Abantu banyivu. People are angry. Ugandans are currently operating at PhD level hate towards anything that smells, looks, or even sounds like it is affiliated with the regime. If the government ever needed to conduct a study on national mood, they would find that we are running on bitterness and bad vibes.
The most recent victim of this collective rage is Cedric Ndilima Babu. If the name sounds familiar, it is because he is a known face, former parliamentary aspirant and recently, a mobiliser with the Muhoozi-powered Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU). Yes, that league that believes Gen Muhoozi should be the next big thing. Now Cedric, well-loved by many in sports and political circles, had been battling serious health issues. A GoFundMe call went out, asking well-wishers to raise $300,000 for a heart transplant in London. But instead of love, what met the call was a flood of rage.
“Why can’t Muhoozi fund it?” people asked. “They were schoolmates! They take selfies together! And while the frustration is understandable we all want accountability and better healthcare systems, it was shocking how quick the country was to turn its back on a sick man simply because he was connected to “them.” Cedric wore many hats; son, political dreamer, sports enthusiast, youth mobiliser. I first got to know him when him, his dad, and his mum all contested in the 2021 elections.
The Babu family had a whole political franchise going, and while they did not win, you had to respect the ambition. You may not want to donate and that is fine. But let us not weaponise someone’s pain. If you have nothing to offer, kindly offer silence. Or maybe… just ask yourself: Where is the love? RIP Cedric Babu!
