
The distance is about seven thousand kilometers. Yet Bangladesh is well known in Uganda. Bangladesh's BRAC is working in about 60 districts of the country. This large development company has also set up a bank there.
Uganda is also very well known in Bangladesh. Especially through social media. There, the name of Uganda is mixed with many sad jokes of Bangladeshis. The country is a big symbol of laughter of Bengali speakers.
Uganda became independent about 9 years ago. Even after such a long time, Uganda's political institutions have not been strong at all. Rather the opposite happened. However, it is also true that in the Transparency International's 2017 Corruption Perceptions Index, both Bangladesh and Uganda are ranked 149th out of 180 countries. Uganda is two steps ahead of the previous year. Bangladesh is six steps behind. They are fairly close. The donor-recipient of Uganda-Bangladesh comedy is therefore one and the same.
The old ruler is reluctant to stop
Internationally, Uganda's rulers are called 'hybrid regimes'. No delicious translation of the hybrid regime has been launched in Bengali yet. The international community calls such a country a 'hybrid regime' where the development of democracy has been hampered and authoritarianism has been established. These countries hold regular elections, but the opposition cannot win. Opponents are at risk of political oppression. In translation, ‘hybrid regime’ is called ‘degenerate democracy’ in Bengali. Uganda is at the top of the list of countries around the world where democracy is particularly crippled. The situation is similar in neighboring Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. Democracy has been strangled in these areas by talking about 'development'.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has been in power in Uganda for 33 years. Museveni is one of the five oldest rulers in the world. With the exception of Cambodia's Hun Sen, the other four on the list are from Africa, neighboring Uganda.
Museveni is now 65 years old. However, old age is no longer an obstacle to his stay in power. Opposition groups called for a boycott of the by-elections in protest of the ruling NRM (National Resistance Movement).
When young people are desperate to change
In Uganda, the presidency is key. He is also the head of the country and the head of the government. Museveni has lifted both the terms and age of the presidency. Prior to 2016, Uganda was barred from becoming president by the age of 65. Museveni has canceled it with the parliament. Similarly, the number of times a person can be president has also been changed. On the day of the passage of these provisions, Museveni deployed his forces in front of the parliament building to intimidate the opposition.
Needless to say, Museveni is interested in being president for life. However, since elections are held in a 'degenerate democracy', he will have to face elections for the sixth time in 2021. Museveni is a little worried about the upcoming election. In order to avoid such a situation, in the past he was able to keep almost all the political opponents at bay, but surprisingly, a young musician, who has no political past, is now facing a challenge. There is no detailed political program. But for the youth, this youth is now a symbol of change.
This situation in Uganda also gives some indication of understanding the political future of other countries of the same character. Ugandan Bobby Wine is a global example of how young people find their leaders from completely different backgrounds in an unconventional way when the path to political change is blocked in a constitutional way. However, Ugandan patriarchs, including the United States, have not yet indicated whether they will leave their old friend Museveni. Because, People's Republic of China is waiting for the same kind of friendship. They have already become the country's main 'lenders'.
When the gap between conventional politics and youth is much
Uganda is almost politically impoverished while ensuring a peaceful environment for ‘development’. The country's opposition is no less responsible for the situation. Without a desire to return to power, Museveni's opponents have failed to present to the public any long-term alternative policy that could revive Ugandan political institutions. Opposition groups called for a united front against Museveni, but the opposition was divided. Apart from sitting in the city and making statements, they are rarely seen doing anything else. These teams have nothing more to offer to the youth than Museveni. Museveni has been making good use of the opposition's internal strife. But unhappy young people are becoming a cause of concern for him. It is also a well-known figure in other authoritarian countries of the world.
The population of Africa is dominated by young people at the moment. The average age of the population in Bangladesh is 26-28, in Africa it is 20; 16 in Uganda. The emotional gap that these young people will have with the 85-year-old president is inevitable. Conventional politics cannot fill this gap. This is where Bobby Wine begins. The music-hero of the slum dwellers entered politics in 2016 and is now spreading psychological fears against the old dictator across Africa. Where conventional politics in Africa ends, there begins unconventional leadership like Bobby Wines. Such a trend is seen in other parts of the world.
Growing up in a slum, Bobby Wine's song always brings up the tragedy of the urban poor. He is called the 'president of the poor'. He is gradually becoming irresistible in the election. Photo: AFP
'Lifetime President' vs. 'Poor President'
With fair elections, fewer African countries are still changing power. The old dictators do not want to relinquish power unless there is a mass coup or a military coup. The way he came to power, he first tried to establish one-party rule; Then he turned it into a one-man rule. The British model of state structure has been quite conducive to their lust for power.
The same is true in Uganda. The main opposition leader, Kizza Bissai, has not been able to take advantage of Museveni's repression. However, in 2021, he is running again against Museveni. But urban youth want more than BCCI.
In order to prevent such a possible mass uprising, many rulers in Africa have deceived village producers but kept food prices low in cities. Even then, the youth suffocated in the shadow of long authoritarianism. Not only because of the lack of political change, but also because of the angry bakery of those young people. Now the picture of many countries in Asia-Africa is similar to that of ‘degenerate’ Uganda. The number of young people coming to the city in search of work is increasing. Having to live in slum-like areas. Singer Bobby Wine grew up in a slum called Kamwakeya in Kampala. Later he studied till university. Bobby's song always brings up the tragedy of the urban poor. In this way, he gradually became a symbol of choice for the disadvantaged youth. He was called 'Slum President'. Some even call him the 'president of the poor'.
Although the artist's name is 'Bobby Wine', the real name of this young Ugandan man who has changed from a musician to a politician is Robert Kiagulan Sesentamu. In the 2016 parliamentary elections, the ruling party lost by a wide margin to both the NRM and the opposition FDC (Forum for Democratic Change). He was just meeting voters from house to house. Millions of young people followed him. In the two years since the by-elections in Uganda, Bobby-backed candidates have lost to the two main parties. Now everyone knows that none of the famous leaders of the opposition, Bobby Wine is going to challenge Museveni in 2021.