Opinion: Give Hon.Ogwang a Benefit of Doubt!

A tree that bears the sweetest fruits is stoned most. I would like to relate this saying to what is going on around Hon. Peter Ogwang, the MP Usuk County in Katakwi District and State Minister for ICT who has perhaps lately become that proverbial tree that is beginning to bear the fruits many would want to throw stones at.

That aside, I have known Hon. Ogwang at a more informal but close level of interaction from the days he was a youth Councilor Soroti District, way back in the year 2000. He was and still is an active, aggressive and focused young man who never leaves any opportunity to slip off his hands. He is arrogant too but eventually his distinctive character caught the eye of power brokers.

One thing led to another and soon he had clenched a State House appointment at the Youth Desk. I also have known him as a shrewd person and it doesn’t come as a surprise that he’s now one of the proverbial mango trees with the sweet fruits.

Now, to the gist of the matter; his weaknesses notwithstanding, I would like to implore many to focus at the good fruits he has begun to bear. None of those who stone at a fruit on a tree targets the bad fruit but those that are edible. The fruits that he has borne and the strides that he has made - how can young people benefit from these? Certainly there will always be one State Minister for ICT and National Guidance and there is no need of denigrating those blessed to be in such positions. The best way is to hold them more responsible to the extent that they are keenly accountable to those who voted them into those positions.

Hon. Ogwang has also been in elective politics for quite some time and such allegations arising from authenticity of his academic papers and only coming now ought to have been ascertained well before he could reach this far. Besides, there are better ways of settling such doubts. Respective institutions are there and one could even seek an express verification of the papers with UNEB or the National Council for Higher Education.

We should engage in descent propaganda, shrewdly criticizing those we seem not to agree with ideologically by presenting how best we would alternatively deliver where Hon. Ogwang could have probably failed. It is possible to win hearts of voters without necessarily engaging in dirty politics. Smart politics counts a lot, focusing on the real issues affecting our people is the magic, and Obama once proved it saying yes, we can.

Smart politics doesn’t mean engaging in malice - instead, it’s the public narrative!

The writer is Minister Ogwang’s close associate.