Is Dr Kizza Besigye the new Steve Biko?
By Phillip Matogo More by this Author  Uganda has never suffered from a shortage of well-educated (mis) leaders. Most of who are elevated from the quiet pastures of professions which have little to do with formal politics. Gilbert Bukenya, for instance, was a professor of medicine. However, as soon as he joined politics, he became a lion out of its jungle as he degenerated into a two-bit politician. The careers of many other intellectuals who join politics are typified by this trajectory. It is this trajectory which turns an eminent citizen of society into an imminent loss to the community. The problem here is not power. The problem is how those who ascend to power forget how it was when they werent in power and thereby become limp imitations of their former sure-footed selves. So they forget their peculiar abilities in order to excel in brownnosing a president who always has a finger on the trigger of a gun pointed at them. To survive getting fired, they must continuously duck and this leaves them stooping in order to rise. So it is refreshing when a professional joins politics and still uses his/her learning in the service of the community. To explain further, lets look at Zanempilo Community Health in South Africa. It was established by Steve Biko. Biko, a former medical student at the University of Natal, agitated for Black Consciousness as a way of liberating the mind of Black South Africans. Advertisement  Zanempilo, meaning bringing health in South Africas isiXhosa language, was an extension of Black Consciousness and operated from 1974 to 1977 to improve the physical health of the community, assist with economic growth and restore a sense of dignity for black people. One could see how Biko viewed health as a common good and thus the very essence of politics. Dr Kizza Besigye was originally exclusively an agitator to remove President Museveni from office. However, as he sinks in the red sea change of Ugandan politics, he seems to have reinvented himself with a prime eye on using his learning as a medical doctor towards improving the lives of Ugandans. Yes, just like Biko did for Black South Africans. In the shadow of Covid-19, he has been preaching our need to boost our body immunity to prepare for a battle royal with Covid-19. His immunity booster includes hot water, garlic, lemons, onions, ginger, red pepper (not the tabloid) and directions on how these should be deployed to do battle with Covid-19. Col Kizza Besigye has become Dr Besigye again. This reversion to type is something all politicians with similar professional expertise should consider before checking their brains at the door leading to Musevenis politics of the belly. Besigye is now more useful than the empty slogan of People Power, Our Power which seems to be muted in the face of a pandemic cleaving to Chinua Achebes dictum: When Suffering knocks at your door and you say there is no seat left for him, he tells you not to worry because he has brought his own stool. Behind Besigyes newfound evangelism, however, is the revelation of a revolution. While appearing on NBS TVs Morning Breeze show last week, Dr Besigye said the government doesnt have the capacity to combat Covid-19. He advised that personal responsibility is the first and last line of defence. This means that non-state actors (Ugandan citizens) will be substituting the work of the government. As a consequence, individuated societal responsibilities will supersede governmental prerogatives; thereby shrinking the significance of the State in favour of a citizenry taking control of its destiny to secure its own future. Mr Matogo is a professional copywriter  mugashop74@gmail.com