The GARTER SNAKE

Like all snakes, garter snakes do not intentionally commit suicide.

However, if a garter snake is severely stressed, overheated, or neurologically confused, it may fall victim to a rare, self-destructive behavioral loop. 

Here is how this process unfolds: [1,]

• Confusion and Overheating: If a snake gets too hot, is heavily stressed, or has compromised vision during shedding, it can become highly disoriented. [1,]
• Mistaking the Tail for Prey: The snake may smell its own tail and mistake it for prey. Driven by a false sense of hunger, it bites down. [1,]. Once the snake bites its tail, it may attempt to swallow it whole. This causes internal injury and restricts the snake's digestive tract. [2,]

• The Danger: A self-inflicted bite alone is usually not instantly fatal. However, if the snake is sick, stressed, or the venom is injected deeply into a vulnerable vein, it can sometimes be lethal. Often, if self-consumption continues unhindered, death is caused by the physical trauma, tissue damage, and choking involved in swallowing itself. 

Uganda's first son and Chief of Defence forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba. 

After 40 years of his father's stay in power, is Uganda's first son one of those weary of President Museveni's overstay?

What with all the recent unjustified abductions of influential figures in the country, the media crackdown and a general indifference towards public opinion and emotion, the CDF is clearly acting like a garter snake. He is shockingly destroying all the values his father's regime has stood for, for the past 40 years.

While President Museveni can not be described as a democratic leader, one cannot describe him as an autocrat either, despite his long stay in power.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has steered the wheels of Uganda using the carrot and stick method. He will toughen up especially when "the chair" is under threat but leave room for negotiations where need be. 

Museveni is a populist who has always tried to champion the interests and rights of ordinary people of the country. Always trying to give an ear to "the people",  from the University professor, to the maize seller by the roadside, to the struggling youth down in the trenches of the ghetto.

And now here comes his son, who has been raised with the luxuries of being a first son, almost all his life. Only about 14 years old by the time his father came into power, 40 years ago. Has no emotional attachment  whatsoever with the common man. Arrogant and emboldened with entitlement like Uganda is his father's private company. Unjustifably imprisoning young men and women who have views that are not in line with the ruling government's. Handing them life sentences just for being critical of government policies! Abducting influential political figures for merely criticising the mighty son of the land. Placing media houses under siege just for making independent coverage.

Yet, the first son envisions himself as the automatic successor to his father.

It becomes very ironical then, that instead of trying to walk in the footsteps of his father, the first son who currently seems to have usurped the powers of his father, is shockingly  biting off the tail of his father's regime. 

With his seemingly untouchable status and arrogant character, the first son's actions of late are like those of a garter snake. He's either ignorantly or knowingly bringing down his own father's regime!