THE PEARL OF AFRICA TO SHINE AGAIN

By Robert Bake Tumuhaise

WHOEVER chose Uganda’s motto must have drawn a picture of a country where there is peace, morality, freedom and prosperity for everyone. He/she must have imagined families flourishing without HIV/AIDS, divorce, infidelity, poverty and disease.This must have been what Winston Churchill had in mind when he thought of naming our motherland “The Pearl of Africa”. Our forefathers couldn’t have imagined that, half a century after independence, Uganda could go through the violence we experienced a few months ago. They did not know Uganda would suffer this magnitude of child sacrifice. Little did they know Uganda would earn herself the first position among alcohol-consuming countries in the world! “For God and my country!” Beautiful words. Unfortunately, it’s as if God is only living on the motto, rather than in the hearts of Ugandans.

Eighty per cent of the population in Uganda is Christian, but where’s Christ in their thoughts, beliefs and actions? I feel the biggest tragedy is that our families have lost their values. Parents have left the role of parenting to house helps and the TV. Children grow up thinking that it’s acceptable to dress indecently, use obscene words, use violence to achieve anything, or make a ‘difference’ on every transaction.But not all is lost; we can still change this trend. This is a true test of our faith in Jesus. If we really believe in a saviour, then let people see a difference in our offices, homes, schools, churches, companies, streets and everything we say or do. I feel that we can be the generation to cause the desired change. We can transfer God from our national motto to our hearts. We can stand up and say no to corruption, tribalism, immorality and violence. We can choose to embrace peace, love and reconciliation. We can be the generation to break the absurd cycle of fruitless riots.

May peace start to flood every soul like streams and freedom saturate every heart like the air we breathe. Let tribalism and sectarianism be in the past tense. Goodbye immorality. Farewell bad politics. This nation has to return to the reign of God so that its children begin to sing songs of joy and all its citizens the hymns of triumph. For God and my Country!

The writer is a Christian Inspirational Author

and Managing Director of World of Inspiration