Kenya’s Grand Coalition versus Uganda’s NRM Umbrella Government

Mr. Museveni of Uganda is a master at using symbolism to portray his messages—his book, Showing the Mustard Seed; his party’s symbol of the yellow bus; his Bonna Bagaggawale (Prosperity for all scheme); his assertion of bringing “fundamental change” which has now turned into “No Change” chants by village peasants; and the list goes on and on. These symbols are crisp, catchy and custom made for the peasantry population who are less likely to reflect on the what, where, who, and how.

One Musevenian symbol that stands out is the NRM Umbrella Government where everyone competed in elections on so-called individual merit—not on party affiliations. By definition, all political parties were banned and all were NRM candidates, and subsequently NRM elected official holders. Any political party, if it existed by name, could have a headquarter in the capital but could not open branches in the rural areas lest the peasants be “confused”. There in lies the genius of the symbol. Supported by one of the three cooking stones (another Musevenian symbol)—the army—the NRM was practically entrenched. When political party hacks and well-intentioned Museveni associates realized they had been duped, it was too late. Now it will be a long road to dislodge the mighty NRM.

At the official inauguration of the Kenya’s Grand Coalition the amazing Mr. Museveni declared in his characteristically haughty ways that Kenya has come full circle to the NRM experiment. But has it? Kenya’s Grand Coalition is a government of equals. Kenya’s population has not yet been brought to its knees by war and deprivation such that it is going to be hypnotized by one crafty individual. If the coalition holds, Raila Odinga will emerge the big honcho—not by delivering a bill of goods a la Museveni, a.k.a NRM—but by delivering concrete and measurable dividends. That is the difference.