Uganda, Jan. 13 -- The start of the year is a time of resolutions and predictions! Some analysts or specialists attempt peering into the future, but the socio-political world is so stubbornly elusive such that predicting what comes ahead is often futile.

Social scientists are routinely flatfooted when major cataclysmic events unfold dramatically and unexpectedly. But while we cannot tell the future nor precisely and accurately predict tomorrow, the start of the year is a good time to deeply reflect on our shared aspirations and how to tackle collective problems.

For a country like ours, beloved Uganda, teeming with problems but also richly endowed, there is simply too much at stake. The problems we face just keep mounting even as our ab...