The fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.

So much has
been said about power corrupting people, but I believe it is just on the face of
the interpretation. It is fear for losing power that corrupts those who wield it.

The effort necessary to remain uncorrupted in an environment where fear is an

integral part of everyday existence is not immediately apparent to those fortunate
enough to live in a state governed by the rule of law. Just laws not only prevent
corruption but also create a society in which people do fulfill basic requirements
necessary for the preservation of human dignity without recourse to corrupt
practices.
However in the absence of such laws, the burden of upholding the principles of
justice and common decency falls on the ordinary people. It is upon this
background that will always change a notion where reason and conscience are warped
by fear into one where legal rules exist, to promote man’s desire from harmony and
justice, while restraining the less desirable, destructive traits in his nature.

There is always a compelling need for a closer relationship between politics and
ethics at both the national and international levels. This must be thought clear
in consideration of the current trend of globalization with the advanced
technologies, that some of them have been used by, unprincipled people as lethal
weapons to dominate the weak.

The universal declaration of Human Rights proclaims the promotion of basic rights
and freedoms in society, however as long as there is a government whose authority
is founded on coercion, rather than on the mandate of the people, and interest
groups which place short profits above long term peace and prosperity, the
protection of these human rights will remain a partially realized struggle and
there will continue to be arenas of struggle and there victims of oppression have
to draw on their own inner resources to defend their inalienable rights as members
of the human family.

With a system which denies the existence of human rights, fear tends to be the
order of the day. The worst form of fear is that which masquerades as common
sense, condemning as foolish and reckless, daily acts of courage which help to
preserve man’s self respect and inherent human dignity. It is not easy for a
people conditioned by fear under the principle, that might is right to free
themselves from the enervating miasma of fear, yet even under the most crushing
sate machinery courage rises up, again and again, for fear is not the natural
state of civilized men.

It is said, saints are sinners who go on trying, whereas free men are the
oppressed who go on trying and who in the process make themselves fit to bear the
responsibilities and uphold disciplines which will maintain a free society.
The well spring of courage and endurance in the face of unbridled power is
generally a firm belief in the sanctity of ethical principles. The concept such as
truth, justice and compassion cannot be disused as trite when these are often the
only bulwarks which stand against ruthless power.

By

Obam Andrew
Justice and constitutional affairs minister
Makerere student’s guild (MSG) and also
Chairman St Mary Kitende Old students
Association.