THE LIE OF JUSTICE AND GOVERNMENT

So, this word, (or name, as I later found out) Rurangaranga, just dropped into my mind, appearing out of nowhere, like these random kidnapping vans these days. Or girls who disappear after a year and just show up at your door for an impromptu handover ceremony of your son that you made a deposit for nine months ago- kind of like the way it is happening this Valentine’s night.

It made itself a little too much at home, this word- just ping-ponging about in my mind. So I handed it a section of my brain while I went to Google it and said. “Use this side of my skull. The one that aches from injustice and here is a bat. Play. Also, you know, me. Clean up when you’re done. I’m not organized myself but I like an organized space.”

So as I waited for the highly priced banana republics’ slow internet to get me the results to the search for “Rurangaranga” a memory came into my mind, that made me go, “Nooo…”

It was so random, I tell you. Like, really random. Here it is: I remembered how the reason I got saved was because the two homes I visited, where there was no caveat on how much bread any one could eat, were born again homes. They had me at bread. Years later when depression set in, I just added Jesus to complete the salvation mix and would you believe it? It only got worse. Now do not be mad, I told you it was random; but that is a story for another day. Just know that the depression had nothing at all to do with Jesus, and everything to do with my own broken consciousness.

Google delivered.

It appears he was a Ugandan politician of sorts. I thought I would land on a Zimbabwean or Zambian poet, word or something thereabout but that was not the case. Turns out, the name “Rurangaranga” while interesting, is as meaningless to me as the word “justice”.

The falsity in this word “justice”, was best expressed in a quote I saw on a contact’s WhatsApp status. It said, “Young man, this is a court of law, not a court of justice.” Selah. And you know, government operates (at least in writing) on law.

So I tell you: the greatest lie you have been sold is that government is inherently good and that it is obliged to do good. That government should and must build schools, hospitals and make roads. That when you are wronged, government will intervene and hand you justice as a matter of course. That government will protect you. That government will shield the weak against the heavy-handed bullying of the strong. It will not.

That government builds schools, hospitals or makes roads at all; and arbitrates between warring parties, is nothing more than a show to project the appearance of relevance and to justify its continued existence. It is to make it appear like they are working while in reality, they are fulfilling their own interests. So, your MP does not buy an ambulance because they care about your health, no: appearing to care for your health is necessary for him to retain the appearance of relevance and in effect, their political position that comes with great benefits. Again, personal interests.

So about Justice, it goes to the highest bidder. You can actually buy out justice, man. For example in two acid attack survivor stories that I read from Untold Stories Uganda Facebook page. I was gutted particularly by the 1-2 lines in both stories which expressed the frustration encountered in seeking justice. In both cases the perpetrators of these atrocities are known and are going about their normal lives like they did nothing wrong.

You know that thing where they tell you to “speak up” or “escalate the issue” or “appeal”? If you got the time, if you got the money, if it is worth it, yes. The pursuit of justice can be too costly and it is not even guaranteed. Now if you really want this justice, you cannot play clean or fair. Unless you have some heavy weight or money to throw about your case, you can be sure that on your own and on facts alone, you will not get what you seek.

In the end if you fight long enough, you will find that you have essentially turned in to the very people you are trying to rescue yourself from because you can only win when you use their own methods, no? And what does that make you? Just like them.

On a side note, I wonder how practicing lawyers get through with their lives, though, seeing as they probably deal with the worst of the human condition. Lawyers are just like doctors. Except that they work with sick human relationships.

Meanwhile, where is Kanyamunyu and what is the plan?

Kind regards,

Anna Grace