WHO WILL TAKE UGANDA TO THE PROMISED LAND?

When President Museveni's NRM/A took power in 1986 by force of arms, many people in Uganda thought that at last a 'saviour' had come on to the scene. 25 years down the road many with eyes and ears are sure that Museveni was not meant to take country to the Promised Land but had managed to take many on his bandwagon and a good number are regretting. This makes us reflect on the children of Israel who took a whole 40 years to get to the Promised Land. May be God is still taking Ugandans through hardships and those who endure will surely get there. It is so sad that to some people the situation in Uganda is comparable to when Daniel was thrown into the Lion's Den - the infrastructure by the NRM Government is almost like the Lion's Den, there are some people who are 'eating' Ugandans like Lion's would. It is just trust in God that He can take us through.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka

JOSHUA 5:6
New International Version (©1984)
The Israelites had moved about in the desert forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the LORD. For the LORD had sworn to them that they would not see the land that he had solemnly promised their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.

DANIEL IN THE LION'S DEN (6:1 - 28)


INTRODUCTION

1. The faith of Daniel has been an inspiration to many young people...
a. Due to his faith as a young man, when only 15-17 years old
b. In which he purposed in his heart not to defile himself - Dan 1:8

2. Daniel should also be an inspiration to elderly people...
a. As an example of service and commitment in our "golden years"
b. For we can also read of his faith as old man, perhaps in his
mid-eighties

[The account of elder Daniel's faith is found in Dan 6:1-28, involving
an incident commonly referred to as "Daniel In The Lion's Den". The
story is certainly worthy of our careful consideration, and so we begin
our study by reading verse one...]

I. THE TRAP IS SET (1-9)

A. DANIEL IS SUCCESSFUL...
1. He is appointed one of three governors over the kingdom - Dan
6:1-2
a. The kingdom may be Babylon (Chaldea), recently conquered by
the Medo-Persian empire - Dan 5:30-31
b. The identity of Darius the Mede is uncertain, possibly a
man known as Gubara appointed by Cyrus of Persia to rule
Chaldea
2. Daniel "distinguished" himself above the others - Dan 6:3
a. His success was due to his "excellent spirit", not cunning
or political maneuvering
b. Proving one can be successful in business and politics
without compromising character
c. Darius contemplates setting Daniel over the whole realm

B. DANIEL IS ENVIED...
1. His success leads to envy by others - Dan 6:4
a. Even the most godly men can have their enemies (e.g.,
David, Christ)
b. Enemies by virtue of jealousy
2. His noble character is attested to by his enemies - Dan 6:4
a. They could make no charge against him, finding no fault or
error in him
b. Because he was "faithful" (i.e., trustworthy, dependable)
3. His enemies determine there is only one way to defeat him
- Dan 6:5
a. To find some conflict between the law of God and that of
the land
b. Which they then set out to do

C. DANIEL IS TARGETED...
1. The king is approached by Daniel's enemies - Dan 6:6
2. They propose a royal statute, a firm decree - Dan 6:7
a. That no petition can be made of any god or man for thirty
days, except the king
b. Under punishment of being cast into the den of lions
3. The king is encouraged to establish the decree - Dan 6:8-9
a. Which according to the law of the Medes and Persians,
cannot be altered
b. King Darius signs the decree

[Daniel's faith in God brought him success up to this point. But now
the exercise of his faith could cause him to lose it all! What would
we have done in his place? As we continue to read, we see what Daniel
did...]

