. Kyagulanyi was arrested on certain allegations, the demands made in the name of riots and deaths of many were not that he be taken to court, the demands were release immediately in the name of PEOPLE POWER! To these supporters of the movement, the principal could not be arrested and that is because of People power. It doesn’t matter why.

The emergency of populism in Uganda as manifested in the rise of people power is basically a reality check to the politicians, political commentators and all Uganda loving people in this country. There seems to be a shift In ideology and one which ought to be of particular interest to the future of this country. As young people, this is a season we have to be part of.

Yet again, the big question remains, what is PEOPLE POWER?.