My Petty Peeves

Its not often that they seem petty, but they are. The concerns and things that trouble us, minute to minute, hour by hour.

So, should we change them and embrace more, bigger ideas to worry about? Not really. Because even that, especially when we embrace things like ideals and religious philosophy, we may be in for real life changing self deception.

The former coordinator of the U.N. Monitoring Group for Somalia says the al-Shabab militant group had planned attacks in other African countries, not just Uganda.

Bruno Schiemsky, now a security analyst, says, “The attack was organized by al-Shabab in Somalia out of one of their bases in Mogadishu and another base located near the Kenyan border. The al-Shabab wants to show that they can reach out across borders and hit targets when they want to.”

Somali conflict now regional

“From my perspective it has been a regional conflict for a long time, not because of the involvement and actions of neighboring countries, but also because of the presence of foreign fighters in Somalia, who provide support to the al-Shabab,” he says.

Schiemsky foresees closer cooperation among African countries on security

Take Al-Shaabab, the Somali insurgency group which is bent on killing off Ugandans... in what are without question, terrorist attacks.

Look here- the guys do not like football. Hey, I also barely tolerate the incessant buzz of the vuvuzela. So, I turn off the tv set. Or I avoid where the vuvuzelas are. When i cannot avoid it, why, I watch the guys who watch the football. That in itself is so entertaining a past-time, so fulfilling an occupation that i would not even think of killing football fans.

But, those guys did.

Of course they have been doing it in their country. Somalia. (Apparently, football is so decadent in their interpretation of Sharia that those caught watching it are given some remedial training. To become soldiers.)

But, because there are Ugandan soldiers in Somalia, they bomb Ugandan civilians, at a time when they were calculated to have maximum casualties. When the world cup final whistle was being blown.

Bad move. In my humble opinion. Very bad move.

Our African countries are not going to be swayed by that kind of pressure. Why? Because we the people have no reason to support or not to support whatever is happening in Somalia. It is something to do with the US. And, the games of high politics which are being played for the stakes of cozening up to the Americans.

So, public opinion in Uganda has been stand-offish. Why care when we cannot change that situation? Yes of course, Ugandan soldiers have been dying in Somalia. But, does the public really care about it? Issues which concern us, of daily bread, the rent, the higher cost of living... those cloud out other 'bigger issues'.

So, Al Shabaab decides to influence Ugandan public opinion?

What is on the ground is a sense of anger. Deep seething anger. People went out to watch a football match, the football match, and they were killed.

They were drinking, of course. They were happy with friends and relative. It was the final of the world cup. The first World Cup of football in Africa. And, the party was interupted with death and mayhem, and someone claims responsibility?

Hardly likely to change Ugandan public opinion like Al Shabaab, and the rest of the ilk. Very likely to push the government closer to Washington. And, that I predict.

And, will they succede swaying public opinion? Uganda is a violent country. Yes, we are. And, violence that is state sponsored has chances of cropping up, and being ignored, because Ugandans believe it is necessary. Especially when it is taken to be 'protecting' the people.

My petty peeves?

There was no electricity. The usual black outs. And, the internet speed is real snail pace. So slow that I am opting to stay off than on. Those peeves of mine seem not to matter in the face of death and mayhem in the Uganda.

Have a great day.

gug