By Spy Uganda
Hon. Fred Mukasa Mbidde has on 23rd September 2023 been awarded a doctorate degree by the Zoe Life Theological College – USA, at a graduation event held in Kigali, Rwanda.
While delivering his speech as a guest speaker and a graduand at this event, Mbidde, a celebrated master of English language thrilled the guests including the whites whom we think know much English. To save your precious time, just read Mbidde’s puissant speech below;
”your Excellence The Vice Chancellor, Members Of Senate, The Queen Of Ife Kingdom-the Liege-lordspotentates Of Cultural Institutions In Nigeria, Fellow Graduands, Invited Guests, Ladies And Gentlemen.
It’s quite an honour and privilege that you chose me to speak on behalf of all the alumni of this great alma mater, the acharyas,the honchos,sachems, and numeros uno of academics.
When I received the news of my nomination and the attendant requirement to forward and defend my curriculum vitae, I considered the award of a doctorate to me rather zap and probably hurried.
I hold a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, a degree in law, and a diploma in legal practice, and a candidate for a degree of Masters of Laws – oil and gas and surely a PhD sounded but a comfortable sortie and razzia.
Academic doctorates are born out of hard work and scholarly research in a particular discipline, leading to the doctoral conferment to the candidate, on the other hand, a doctorate ad honors is where the awarding institution instead researches on you for such conferment to take effect. It is for this same reason that I thank members of Senate of Zoe Life Theological College for honouring my contributions and accomplishments.
Choosing to hold this ceremony of the African Chapter in Rwanda is quite visionary.
This is a country that not long ago had no hope, leaders of the day mobilized communities and administered a genocide against the Tutsi. Over 1 million people lost their lives and the Rwanda Patriotic Front led by the Current President Paul Kagame had to meticulously execute a stoppage of the killings and embark on building the country that had been burnt to the ground afresh. They say “that when the King’s Palace burns down, the one rebuilt is always even more beautiful and dazzling.”
It has happened to this country.
I have read all the constitutions of the world except the Chinese but haven’t been given an English version yet.
The directive principles of constitutional autochtony established by the RPF dream team have generated a national consensus on political affairs that the population find it even unnecessary to plunge into a cataclysmic campaign mood before, during and even after an election.
Polling stations here are usually replicas of ceremonies with music, and the citizens take voting as a patriotic contribution to building Rwanda. In the aftermath of each election, the Party that takes the National Presidency doesn’t lead the legislature and that party with the majority at Parliament doesn’t form a majority at Cabinet – All competing entities are therefore challenged to serve after elections. Rwanda is now on a marathon to middle-income status by 2035.
THIS IS THE CONSENSUS that I am talking about, and the very reason why the incumbent may even emerge victorious at over 100% of the votes cast.
Good governance is determined through results, and the model interpretation of democracy applicable to Africa is Representative Government.
During his speech,Dr Ssemambo alluded to his long-term research indicative that the biblical Garden of Eden is located in Uganda which I find interesting, you will have to deal with Dr Leaky’s archaeology of the plioplestocene epoch and the australopithecine that represented Zinjan thorompus as the first man at Oldvy Gorge in Tanzania.
Every one of us here should ask one’s self a single question, ‘Why do I do the things that I do ?”
For me before I do anything I first have to ask myself,’Would an idiot do this thing? If yes then I don’t do that thing.
I agreed with the narrative that for any country to succeed, it must develop an ‘idiot detection system. Idiots are sometimes smarter than you, they can dazzle you with wrong opinions, and they can even get promoted before you in Job – Governor Plitzer says that they can even be “elected” President. Therefore, in times when a country is suffering from a low relative political maturity, the majority can be wrong and shouldn’t be solely trusted to deliver a much-needed leadership team.
The Americans have a system of electors despite the popular vote, the British and other European countries have empowered Legislative frameworks for constituting governments.
Africa should be left alone to define our paths.
In conclusion, I extend my heartfelt felicitations to all the esteemed graduates on this momentous occasion. Your unwavering diligence, resolute dedication, and indefatigable pursuit of erudition have culminated in this epochal milestone. I beseech you to wholeheartedly embrace the myriad opportunities that lie in wait, and to ardently employ your acquired wisdom and erudition to effectuate a transformative impact within your immediate communities and the wider world.
I express my profound gratitude for the privilege of addressing this august assembly, and I fervently hope that each of you shall traverse the path of triumph and prosperity with unwavering resolve and unyielding determination. May your future be resplendent with triumphs and accomplishments, and may your endeavours be crowned with unending success.
Thank you, and may you all traverse the corridors of prosperity and distinction in your future endeavors.”
