A Clueless Arrogant Government!

A mysterious disease is killing Ugandan children but it seems that the government of Uganda hasn't got a clue on what to do or how to tackle the problem! By the way, what do you expect from a government that has channeled all her energy and effort in enacting the world most notorious anti-gay bill? That wasted time, money and energy witch-hunting the country's homosexuals should have been channeled into research on these emerging diseases in the country especially Ebola, HIV and AIDS which are devastating the population. Uganda should learn how to put her priorities right!

The new disease is called ‘Nodding Syndrome’ or ‘Nodding Head Disease’, because those who have it nod their heads and sometimes go into epileptic-like fits. The disease stunts children's growth and destroys their cognition, rendering them unable to perform small tasks. Some victims don't recognize their own parents. Ugandan officials say some 3,000 children in the East African country suffer from the affliction. Some caregivers even tie ‘Nodding Syndrome’ children up to trees so that they don't have to monitor them every minute of the day. What a pathetic disaster!

I challenge the Ugandan government to use same vigour, energy, drive and enthusiasm she manifested in drafting the present Ugandan anti-gay bill to find a solution to this epidemic. I am really concerned that Uganda had always been in the news lately for wrong reasons especially for the violation of human rights of its citizens. The infamous anti-gay bill is just one of them but then when it comes to using same energy, she lacks a clue and becomes helpless like a clueless child beggar. The story of how the country was helplessly devastated by both the HIV and AIDS virus is still fresh in our mind; the response of the Ugandan government was very poor, inadequate and no where near to the vigour shown in the present anti-gay bill.

Let me reiterate that African countries have no need for all these anti-gay bills. They are a pure violation of human rights and a distraction from the main thing; the building and development of their continent. More energy should be focused on substances and not on shadows. Homosexuality is the least of African problems; corruption, poor infrastructures, high maternal mortality rate, teenage pregnancy and the likes of them are and should be our main focus. It is sad indeed that we are leaving all these areas that demand an urgent attention to focus on what two consenting adults do in the privacy of their bedrooms. That should not be our problem; it should be theirs!