H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the President of the republic of Uganda has called upon the World, most especially the west to respect the decisions of the sovereign states and peoples as Uganda announces its intentions to join the BRICS. His message was delivered by H.E Maj. Jessica Alupo Epel (Rtd) on 24th August 2023 to the 15th BRICS summit at Sandton International Conference Center in South Africa.
According to President Museveni, the Human race, has been here for 4 1/2 million years, ever since man evolved into Homo Sapien Sapein from lower primates and during all this time, man had faced two major oppressions, that is; oppression by nature (disease, hunger, droughts, floods, earthquakes, etc.) and oppression by fellow man (slavery, imperialism, aggression, feudalism, dictatorship, etc.). Man had been responding to both oppressions. Man has been responding to oppression by nature through Scientific discoveries and better Social-economic organization. Hence the discovery of fire, 1.5 million years ago, the domestication of crops 10,000 years ago, the domestication of livestock 10,000 years ago, the invention of the steam water pump in the year 1698 by Thomas Savery and the invention of the steam engine in the year 1823 by George Stevenson, etc., are all phenomena, that enabled man to handle better the oppression of man by nature. These are steps that the whole of the human race, should welcome and share.
President Museveni noted that, Unfortunately, on account of ideological bankruptcy and parasitism, these advances in human knowledge are, more often than not, used to re-inforce the oppression of man by man. That was the situation with the invention of the use of iron tools and weapons, the invention of gun-powder, etc., by some communities that pioneered these advances against those communities that were still lagging behind in respect of those inventions. God equipped man with 3 characteristics that have enabled him to find solutions to the 2 oppressions against man, mentioned above: oppression by nature and oppression by fellow men. The 3 characteristics are: a superior brain; bipedalism (ability to walk on two legs); and a hand that can do work, create tools and use them to do work and create more complicated tools and machines.
Therefore, oppression of man by nature (droughts, floods, diseases, etc.), should not be a problem anymore if it was not for parasitism which leads some actors not to share knowledge with others or use knowledge to oppress others. This is the distortion that needs to be combated. By sharing scientific knowledge and management practices, many problems caused by nature to man, would be solved if we also banish parasitism. The danger to the environment is, for instance, caused by greed and parasitism of some actors in the World and in individual Countries. The struggle against oppression of man by fellow men, has been progressing but, again, with unnecessary interruptions caused by imperialism in the last 600 years, feudalism and other forms of dictatorships. In the fight for freedom from oppression of man by fellow men, it is important to remember what the Bible teaches us. In the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 17 verse 26, it goes as follows: “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the Earth, and has determined their pre appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him.”
Therefore, nations and the boundaries of those nations, are the work of God and nobody should interfere with the work of God. Imperialism is, therefore, a heathen, un-christian idea.
Museveni further disclosed that in the fight for the emancipation of man from oppression of man by fellow men, we should respect the choices of the different nations and countries. The Bible, again, in the Book of Matthew, Chapter 5, Verse 16, says: “Let your light so shine before men, that seeing your good deeds, praise our Father in heaven.” In other words, influence People by example and not by coercion, manipulation, etc.
Therefore, bearing the foregoing in mind, we as Africans can see the relevance of the BRICS effort. It is a gust of fresh air that after 600 years of slave trade, colonialism, genocides, imperialism, neo-colonialism, aggressions, etc., a group has come up to illuminate a new way for the Human race. A new way that insists on justice, equality of Peoples and respecting independence of Peoples and Countries.
Uganda, therefore, supports the efforts of the BRICS Countries and, at the right time, will want to join.
