Book Foreword by Dr. Daniel Kawuma

"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything."  ~George Bernard Shaw~

I am a Ugandan citizen who like the author Kirunda, has had the privilege to live and study both inside and outside Uganda. Our paths first crossed at Kings College Budo in Uganda and like the author, I was offered the scholarship to represent Uganda at the United World Colleges.  Our paths crossed once again in Chicago at the 2009 Ugandan North American Association Convention as Kirunda embarked on a tour to promote his first book The Fourth Heritage.  The first book offers a strong foundation for The Fourth Republic and I recommend reading The Fourth Heritage in order to fully grasp and appreciate the concepts introduced in The Fourth Republic.

When I first set foot on foreign soil in the developed world, I marveled at the technology, efficiency and quality of social services, high standard of living, cleanliness, elegance, system of governance and punctuality, among others. I kept asking rhetorically, why can't we do this?  Uganda has been stuck in a cycle of political and social turmoil like many other African nations in the post-colonial era. The leadership establishment has failed to free our society from the heavy burden of cultural, tribal and religious complexities.  The Fourth Republic by Kirunda stands out as one of the most original works rendered towards lifting the weight of tribalism and groupthink off the shoulders of a static and stagnant society.

Questions have lingered for generations and the lack of solutions has been manifested by the political and social chaos in Uganda.  How can we overcome our ethnic and tribal differences and co-exist as a nation?  How can we harness the similarities among our cultures and tribal origins? How can we emerge from the shadows of our colonial masters and re-define our identity? How can we instill the virtues of knowledge and information in our society?  How can we integrate our tribal heritage and modern systems of governance into a cohesive functional nation-state? How can we clip the wings of tribalism and groupthink to liberate our minds?

Kirunda answers these questions and offers a sweeping viewpoint by creating a well thought out "Chwezi nation."  The Fourth Republic is an extraordinary book with a detailed roadmap that if followed and implemented can procure Ugandans a more effective system of governance. The propositions offer each Ugandan citizen the 'Chwezi dream.'  This dream has a foundation rooted in clearing the path for prosperity for each individual, shaped by the promises of their imagination.  The "Chwezi dream", promises to liberate Ugandans from the shackles of tribalism, poverty, ignorance, religious divisiveness and cultural conflicts. My hope is for this message to reach every Ugandan and African particularly those leading or aspiring to lead our nations in the coming years.