Last evening, Ugandan singer A Pass took to an X space to express his views on corruption, taxation, and human rights in the country. Known for his outspoken stance on these issues, A Pass used the platform to discuss what he believes is wrong with Uganda.
“Greetings to everyone on the space, it’s a blessing. Greetings to His Excellency. I would like to thank Bobi [Wine] for always standing up and championing causes like these because he cares,” A Pass began.
He emphasized the youth’s desire for truth and change, criticizing the behavior of the country’s leaders. “The youth are resolute because they are hungry for the truth and change because of the way our leaders are behaving. They instigate, then they seem shocked by the way we choose to react. We are offended by how these people move and they want to tell us the way to react to what they are doing,” he said.
A Pass pointed out that many Ugandans no longer feel hopeful about their future in the country, leading to a significant number of people leaving. “People in Uganda no longer feel like they can make it in Uganda, that’s why we have many leaving because there is no hope. But politicians are hopeful because they get money every day.”
He also criticized President Museveni, noting that while the President initially campaigned on fighting corruption and promoting justice, he has not aligned with the citizens’ anti-corruption efforts. “When you see the President, he came saying he’s fighting corruption and justice. He should be on our side if we come out and say we are standing up against corruption; he should be joining us.”
A Pass questioned why citizens shouldn’t march to Parliament if they are frustrated with the institution. He lamented the numerous friends he has in prison for standing up against corruption and called for unity in the fight against injustice. “Why shouldn’t people march to Parliament if they are frustrated by that institution? We have so many of our friends in prison, why? I pray that a day comes when we all stand. Some stand and others don’t.”
Reflecting on past protests, A Pass noted the dwindling numbers of participants over time. “The first time we stood up against the social media tax, we were many, but when it came to the time to march, we were like 10.”
While expressing respect for Museveni as an elder, A Pass criticized his governance. “Personally, I don’t hate Museveni as a man; I just hate how he runs this country. We respect him as an elder, but he protects people who are stealing from us.”
He also highlighted the issue of groupthink within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), urging MPs to represent their constituents independently. “In NRM, there is a lot of groupthink, which is bad. People should think independently. MPs should represent their people, not think in a group setting.”
A Pass’s candid remarks reflect a growing frustration among Ugandans with the state of governance and the pervasive corruption in the country.
