Anderson Burora: Is former Rubaga RCC aspiring to be Lee Kuan Yew to eradicate corruption rooted in the NRM?

Anderson Burora, the former Deputy RCC of Rubaga Division has established himself as a force for reform inside the the mighty NRM party by taking on the ubiquitous problem of corruption head-on.

However, as his aspirations have sparked debate, concerns are raised over whether his strategies and goals coincide with those of the esteemed Lee Kuan Yew, well-known for his unwavering opposition to corruption.

On Thursday Burora and a few young Turks in the ruling party held a press conference and informed the country about a new political formation, the National Resistance Movement in Resistance ( NRM-IR) which he described as a breakaway group from the mother party to fight corruption within the NRM government.

In his voice, he said “We belong to NRM but we don’t agree with the escalating cases of corruption and violation of human Rights. These vices are particularly done by a few people, not all party members but only a few people but because they hold higher positions in the party this has tarnished the party’s image now every member of NRM is seen as a corrupt Ugandan. The party is losing credibility because of those few corrupt members who are untouchables.”

Similar to Singapore when Lee Kuan Yew took over as leader, corruption was pervasive, but under his stringent enforcement of anti-corruption policies, corruption in the public sector and government was greatly decreased. In contrast to Burora, Mr Yew enjoyed significant authority and broad backing from the populace, who had endured mistreatment by previous despicable dictators. Even among those who may be inclined to support him, Burora’s attempts to eliminate corruption within his party—which has ruled for more than 40 years—remain controversial because in the eyes of a human being it’s like a packet of salt trying to fill an ocean.

Fighting a corrupt regime in Africa is like entering a den of a lion that has spent a fortnight without eating anything. Like how a Kenyan professor PLO Lumumba always says the trouble with corruption in Africa is that it has become so pervasive and pernicious that it has become a way of life.

In all African countries, one can say hyperbolically, that the corrupt are canonized and anti-corruption warriors are demonized. The best that Africa does is what the great Greek Philosopher Aesop said, “They hang the petty thieves and elect the great ones into public offices.”

Maybe Burora must revise the word of  Prof Lumumba who once asserted that corruption has become so omnipresent in Africa. It has left nothing untouched in its wake. The corrupt who are the children of darkness are to be found in every sector of our society. They are in the Executive arm of the government, the Legislature, the Judiciary, among health workers, in agriculture, in Churches, in the Mosques, in the Temples – everywhere. “Indeed, one can dare say that he or she who chooses to stand in the way of the train of corruption is courting suicide. He is like an oasis in the desert. An island in the vast ocean. His chances of survival in Africa are like those of a snowball in hell.”

Campaign of “US against Our Own”

Burora has vehemently said that he will at least be that snowball in hell and fight to ensure his mighty party NRM is free from this vice. According to him, he was driven into a perilous community of corrupt league but he battled his way out, managing to avoid their grasp.

Like the story of the lepers in the book of 2nd Kings 7:3-9, who chose risk over certain death and found unexpected deliverance, Burora has chosen to be that leper to risk his remaining days on earth fighting to redeem the lost glory and integrity of his party and the country at large.

“Corruption like in Deuteronomy 16:19, has nothing good for a community but for a few. For example; as we all believe, the Hospital Built in Bukedea could have been a Public Hospital, but it’s a Private facility built supposedly on taxpayers’ embezzled money where taxpayers now have to pay again to access its services. At this point, we have lost hope in the IGG, Auditor General, CID etc, that are mandated to hold accountability on behalf of Ugandans. The conspiracy in institutional offices cannot give hope and Justice. Now, what are we, if we are not lepers? What options do we have, if it’s not to decide on whether to sit and the vice worsens or to die while stepping up?” he asked.

He affirms that It’s the time that the NRM walks the talk. “It’s time that the NRM resisted the sabotage in the party to come clean. It’s high time the NRM told its own the bitter truth and if possible eliminated them from holding offices through structures. Our Campaign of “US against our OWN” is the only hope in the event that structures offices are in conspiracy with the adversaries.”

However, Burora is not the first person to come out and confess that the ruling party is full of corrupt leaders, the current Secretary General for NRM Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong has always said that corruption and nepotism have conquered the party even before he attained that office. Last year his end-of-year message echoed it and this has been his song, but it seems only saying is not working.

“Corruption, greed and nepotism are things that are making Ugandans more disgusted with the leadership of our party in government. I’m speaking to you this because I know….. I have to be honest because my church told me to be honest. I have told this to the president. If we don’t control our greed and how we use public resources, then Ugandans will push us out of power,” he said in 2018.

In the words of Prof Lumumba, Corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might endanger the morals of an individual, but the former invariably endangers the morals of an entire country. The irony and the paradox at once is that the greatest practitioners of corruption admit that it is a vice that must be fought. The tragedy, however, is that they say with their mouths what they do not believe in their hearts.