By Hon. Natukunda B Innocent Rutekanga Apuuli
Uganda today stands at a troubling crossroads where policy, power, and the everyday survival of its citizens are increasingly at odds.
The recent debates around the sovereignty bill, coupled with the demolition of structures deemed “not on plan,” reveal more than just governance they expose a widening gulf between leaders and the lived realities of the people they once passionately courted during campaigns.
The common person, once a darling of political rallies and manifestos, now finds themselves at the mercy of decisions made without empathy or grounding.
A roadside vendor, a small-scale landlord, or a young family struggling to build incrementally-these are the faces behind the so-called “illegal structures.” Their reality is not one of defiance, but of survival.
To demolish without offering alternatives is not planning-it is displacement disguised as order.
Political philosophy has long warned of such detachment.
From Rousseau’s social contract to modern critiques of state power, the legitimacy of leadership is rooted in its service to the people. Yet what unfolds today resembles a cohort of leaders increasingly insulated by privilege self-serving, inattentive, and disturbingly unaware of how ordinary Ugandans live, earn, and endure.
The metaphor of the hen captures this reality with painful clarity. A hen is plucked of its feathers-left exposed and vulnerable-only to be tossed a few grains of food.
In its desperation, it follows the same hand that caused its suffering. So too does the state extract relentlessly-through taxes, demolitions, and restrictive policies-only to offer token relief that keeps the population dependent, hopeful, and subdued.
The pathways to personal advancement are narrowing. Professional success, once tied to merit and perseverance, is now largely tethered to salary loans for those fortunate enough to hold government jobs. Even then, such jobs often serve as collateral rather than opportunity.
Entrepreneurship, which should be the backbone of a growing economy, is increasingly stifled. For many starters, the environment is unforgiving-high costs, regulatory pressures, and limited support combine to crush initiative before it can breathe.
Meanwhile, institutions that should serve as moral compasses appear compromised. Sections of the clergy remain conspicuously silent, their voices softened by proximity to power-perhaps in anticipation of material rewards. Parliament, once envisioned as the people’s watchdog, risks becoming transactional.
When legislative duty is reduced to anticipation of allowances, when scrutiny is replaced by compliance, governance itself is hollowed out. Kyankwanzi retreats and monetary inducements have, in the eyes of many, overshadowed the sacred responsibility of representation.
What emerges is not merely a governance crisis, but a moral one.
Save for Uganda.
Oh Uganda, the land that should be feeding its people, yet leaves many struggling to survive.
Oh Uganda, the alleged Pearl of Africa-an enterprise of the few, and the pain of others.
The writer is Team Leader for the National Unity Platform (NUP) in the Tooro Sub-Region and former MP Candidate for Mwenge North.
Email: bnatukundainno@gmail.com
