This post is for our comrades who have lost faith in the power of the ballot. For our friends who say why vote, when we already know the results?

Let me start by saying that I know democracy is not perfect, even less so in Uganda. Voting in this country is frustrating, elections are a farce. Not only does it feel like taking yourself for an idiot, casting your vote just seems like it legitimizes the bullshit. I understand that perfectly well. I also understand that elective politics are not going to be what fixes this country, we need a complete overhaul of the system.

This is my first time being eligible to vote, so maybe I just have malo. I can only imagine the Ugandans who over the course of their lives have gone to the polls and stated the leaders they want, only to be promptly ignored. Even me if it was me, I would not want to waste a day waiting in line to vote. They say doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for a different result is madness. But something is different this time. I know you can smell it in the air. The teargas I mean.

I know it’s the hope that gets you and I’m genuinely putting my heart out there for this knowing almost certainly that it’s going to end in hot tears. But here’s the thing, what if it doesn’t? I write this under no illusions. I am casting my vote for Bobi fully expecting the “independent” E.C to announce Bosco. Is that madness? Possibly. But I am here to ask you to join me, let us be mad together. Afterall it’s 2021, and we are destigmatizing mental illness. Please cast your vote.

That is if you have not already been locked out by the efficient state-orchestrated voter suppression. If only they applied that efficiency where it mattered maybe we wouldn’t be in this mess. For example, It makes no sense to me that a national ID is not sufficient to allow an adult to vote. Because otherwise why did we go through that hassle?

Yes, they are going to rig the election, but let us make it hard for them, let the ballot stuffers fail to sleep that night wondering if they stuffed enough ballots to counter the red votes. And let Byabakama’s chest tighten from shame as he announces Tibz as the winner.

Some of us think that if we just mind our business, keep our heads down and focus on getting our money, ignoring what’s happening around the country we will be safe. I’m here to tell you it’s only a matter of time before the incompetence of the leadership of this country will come to personally affect you.

What not voting does is it makes it easier for the status quo to continue as it is. It relies on voter apathy and pessimism. Do you think that if you don’t participate, the ‘powers that be’ whoever those are, will come out and say,
“So and so did not cast their vote and therefore your win is not valid Mr. Museveni, you need to pack your migugu in Nakasero and vacate the premises” ?

What happens is five more years of absolute fuckery. And you can’t even complain about it in good conscience because you didn’t vote. Even when they won’t listen to you continue to speak, otherwise they will kill you and say you enjoyed it.

Uganda has a sordid past, we have never seen a peaceful power transition in this country. And a lot of our parents lived through those troubling times. They know fundamentally what insecurity looks like and they don’t want us to go back to that. I won’t pretend like I can fully grasp that, even just hearing stories about that history is traumatizing, can’t imagine how more traumatic living through it must have been. So this peace we have right now is enough for them to give him their vote.

When you raise the view that peace is the bare minimum they will say it is because you are soft. No, it’s because they are traumatized.
It is like someone you care about being in an unhealthy relationship where their partner is disrespectful to them and never misses a chance to undermine their values, but because they do not beat them like their exes did, they do not see the issue.

I don’t know how, but if it is in your power, get your parents to vote red, help them realize that they deserve better than a leader who hangs this peace over our heads as if he owns it. Don’t other countries have peace? Have these discussions with them. Because the families of those who have been killed, injured, or disappeared by this murderous regime do not enjoy this peace that the 1986 gang won’t stop talking about.

It’s actually why I am very upset that regime apologists are using “I choose peace” as their tagline. As per if we don’t vote for Tibz there won’t be peace? These people are funny with their thinly veiled threats. They’re very good at those by the way, I would offer obugalo if it didn’t mean dead Ugandans. For the past few years has it not been a common sight to see a convoy of military grade tankers marching through the city, complete with well-armed snipers at the top? And I ask, for what? Are we at war, or do you specialize in issuing vicious threats to an already beaten down populace?

We saw the threats, we acknowledged them, we are scared. Are you happy?

Don’t answer that.

And for people who have directly benefitted from this regime. Maybe your parents are the ones who come to television to tell us bald-faced lies. I acknowledge how the power difference between you and your parent may make it hard for you to call them out. Or maybe you enjoy the perks that have come from daddy’s (or mummy’s) thieving tendencies. It’s more likely to be a confusing combination of both. Whatever the case may be, I ask only that you look around you at other Ugandans and see that they are not doing well. Things are not kawa. Dare to have some empathy and do the right thing. Vote red.

