By Can Grace Kaiso
These reflections are informed by the recent events in our country. Leo Buscaglia, an American author, once said: “Change is the end result of all true learning.” His words offer a meaningful lens through which to view where we find ourselves today. As ordinary citizens in Uganda, and as a nation, we have gone through a deeply challenging and, for many, traumatic experience: the recent election cycle. From Leo’s perspective, even painful experiences present opportunities for learning, awakening, and beginning again.
Our shared recent experience
The elections affected citizens in different ways. Some were candidates who struggled to mobilize resources for their campaigns and, in some instances, to protect their votes under difficult circumstances. A number succeeded; others are still engaged in court processes to reclaim what they believe to be a legitimate victory. Many more have been left quietly nursing their losses, financial strain, and emotional exhaustion. Several families are still struggling to locate their loved ones whose whereabouts are still unknown; some mainly from the opposition political parties are languishing in detention centres.
For the ordinary voter, the experience was equally heavy. Many were forced to endure significant anxiety because the processes lacked predictability. Instead of offering reassurance, the extensive deployment of security personnel created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation rather than one of safety. Civic participation increasingly feels like navigating uncertainty rather than exercising a constitutional right. With every successive election cycle, this climate of fear has seemed to intensify, giving elections the appearance of military operations rather than civic exercises meant to empower the voices of citizens.
These shared experiences, though different in degree, speak to a nation that is aware something is amiss and in need of honest reflection and renewal.
What we are hearing from each other
Over the past weeks, I have listened to reflections from those affiliated with the opposition and those in government, and it is striking how much common ground there actually is. Despite political differences, there is broad recognition of issues that require attention:
- the growing mistrust of public institutions,
- weakened institutions affected by corruption,
- young people struggling to find opportunities to meaningfully participate in national life,
- diminishing space for the media, civil society, and alternative voices,
- and a political environment that often feels commercialised, confrontational, or militarised.
These concerns do not belong to a single group, they are shared across ages, regions, and political leanings. The question we continue to grapple with is therefore not whether something needs to change, but where and how that change should begin.
In my view, we already stand at a meaningful starting point: the recognition that something is wrong and must be addressed. Recognition is the beginning of renewal.
Why change is often difficult
In her article “Braving Up to Build a Better Life,” leadership and career coach Kathy Caprino identifies five core reasons people remain stuck in resistance rather than moving toward change. Her insights resonate not only at the personal level but also in communities and nations. They offer a useful framework for understanding why societies often become trapped in cycles of repetition, frustration, and stagnation.
Caprino explains that people resist facing reality because it is uncomfortable, unfamiliar, and destabilising. This resistance is often rooted in fear, fear of failure, fear of the unknown, and fear of losing what little control one feels they have. And so, individuals and societies cling to familiar patterns even when those patterns are clearly not serving them.
1. Thinking it’s not all that bad (denial and minimisation)
People sometimes downplay the seriousness of their reality to avoid the emotional weight that would come with acknowledging the need for change. At a national level, this may manifest as normalising systems or behaviours that, objectively, undermine wellbeing.
2. Holding on to good moments (selective memory)
A few positive memories or isolated successes can overshadow a long pattern of dysfunction. They create a narrative that things are “not so bad” or “could be worse,” preventing meaningful transformation.
3. Waiting for fairness to happen (passive hope)
This is the belief that if one simply waits long enough, circumstances will improve on their own, or that others will eventually act justly. While hope is important, passive hope can lead to stagnation, as it removes the need for active engagement.
4. Taking it personally (emotional attachment)
When the need for change feels like a personal failure or criticism, individuals and institutions may become defensive. Instead of evaluating what needs improvement, they cling to the familiar to protect their pride or identity.
5. Magical thinking (wishful thinking without strategy)
This involves repeating the same approach while expecting a different outcome. It is rooted in the belief that persistence alone, without adaptation, will eventually yield success.
