I refuse, l refuse, l refuse!!!

The lives of our children are at stake, the future of our nation is unresolved. NO!!! l refuse to flow with the stream, l refuse to take for granted the sacrifices of those who believed in our Freedom. I will not give in to conformity… because

Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth. ~ John F. Kennedy

The future of our country is our collective responsibility, the failure of our nation is our failure. No individual man/woman is greater than all.

I can hear the silence… or maybe “the celebration”, but the actions of our leaders are so loud, l can’t seem to hear what they are saying. Is it peace…?

May be we still have “a little peace…”

But what is peace when we are living in fear?

What is peace without people’s resolute to resolve conflict without violence?

What is peace if valid conflict is shattered by assertion of power and intimidation?

What is peace… if the law and the systems of justice can no longer protect the people?

What is peace if there is no equal opportunity for all, instead the opportunities are retained by those above the law?

I refuse to conform!, l refuse to let “my last portion of peace” slip into the hands of cowardice.

Our children deserve better playgrounds than those fenced with hate, fear and lack of trust. Compromising our value for peace, freedom and justice, is denying them these fundamentals.

If we keep compromising now, we are only teaching our children to do the same.

If we say everything is okay now, then we have forgotten what freedom is and we have slipped into conformity.

What is freedom if our votes are not valued?

A vote that is not counted is a person that is not valued.

What is Freedom, if the people of our nation are not valued?

I refuse to accept that there’s freedom in Uganda when the votes of the citizens are not counted.

Every citizen matters, every vote counts.

What is freedom if we are enslaved by fear? If we can no longer ask for accountability of our nation’s resources and the taxes payed.

To my fellow citizens:

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. It’s not passed on through the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on to our children for them to do the same.” –Ronald Reagan

“I may not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend your right to say it.” –Voltaire

“If we give up our essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, we deserve neither liberty nor safety.” –Benjamin Franklin

“If our freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” –George Washington

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” –Nelson Mandela

We, the people of Uganda must tirelessly fight for freedom, unity, peace and accountability. Our nation and our children deserve these fundermentals.

We must take responsibility of the future of our nation and fight to claim it.

We must fight for each other not against each other.

We must refuse to conform!. We must take a stand!

I AM TAKING A STAND

For My Country, I serve!