ZANZIBAR EXPERIENCE INSTRUCTIVE FOR UGANDA

When Zanzibar became a Role Model

THE New Vision editorial last week was spot-on. Uganda is for us all. Each one of us belongs here, was created for a purpose and has value. We have no choice but to see the advantage in the other.

History and the present have shown that there comes a time when men have risen above the ordinary, taken extra-ordinary decisions for the sake of their countrymen.

The most recent and closest home is Zanzibar. Having witnessed a bloody and shameful election in 2005 that saw Tanzania exporting refugees, retiring President Amani Abed Karume had the rare wisdom of seeking to retire in a peaceful country.

With the opposition leader, Prof. Ibrahim Lipumba, they agreed on power sharing. This binding treaty is the reason why the election in Zanzibar passed by ‘unnoticed’. Unnoticed, because our media only captures catastrophe: pangas, tear gas, blood, fire, stones and chaos. There was nothing like that in Zanzibar simply because everybody was a winner.

This is where Zanzibar has a lesson to teach us. We must agree to share responsibility. Kenya was forced into this after lives had been lost. So we either go Zanzibar or call back Europeans to take over.

Amon B. Mbekiza

Kampala

Credit: Sunday Vision ( Ugandan paper)