An otherwise capricious political group, the so-called National Unity Platform (NUP) just passed off what it called its national delegates conference at which top party-political entrepreneurs were crowned, retaining their coveted seats, during which the media was sealed out. And the Uganda media houses, their journalists, and those that pass for political critics seeking genuine democracy and good governance seem to be accomplices in what many see as a conspiracy of silence.

Just from where, the selection process, number and who constituted the NUP national delegates conference that ratified leadership installation remain a puzzle, yet the ever zealously intrusive Uganda media is completely silent. They are not asking any of the hard questions that should enlist some answers, and if not, at the very least, intelligent responses from a group that outwardly claims to represent progressive change. As political partisans, who have taken sides, the Uganda media and most of those who pass for journalists , are letting the country down, and quite frankly, their own future doesn’t look that bright, professionally.

And as was with the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) in its heydays, under Kizza Besigye, the then doyen, were never put to strict scrutiny, NUP and its donkey-leader Robert Kyagulanyi a.k.a. Bobi Wine, are being treated to a free pass. The consequence of that conspiracy of silence in aid of FDC and Besigye partly led them to hoodwink Ugandans for quite a while making the current implosions look a surprise, yet the FDC architects were all along up to no good. The silence of convenience in favour of Besigye during the early stages of his political belligerence, and now for Kyagulanyi’s handwork, will haunt the building of a credible opposition in Uganda for years to come.

And yet, without any sense of self shame, the media, journalists and political critics will, in the next few weeks come to lambast and rail against the NRM even for simplest errors by individual candidates or leaders however isolated the cases of election malpractices may be.

Just as a reminder, only a week ago, the same media troops were harpooning Democratic Party (DP) President General Norbert Mao who is no longer their preferred choice over what they termed a chaotic’ delegates conference in Mbarara. They even alleged that the invitation of Gen. (rtd) Salim Saleh Rufu a.k.a, Caleb Akandwanaho as the guest speaker, was sacrilegious as it portrayed, without evidence, that he funded the DP meeting. Of course all this had been seen coming ever since Mao, construed as a political sellout, made amends with NRM and President Yoweri Museveni.

The vicious malevolence of NUP leaders and their so-called ‘foot soldiers’ who stalk supposed political opponents on the media and at public squares like when they beat up NRM supporters simply when found wearing yellow garments are never condemned in editorials by the media or journalists. Instead, they are rationalized for as appropriate retributions for the alleged mistakes of the state currently run by NRM.

So, for those political conspirators, egging NUP and now Popular Front for Freedom (PFF), again just remember how you treated Aggrey Siryoyi Awori or Cecilia Ogwal you nicknamed ‘Iron lady’, both gone to their ancestors, and how much a political shambles they both ended.

It was Shakespeare, who in Julius Ceasar, wrote, “There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the floods, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries.” Quite often, not only they, but their institutions and nations too. NUP, as currently the leading opposition in parliament and possibly country, ought to be held to the same highest standards they demand of NRM if good governance is considered major plank for public discourse.