II. THE TRAP IS SPRUNG (10-17)

A. DANIEL CONTINUES TO PRAY...
1. Knowing full well that the decree had been signed - Dan 6:10
2. Practicing a custom common among the Jews - Dan 6:10
a. Praying three times a day - cf. Ps 55:17
b. Praying toward Jerusalem - cf. 1Ki 8:27-30
c. Praying on his knees (a common posture for prayer) - cf.
1Ki 8:54
d. Praying with thankfulness to God, even in times of trouble
- cf. Php 4:6
3. His own custom since "early days" - Dan 6:10
a. Though great and powerful, fervent prayer was not beneath
him
b. Though aged, he had not grown weary of prayer

B. DANIEL IS CAUGHT...
1. His enemies catch Daniel praying - Dan 6:11
2. His enemies report Daniel to the king - Dan 6:12-13
a. Reminding Darius of the unalterable decree
b. Accusing Daniel of disregarding the king and his decree
3. The king is forced to abide by his own decree - Dan 6:14-15
a. Displeased with himself, the king tries to deliver Daniel
b. Daniel's enemies pressure the king to abide by his decree

C. DANIEL IS THROWN INTO THE LIONS' DEN...
1. Yet the king is hopeful - Dan 6:16
a. That Daniel's God will deliver him
b. Whom Daniel had served "continually"
-- Would he have had such hope if Daniel was sporadic in his
service to God?
2. The den is closed with a stone and sealed - Dan 6:17
a. Sealed with the signet ring of the king and his lords
b. Ensuring that the purpose concerning Daniel would not be
changed

[It appears Daniel's enemies have won. He is in the lions' den and it
is sealed. Yet could any "seal" by man ever keep God from accomplishing
His plans (don't forget the "sealed" tomb! - cf. Mt 27:62-66)? And so
we read how...]

III. THE TRAP IS SPOILED (18-28)

A. DARIUS IS WORRIED...
1. His night is restless - Dan 6:18
a. He spends the night fasting, and without musicians
b. He can't sleep
2. His concern for Daniel is evident - Dan 6:19-20
a. Rising early in the morning, going in haste to the den
b. Crying to Daniel with a lamenting voice
c. Wondering if God has delivered Daniel
1) A servant of the living God
2) Who serves God continually

B. DANIEL IS DELIVERED...
1. Daniel answers the king - Dan 6:21-22
a. With respect to the king ("O king, live forever!")
1) Despite what the king had done to him
2) An example of blessing those who persecute you
b. With word of God's great deliverance
1) Saved by an angel of God - cf. Dan 3:28
2) Who shut the lions' mouths
c. With affirmation of his innocence
1) Innocent before God
2) Guilty of no wrong before the king
2. Darius removes Daniel from the den - Dan 6:23
a. The king being exceedingly glad
b. Daniel with no injury found on him
-- Daniel is delivered from the lions, because he believed in His
God (i.e., saved by faith!)

C. THE CONSPIRATORS ARE EXECUTED...
1. Cast into the same trap intended for Daniel, along with their
families - Dan 6:24
2. As often happens, those who set the trap get caught in it!
a. Cf. Haman, hung on the gallows he built for Mordecai - Est
7:10
b. As contemplated by David, warned by Solomon - Ps 7:14-16;
Pr 1:10-19

D. GOD IS EXALTED...
1. Darius makes a decree that the God of Daniel be feared - Dan
6:25-27
a. He is the living God, and steadfast forever
b. His kingdom is indestructible, and His dominion everlasting
2. Another pagan king comes to realize Who is really in control!
a. As did Nebuchadnezzar - Dan 4:34-35
b. As did Belshazzar, only too late - Dan 5:26-28

E. DANIEL PROSPERS...
1. In the reign of Darius, who ruled Chaldea - Dan 6:28
2. In the reign of Cyrus of Persia (who also ruled over Darius)
- cf. Dan 1:21

CONCLUSION

1. What were the noble qualities of this aged saint? He was a man...
a. With an excellent spirit - Dan 6:3
b. Without fault in his business dealings - Dan 6:4
c. Faithful to those over him - Dan 6:4
d. Committed to prayer throughout his life - Dan 6:10
e. Willing to obey God rather than man - Dan 6:10
-- Putting it simply, he was a man who "believed in his God"! - Dan
6:23

2. "Daniel In The Lions' Den" is a story that has thrilled many
children...
a. But its lessons are not just for children
b. Daniel is a role model for adults as well
1) For politicians
2) For everyone involved in administrative affairs
3) For all Christians, especially older ones

May we all learn from the example of Daniel, who exemplified what it
means to seek first the will of God (cf. Mt 6:33), and to obey God
rather than men (cf. Ac 5:29)!