Those of you who are being paid to push propaganda, and for very paltry sums too. Maybe I don’t understand what you’re going through in your personal life, the tricky position you may be in to sell your soul for crumbs, you should know you’re worth so much more. It’s either that or maybe you’re just a greedy person who puts money in front of everything else. Either way. Deep down you know that this regime is not good for Uganda. Do the right thing. Vote red.

The poor people in the villages who are unlikely to read this post but are receiving 3k and some sugar, are going to wake up on the morning of the 14th and drink their chai with enough sugar to give them the strength they need to withstand the long wait for ballot papers so that they may do what? Vote red. You should do the same.

And you know what? That’s not the only election that matters. Vote them out at the parliamentary level as well, I hope you have been attentive with regards to the individuals who stood by as our constitution was raped. Those ones, vote them out.

The fear of the unknown. The devil you know. Some people are wary, justifiably so. What if we are so desperate to get rid of Bosco that we find ourselves in the clutches of a new breed of tyrants? I understand that as well, it’s very valid.

But let me ask you a few genuine questions. Are you happy with where we are as a country? Coming second after that. Do you think that there is anything more that Tibz and his gang can do for us that they have failed to do in the past 35 years? More importantly, do you think it’s going to get better if things continue the way they are? Because from my perspective things can only go south.

When he first showed up, everyone was more than ready to treat his popularity as a passing fad. And it would have continued to be that way naye mwatidde nyo. If you had left him to campaign quietly without all the accompanying teargas and bullets he probably wouldn’t be as popular as he is now. Fire all your advisors. The way you got scared made things weird. It made us sit up and ask, why is Bosco scared like this? What’s so special about this Bobi that is scaring the old man like this? Now see.

I know Bobi Wine isn’t perfect, I have some reservations with regard to his stance on queer lives, and I recognize that he may not fully understand what it takes to actually run a country. But from what I have observed, he has achieved significant growth, not just in support, but as a person and as a leader from when he first showed up on the political scene.

Bobi’s ‘unsavoury’ background – I put quotes because it depends on who you ask, me I’m perfectly fine with it – just adds to the sauce. But for some of our more classist friends it pains them. He came from the ghetto and he’s now challenging the president. That is the stuff of movies, are you not inspired? Man, he dared to dream in this Uganda of ours where dreams go to die. And for that he has my vote.

Grassroots support you said he didn’t have but it looks to me like he has it in Kalangala and Gulu and Iganga and most places around the country that he has gone, but what do I know? You asked for his fiscal policy, ama manifesto. Manifesto yino.

I can’t guarantee that Bobi will be a great president but what I can tell you for sure is that Tibz has been a dismal one who has done an embarrassing job of running this country. So I say, let’s give the mandem a chance to fail. If it turns out he’s shite at the job, we will see how to progress from there, but to write him off before he can even screw up is not really fair. Plus, what if he doesn’t screw up?

I have to say, yes, there are other candidates with sense in this race. When I listen to Muntu I find myself being thoroughly impressed, and although POA lacks charisma, he sounds to me like a very earnest and principled person and we know charisma does not necessarily equal good leadership. Not forgetting Katumba our boy who just brings me so much joy to see him on my TV screen. But let’s be guided. The only one who stands a real chance of challenging Tibz is Bobi. I don’t need to be a political analyst to tell you that. So don’t waste your vote, vote red.

I hope that when Bobi gets the seat he will be the kind of leader who is open to collaboration. I hope he does not neglect to include the brilliant minds who have run this race before and beside him, although I think their failure to front a single opposition candidate was not -so -brilliant.

So as the D- day approaches, find out whether your name is on the voter’s register, you can check from here. although I’ve heard of people whose names are not on that online one but once they checked with their local officials they were represented. If you have not received your voter’s location slip, try and get it, most likely consult your LC1 for it although to my knowledge you can vote without it provided you’re in the register. And when 14th comes, carry your national ID and your own pen and wear a mask properly. I know we Ugandans like to be late, so I’m reminding you that voting starts at 7am and ends at 4pm. Whoever will be in the line by 4 will still be able to vote. Please do not leave until you have voted. The ballot papers may delay to arrive and you may get tired. Don’t allow that to deter you. Carry an umbrella for the sun (or the rain) and some water.

Don’t waste your vote. Vote Kyagulanyi Robert Ssentamu. Tick once within the box next to the red white and blue umbrella, and fold your ballot once along it’s length; as in fold it in half, but the long half, not the short half (I still don’t understand why this matters but okay)

Whether or not Tibz will allow himself to be deposed by a ballot paper is a whole other question, but for you just do your part and vote.