In defense of impunity: lessons from MK Movement 

The rise of the Muhoozi Kainerugaba (MK) Movement is a whole syllabus on the power of repetition.

Former American president Donald Trump who courts controversy for a living taught us a thing or two about repetition. If you say something enough times with bold confidence, it takes on a veneer of truth. To any news story that did not favour his version of the truth, Trump trumpeted, “Fake News!”

By the end of his rather colorful term, Trump had media corporations with their backs against the wall, pleading with their audiences that they were the genuine purveyors of the truthful version of the truth. Increasingly, media houses of repute must have fact-checking departments to combat misinformation and fake news.

A marketing maxim called “The Rule of 7” harnesses the power of repetition. A June 2021 Forbes Magazine article explains, “The Rule of 7 states that it takes an average of seven interactions with your brand before a prospect will decide to take action.”

Perhaps because MK’s father, President Yoweri Museveni already has the blessed ‘seveni’ in his name, the MK Movement has taken to the Rule of 7 with such rabid dedication.

Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, the leading cheerleader of the MK Movement, appreciates the power of repetition and unabashedly worships at the altar of the Rule of 7. On his Twitter account, Balaam, like a high priest, lavishes extraordinary praise on MK. There are simply not enough superlatives to capture the grand eminence of MK. In a more recent tweet, Balaam crowns MK: “Father of the Nation. Next President of the Republic of Uganda. Uganda’s new Mzee and Supreme Chairman of the MK Movement.”

In November 2021, Balaam declared, “President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is the God of Uganda, since God in heaven had his son called Jesus, Muhoozi Kainerugaba is the Jesus of Uganda.” Balaam might as well collect an offering to start the Blessed-Angelic-Supreme-Lion Church of MK.

The speaker of parliament Anita Among on August 15 told supporters gathered to welcome “her brother”, Gen MK, to Teso sub-region: “For us in Bukedea district, we believe in the name of the father, son and the holy spirit. Over 300 MPs are here just to show you that the 11th parliament loves you.” Just like that, our parliament is in love!

In an August 16 Urban Television current affairs talk show, Andrew Mwenda, acclaimed journalist and one of the vanguards of the MK Movement, extolled the awesomeness of MK. He lauded MK as the ‘mostest’ understanding-empathetic-persuasive-well-read leader this side of the Sahara.

Quite the long way we have come in so short a time. An idea that started like a bastard child, is morphing into ‘an idea whose time has come.’

In 2013, the forerunner of the MK Movement, the Muhoozi Project, was a salacious rumour that had bush war historical Gen David Sejusa allege nefarious assassination plans to aid the First Son’s rise to the presidential throne. The rumour was so potent that it led to the temporary closure of four media houses including the president’s favorite ‘bad paper’- Daily Monitor.

From the 2013 faltering denials of the Muhoozi Project, we now behold the grand and unabashed MK Movement in full regalia. The media-shy First Son of yesteryear who only had eyes for soldiering now waves at perfect crowds from his perch of privileged impunity in contravention of the law.

Alas, what does the impartial law know of the partiality that comes with one’s birthright?

How does one argue with a birthright? Surely, it is conceivable that a child born into a family of doctors will aspire to a life of medicine. Thus, a child born to a king is born into a path of ascendance to power. The title, First Son, connotes the first of many sons and, therefore, the only logical son in an equation that cares for neither merit nor ability.

The logic is impeccably tight-masked and boxed up like President Museveni waving at his cheering crowds, yet far removed from their cheers because he waves from his gilded glass cage.

Today, media houses are lapping up the public displays of the MK Movement with no risk of state-sponsored intimidation. Progressively, the media coverage is coy about the warm blanket of impunity that ensconces MK, allowing him to transverse the nation where lesser mortals dare not.

Opposition parliamentarian Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda when asked on the Urban TV talk show if MK would make a good president, responded thus, “I have no idea- I don’t know his (MK) competence…” Ssemujju added that if MK became president, it would be due to the guns and money controlled by President Museveni – MK’s father.

As the MK Movement multiplies the Rule of 7, there is an inescapable hollowness to the superlatives about MK. As hollow as populist chants to rile up manicured hungry and unemployed crowds bussed in at the promise of free food and transport ‘facilitation.’

A hollowness that through maniacal repetition of impunity, we can conjure up a peaceful political transition by replacing our farce of free and fair elections with a presidential monarchy.

smugmountain@gmail.com

The writer is a tayaad muzzukulu