The desire of family members to attain high positions has had a significant impact on Uganda’s democracy.
In Uganda, we have always had scenarios where politicians succeed their parents or relatives in their political offices after they have passed on or been thrown out of office due to some reasons. This has been accepted among different parties both in government and the opposition, where it is an unwritten law that once a member of Parliament dies, their relative has to succeed them.
However, Democracy dictates that the majority of the people have to vote for their desired candidate into power rather than having a candidate forced onto them by another group of people for whichever reason. I believe that once a person dies in power, his vision and abilities to do work are quite different from his relatives. Therefore that’s why I am against the idea of bringing a person to succeed their relative in a political position.
The politics of succession is indeed a disaster to the Democracy of developing countries including Uganda because many other people of even greater potential are left out only because a certain political party wants to console the family of the bereaved by voting a family member to fill that same position.
A sense of entitlement is also created among politicians due to the policy of succession. This is because politicians might ring-fence a position only for their family members. This is a sign of greed and self-centeredness for people to think that it is only one family that should lead a given society. Candidates with more vibrant and fresh ideas are left out because they don’t come from their favorite family.
Succession politics is a mock of democracy because the electorate is presented with a candidate whose victory is already pre – determined. As a result, the political party has to make sure that its candidate wins the election. Cases of massive voter bribery, ballot staffing, and electoral violence are visible, all in the name of having the desired candidate win.
The following are a few instances in Uganda where people have replaced relatives in political offices or children have succeeded their parents.
In 2006, Honorable Ken Lukyamuzi “the man” was thrown out of Parliament by the court for failure to declare his wealth. Lukyamuzi simply fronted his daughter Susan Nampijja, for the Lubaga south Constituency seat which she won. Interestingly, in 2011, after he had been cleared by Court to stand again, Lukyamuzi asked his daughter to step down and he came back and contested, an election he later won.
In 2012, after the death of Butaleja woman Member of Parliament, the youthful Cerina Arioru Nebanda, she was replaced by her sister Florence Andiru.
Proscovia Alengot Oromait, then 19 years old and in her senior six vacations, succeeded her late father Honorable Micheal Oromait for the Usuk county constituency, thereby becoming the youngest member of Parliament in Africa.
When Bukomansimbi woman Member of Parliament Susan Namaganda died in a motor accident in 2015, she was succeeded by her sister, who was a school teacher and she was called Veronica Nanyondo. Honorable Susan Namaganda (RIP) was nicknamed “beyi y’ebirime” for fighting for the prices of agricultural produce.
Similarly, former speaker of Parliament Jacob L’Okori Oulanya was replaced by his son Mr. Andrew Ojok in Parliament as the new Member of Parliament for Omoro county constituency.
Quite recently, after the death of Bishop Patrick Okabe and his wife in a nasty accident along Tirinyi road, his son, Emmanuel Omoding Okabe is one of those ones who are expected to succeed him in an upcoming by-election which is yet to be conducted on the 23rd of February, 2023. Mr. Omoding Okabe is an independent candidate but NRM-leaning. However, there is a National Resistance Movement (NRM) party flag bearer in this election called Phillip Oucur. Alice Alaso also wants to bounce back on the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) ticket.
This also happens in other countries. For example in Kenya, Mr. Wyclif Musalia Mudavadi replaced his late father, Mr. Moses Mudavadi as the Sabati constituency Member of Parliament in 1989.
In conclusion, therefore, I believe that if we are to grow democracy in its totality, we should do away with the politics of succession. Bless you.
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