Sarah Kiyingi Kyama Quotes

I have to admit, before I got involved in politics, I too shared the common belief that politics itself was inherently dirty. To me, this meant that anyone who entered politics was bound to engage in corruption, dishonesty, and compromise. This belief often leads people to think that people of faith should avoid public life altogether. However, when I eventually joined, I discovered something different. While it's true that many individuals act according to that cynical view of politics, I found that, with God's guidance, it's entirely possible to participate in politics without resorting to the "dirty" aspects that many associate with it.

I believe the university definition of politics is accurate when it describes it as "a way of sharing power and scarce resources." Harold Lasswell also famously defined politics as the art of "who gets what, when, and how." This highlights that, whether or not we are directly involved in formal or public political spheres, issues like power, resource distribution, equity, and justice are relevant to everyone. They affect us all in some way.

Yes, I have been actively involved in national politics. I served as the Woman Member of Parliament for Rakai District from 1996 to 2006, and during that time, I also held the position of Minister of State for Internal Affairs from 1998 to 2003.

I don't agree with the idea that politics is inherently a "dirty game." Rather, it's the people involved who determine whether it remains "clean" or becomes "dirty." I once heard an illustration that I think captures this idea well: Politics is like water. You can add mud to it, making it dirty, or you can keep it clear and use it for good. Ultimately, politics itself is neutral; it's up to us, the participants, to decide whether to keep it clean or let it become polluted.