January 2026 was long. I was waiting for the month to end so that the elections are forgotten, put to bed as soon as possible. It appears that we have put it all behind us if some small signs that we can move about is anything to go by. Few will forget the internet shutdown as those whose gratification comes from updating their great social status got lost. There was real peace for the rest.
In this country, everyday musings by ordinary people can become policy. I wonder if it will not be better for Parliament this term to declare the election cycle every 10 years. This would save us the misery and anxiety of dealing with these elections every five years. The more cynical people are saying let elections just be over with already, and we move on.
Most importantly, it will give the Electoral Commission time to prepare adequately for Election Day, and not need a near national lockdown for work to be able to execute their duties. It will also help us fully recover from the losses, both visible and invisible ones. The Electoral Commission will also have sufficient time to try and recover from the difficulty of conducting a national election, building their credibility in the process.
That way, there will never again be anyone challenging election results, even as a joke. What if it is done the same time as the national census, every 10 years and we just add one question for each household head to answer. We simply ask who they wish to be president. One house, one vote. There cannot be voter apathy. We find the people in their homes and they answer the question.
Done, with just one question in the census questionnaire quickly processed and we move on. No soldiers needed, just census enumerators. It would save us so much more than money that we can construct more roads and make Kampala great. Imagine that the next time we go to the polls is 2036, if we reject the census idea. We are getting ready to celebrate President Museveni’s golden jubilee as the leader of Uganda.
Amazing 50 years as the President of the Republic of Uganda and happy citizens. We shall be counting incredible gains to protect and much more to come. As some people wish, the President will have seen the golden drop of oil in his lifetime indeed. Surely, we cannot miss 2036 to see this. Everything is beautiful, bigger and better. Yes, even the Parish Development Model will be multiplying at the rate of Shs100m per village every year and by 2036, this would be an impressive amount I cannot dare say per parish, in addition to other benefits for the people.
Talking of benefits, by then, people with no biological school-going age children shall be paid the equivalent of fees for four children as those with children benefit from Universal Primary Education or even universal secondary school. There has to be a way to compensate those who are locked out of such gains based on their circumstance. This is when leaving no one behind makes sense. Onto education. Imagine all the money we shall have saved for the 2031 elections and 2036 if we go the census way.
Mama Janet Museveni can put all that into improving educational standards of children in West Nile and Karamoja. Free school and food in every village to supplement on the parish money and wipe out the tears of poverty from every child. Free milk flowing for school children and eggs too in order to cater for breakfast. Free medicine as well, afforded by the money from our oil that is about to flow in 2026.
This is the real freedom we need, not to just talk. Thank God PLE results are here. They demonstrate that these things such as above can be done. When you see which districts do very well in PLE these days, and where they came from, you know Mama has done a great job in the education sector. There is hope for West Nile. By 2036, the real gains will be in the education of our children and Mr Dan Odongo, the Uneb boss will also still be handing Mama Janet incredible results to work with.
I am only thinking about the money spent on elections, if put in the education sector what miracles there may be. No one needs to retire, everyone stays put and keeps protecting the gains of the past until there is no need to protect anything.