Today the Daily Monitor drew a cartoon which seemingly was mocking Gen Mugisha Muntu Gregg when he kept encouraging people to wear their masks at all the meetings where he has gone to campaign.
Unlike many other Presidential candidates who are holding massive rallies & uncontrolled processions, Gen Muntu has tried to abide by the SOPs even when at times masses overwhelmed him.
Whereas other leaders look at this as an opportunity to get as huge crowds as possible either to overwhelm security agencies or to defy guidelines in demonstration of people’s power against the regime, Gen Muntu has consistently and consciously acted in a manner that avoids the spread of Covid 19.
Even when other politicians are looking for means to excite voters, making populist messages, Gen Muntu has on every gathering given the message about Covid 19.
Even when other politicians were emphasising the need for massive rallies, Gen Muntu proposed for the increment of the numbers that can attend meetings as long as they are proportional to the size of the venue & abide by SOPs.
It’s obvious that Covid 19 is real & has got out of hands. It’s obvious that people are dying & many more are going to die. It’s also evident that our health system is broken down & in shambles that it’s incapable of handling the Covid 19 crisis.
Gen Muntu therefore being a conscious leader who genuinely cares for the people he intends to lead, has consistently reminded people to abide by the SOPs like social distancing, wearing masks & sanitizing or Washing hands. Even when that message seems unpopular, a leader does not simply tell people what they need to hear but rather what they should hear.
Whereas many Ugandans are excitedly looking for who has a big crowd, whereas the Presidential candidates are enjoying “masape” of big rallies and convoys, Gen Muntu is still consciously thinking about the people & their lives.
Even when the people you lead have been overtaken by emotions and excitement, it’s important for you the leader to remain calm and reasonable. Most of the Presidential candidates are rich enough to afford Intensive Care Unit or the best services even if they contracted Covid 19, that’s why perhaps they are not bothered at all, but the local people have no way out, so any leader who exposes them to the threat well knowing that our health system is itself sick is an enemy, I repeat an enemy to this country. Even those that keep pushing for such reckless leaders are enemies to this country.
This circus exactly shows the difference between a leader & a politician, a leader looks at the next generation while a politician looks at the next or current elections.
All Presidential candidates whom we see on top of vehicles with no masks, very excited to meet huge crowds without telling them to be conscious of Covid 19 are simply enemies of the people but also selfish individuals who are seeking to lead people whose lives they don’t care about.
Deny it or accept it, like the Bible says, we shall see them by their fruits & not their words. We have seen all the so-called candidates by their fruits & it’s Gen Muntu of all opposition candidates who has taken Covid 19 seriously and who has continuously asked people to abide by SOPs.
A leader should be disciplined, a leader should be conscious of his actions, a leader should foresee, a leader should be selfless, a leader should be able have self control.
Any leader that is reckless, populist, inconsistent, selfish is not worthy your vote.
Vote Gen Mugisha Muntu for the change you can Trust.
Muhimbise George
muhimbiseg@gmail.com, 0787836515
The writer is a concerned citizen