SOME OF UGANDA'S PROBLEMS OUTLINED (PATRONAGE HAS A ROLE)
Source: http://cozay.com/PROBLEMS-FACING-UGANDA.php
(NB The article was written before the current arrangement where Parliament numbers and districts as well as Ministers are much bigger)
69 Ministers, 327 Members of Parliament, 278 political appointees who include 80 resident District Commissioners and assistants, 75 presidential advisors and 43 private presidential secretaries and their deputies is just a picture of Uganda’s public administration. Pearl of Africa as commonly known is argued that not only is it a sleeping giant but an over governed and unproductive country.
It has many administrative units; 45,000 local councils, 5500 parishes, 1026 sub-counties, 151 counties, 18 municipalities and 80 districts. All these structures have executive 10 man executive officials. So, the total number of officials is 10 times the number of every administrative unit.
How does this nation manage its servants? Uganda’s expenditure is very enormous and abnormal. A presidential advisor and his deputy earns 908.5 million Ugandan shillings enough to pay 378 primary school teachers a salary of 200,000 Ugandan shillings a month. Private presidential secretary and his assistant earn 7.5 billion shillings enough to; support 2,077 primary schools with 800 pupils each, buy drugs for 890 health centers, construct 935 classrooms or pay 37,500 primary school teachers. Members of Parliament altogether earn 57 billion excluding the allowances, the 69 ministers have all sorts of allowances and only government expenditure on Ministers vehicles fuel, oil and maintenance in 2006/07 was 92 billion Ugandan shillings.
In 1986, the National Resistance Movement came to power, it collected 84 billion as revenue. Inflation was at 240 percent, it worked tirelessly and revived the economy reducing inflation to 0.3 percent. The present government collects 4 trillion as revenue but sectors like education and health and education which used to be vibrant are in shambles.
The nation has 31 million people, according to the ministry of health, there’s one doctor to every 300,000 people. Surprisingly, there’s one administrative leader to every 6 Ugandan. The nation has poor administrative structures, poor administration and provides poor services to its citizens. The government makes good policies but it’s very hard for them to be implemented leading all these deficiencies.
Policies like: decentralization policy to help distribute resources evenly; minimum health package which puts all health centers under a structured organization; Medium Term Expenditure Framework that makes the government budget and expenditure known after every 3 years. Such good and efficient policies have been made by the government but 600 billion Ugandan shillings is lost every year.
The main reason why such policies cannot be implemented is due to the government’s huge expenditure to its top leaders and poor wages paid to its civil servants. This has led to absenteeism, lack of morale as the public servants do other jobs beside their jobs to supplement their earnings.
It’s arguably that the nation has produced one of the brightest people in the East Africa region with the prestigious Makerere University but has the lowest productivity in the region. This is because Ugandans are juggling too many sources of income hence cannot specialize and put all their effort in one to enable them get sufficient income.
The country also has a culture of passing laws to solve problems, this has led to it having too many laws and continuing to pass others yet the ones present are neither effective nor implementable. For instance, it has failed to implement the traffic and productive law yet it has passed a law to gag the media, limiting public participation in governance and locking up journalists with dissenting views.
Pundits say that for the country to develop, it needs to reduce its administrative leaders, get more serious in enforcing its policies and laws. The administration is the main cause of the government’s huge expenditure, leading to lack of funds in other sectors and poverty. The country needs to be serious in economic transformation and development by getting its priorities right.
Civil society, donors, private sector experts and political analysts have raised numerous concerns over the governments expenditure on its administration but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears. The country not only needs a budget discipline but get their priorities right.