In addition to these, people often stay in unfavourable situations because they fear the unknown or feel they have already invested too much to walk away from what no longer serves them. Nations, too, can become trapped by this pattern.
Importance of facing reality
Nothing changes for the better unless reality is acknowledged. While facing the truth can be unsettling and may not immediately shift circumstances, it is a necessary foundation for meaningful, lasting transformation. We are not suggesting that facing reality is equivalent to accepting or approving everything that has happened. Nor is it a quick fix. But it is the firm ground upon which all change must be built.
Without this grounding, we attempt to build on sand, creating solutions that cannot withstand friction, criticism, or the natural tests of time.
The journey from crisis to renewal often follows three stages:
- Denial: where we avoid the truth because it feels overwhelming.
- Acceptance: where we see the situation clearly and openly.
- Action: where we move deliberately toward change.
This movement is vital for individuals, institutions, and the nation.
The Prodigal Son: A model for renewal
A helpful illustration is the story of the prodigal son. When he found himself feeding pigs, a humiliating and desperate situation, he confronted the reality of his choices and their consequences. He must have weighed his options, reflecting on what he had lost and what he feared. Returning home was not an easy choice. He had left with so much and returned with nothing. There was a real possibility of rejection, shame, or anger.
Yet he chose to act. He decided that the consequences of returning home were preferable to remaining in his broken circumstances. Renewal began the moment he accepted the truth and took the first step toward a different future.
Similarly, renewal for us, personally and nationally, begins with facing our reality and making intentional, courageous choices.
So, where do we begin?
1. Renewing our personal lives
Before national renewal can take root, individuals must cultivate:
- self-awareness, take seriously their relationship with God and His creation.
- integrity,
- emotional maturity,
- and a willingness to engage constructively.
Healing begins with personal responsibility, reflecting on how we contribute to the environments we inhabit and the systems we shape.
2. Strengthening our families, communities
Families and communities are the first institutions of trust. If these spaces become nurturing, honest, and supportive, the nation benefits. We therefore need to be deliberate in developing programs that build health communities. Communities that value dialogue, empathy, and active participation create citizens who expect, and build, better systems. Faith institutions need to help in this regard.
3. Rekindling hope amongst youth
Young people form the foundation of Uganda’s future. They deserve:
- opportunities for growth,
- platforms to express ideas,
- pathways to meaningful participation,
- and affirmation that their dreams matter.
A nation that invests in its young people strengthens its prospects for renewal and stability.
4. Rebuilding trust in institutions
Trust is the glue that binds societies together. The increasing lack of faith in institutions and mistrust across tribes are realities, we urgently need to address in our country.
Institutions must be places where fairness is predictable, where corruption is not normalised, and where service is genuine. Institutional renewal requires honesty, accountability, and systems that work for all, not just a few.
5. Allowing dialogue diverse voices
Societies flourish when ideas are exchanged freely. Media, civil society, faith leaders, and alternative voices all contribute to a balanced national conversation. Renewal requires space, space for dialogue, critique, creativity, and collective problem solving. Our original plan for a national conversation needs to revisited.
Our nation is at a pivotal point, pregnant with possibilities. While the election cycle revealed areas of strain and exposed the weight carried by citizens, institutions, and communities, it also offered an opportunity for reflection and learning. True renewal, whether personal or national, begins with acknowledging our reality without fear, exaggeration, or denial. It requires the courage to move beyond familiar patterns, to evaluate our choices with honesty, and to take deliberate steps toward a healthier future.
Like the prodigal son who recognised his situation and chose a path toward restoration, we too can choose renewal over resignation. This journey will demand humility, patience, and a willingness to engage across differences. It may not immediately transform our circumstances, but it offers a firm foundation on which genuine progress can be built.
If we commit to facing our challenges with clarity and to nurturing spaces for dialogue, integrity, and shared responsibility, we can begin to shape a society where hope is not passive but active, and where change is not imposed but embraced. In this way, renewal becomes not just a desire, but an achievable and sustaining path for each one of us and for our nation.
