Crossing the Rubicon River

The story of a young damsel running away with her grand amour—the love of her life—is one of many a folklore. No matter what the parents say and do there is no going back—our sweet thing has crossed the Rubicon.

The Rubicon was a small stream in the Italian Alps on the banks of which Caesar posed as he considered what would become the pivotal decision for him, Europe and the world. Crossing the Rubicon River with a standing army was a treasonous act and a symbolic declaration of war on Rome. Caesar crossed from Gaul, went on to defeat Pompey and lay the foundation for the Great Roman Empire.

Fast forward to little insignificant Uganda. When Museveni and his gang decided to head to the bush, they crossed the Rubicon of sorts. The rest is history.

Mao and Kamya should take note that there is nothing magical about Museveni’s feat. It is all mental and grit to give all you got without reservations and self-doubts. Those are the only requirements—and, of course, luck, which goes to the courageous and those who dare—for spectacular success.

The caricature of Mao in military fatigue is a sign of a confused man with a lot of time in his hands. Talking of the ectasy of being saluted is infantile, laughable and bespeaks of the lack of purpose in the man.

It was disheartening to hear of Beti Kamya toying with hoping for a ministerial job in Museveni’s government lest time to influence democracy passes her by. Here is one of the women in present Uganda that I admired through her tough and courageous stands. I even communicated with her at one time to congratulate her. What a let-down. Her blatant uncompromising game with the tribal card further spoiled it for me.

So these jokers should stop fooling around if they don’t have what it takes to cross the river and defeat Pompey.