To describe the current predicament of Herbert Anderson Burora, the suspended Deputy RCC of Rubaga division, you need to apply an oxymoron in an attempt to paint the true picture of the situation. It is unusual to find one who is a villain but at the same time celebrated by the very trollers who detest them.
The very set of people who hate him are now celebrating his bold move to stick to his guns, firing salvos at our legislative quarters shaking it up to the foundation.
It takes a lot of temerity for one in the corridors of power to publicly take on the all-powerful and mighty within the same power structure. It is this that has made Burora both a hero and villain in equal measure on either side of the political dichotomy.
Burora, of all the RCCs in Kampala is the most visible either in media or public engagements in an area where political opposition is more ubiquitous. This pits him against opposition forces like city mayor Lukwago, who went on social media celebrating his predicament the moment there was a news flash of his suspension.
It is not surprising that Lukwago was the first to celebrate given that Burora is one of the biggest critics of his work ethics of opposing every program enacted by KCCA, the very institution he heads, they aren’t the best bedfellows around.
However, the bulk of his would be detractors have rallied behind him en masse given that he is breaking the tradition of collective guilt thus collective silence for supporters of the governing party and government. There is a pervasive stance within NRM folks not to wash their dirty linen in public, an act that has perpetrated poor leadership and impunity in some quarters. It is not unusual to see a person rationalize an inequity in an apparent thinking that it is a duty to defend one of their own regardless.
Listening to different media houses and social media, Burora has won acclaim from both friends and enemies for standing up to the Speaker of Parliament, calling her out for what seems excess extravagance and signs of corruption if what has been on social media is to go by.
The conundrum Burora faces is how to balance a fight against corruption, which is part of his brief and keeping a working relationship with his seniors who are implicated in acts of impropriety. It is this delicate balance that he must tow to avoid political headwinds.
To show his resolve, even after being cautioned to stop attacks on the speaker about financial excesses, he remained steadfast on his crusade, seeking for answers and accountability for the massive spending in parliament. This strong will to publicly defy his supervisor, the PS in the office of the president, even after being suspended, portrays he is a strong-willed man, determined to defy the powers that be.
It is rare to find political appointees going against a position of a supervisor. What remains to be seen is how, after 28 days of suspension, he will act on a state officer fighting corruption as part of his work. Will he be interdicted for fighting the vice or he will be forced to apoligise to the speaker to save his neck.
If he is fired, what message will it send to the other RDCs fighting corruption and to the general public? The accusation that he used a wrong forum to air out his crusade against corruption, falls flat on its face, given that he is a presidential representative who must uphold the virtues of clean leadership as advocated by the president.
It is on record that the president champions the fight against corruption, so for RDC to amplify this call, should be applauded, but the PS seems to have a different view.
Comments are closed.