Katureebe yatutoneka
But someone will ask where is the wound
Are you blind? And even if you were, the air would have whispered to you
If you aren’t blind, can’t you see it on the streets of Kampala?
Don’t you listen to the radios? Did you hear that person telling us
‘At least you are bleeding in peace’
But if I put many questions someone will say no evidence
Katureebe yatutoneka,
Not in that intentional, malicious kind of way
But open wounds don’t get into these details of intent
For there’s no substantial evidence to support any of this.
All the wound cares about is the pain reintroduced
Katureebe yatutoneka
But did we expect a bench to cure a political problem, at this time?
Can we expect our political jiggers to be uprooted by blunt needles?
Introduced after well calculated moves by parasites
that have mastered survival tricks for over decades?
Katureebe yatutoneka
But isn’t it called insanity- doing the same thing and expecting different results
Got two bold election judgments (indictments) in the past but no bold action
Yes humans are optimistic beings and formalities have a role they play
But can erasure of civility be cured in a land where the gun is still mightier than a pen?
Katureebe yatutoneka
But can a skilled doctor with no tools do much for a mother who has waited too long at a traditional birth attendant’s house?
Aren’t we burdening the judges with expectations, piling all our troubles at their feet?
In world where the pageant supposed ‘first runner up’ is ‘safely locked’ away
Because their beauty would shame our ‘first choice’, can we appeal to the judges?
When a lone fighter on his high horse, the knight that saved Uganda has already safely stowed away a luggage full of evidence ready for take off on a five-year lone space mission?
Wasn’t the wound too exposed that Katureebe had limited choices?
Isn’t there a lesson in pain?
Some say Katureebe yatureebya
With no substantial evidence I say it is not entirely on him
You can’t win a case when campaign agents are still being hunted
You can’t win a case when presidential candidates still can’t freely move
You can’t win a case when the military is still patrolling streets in a
A city not under attack
You can’t win a case when lawyers’ offices are broken into
You can’t win a case when you only have ten days to file a petition
You can’t win because Katureebe’s job and that of the bench in this flawed
Electoral democracy is dependent on too many factors
Uganda can’t win because that win will mean a loss for the reigning king.
Katureebe yatutoneka
But wasn’t it an inevitable ritual?
You want to win a case but the emperor still possesses very important cards. His yellow buses were seen empty today, no sight of celebrations to match Chief Justice Katureebe’s words – “the free will of the majority”. He has the state but not Ugandans’ hearts that is clear – at least with substantial evidence.
The wound won’t heal soon but it is a reminder of what needs to be done.Next we might come to CJ Katureebe asking him and the judges about that age because all post election regime reactions point to this future occurrence. You want to reach this mark when you are better prepared and more organized. Who knows may be you can pre-empty the move. A lot of work remains to be done to pull away at the pillars that make CJ Katureebe find no substantial evidence.
Photo via Daily Monitor
Rosebell Kagumire 