A few days ago I advanced the idea that President Museveni cannot be classified as a tribalist or a sponsor of sectarianism. I told you that Museveni was simply an excessive lover of his “people” or Banyakitara if you like, but not a tribalist per se.
And common sense dictates that you cannot be blamed for loving your own people. It is this same doctrine that even revealed religions are based on. Love your family, fellow humans and also love your neighbor.
Therefore President Museveni who is a typical African cannot and will never shy away from wanting to surround himself with those who are like him indeed those he feels much comfortable with. Have you noticed that President Museveni gives much attention and financial help to freedom fighters and their children including thosw of Idi Amin and Joseph Kony?
Don’t get me wrong. There is no part in this discourse where am insinuating that the President only works with his tribal mates. Available evidence cannot logically support this. Neither am I suggesting that tribalism and sectarianism are good.
Absolutely not. The gist of the matter is that: we all have to look after our own because no one else will do it for us. Jesus Christ repeatedly said that he came for the Children of Israel. And Prophet Musa (Moses) was ordered by God to move His people from Egyptian servitude to the promised land. Now a pertinent question is: Whose people were the Egyptians? Regardless, even God has “ebyaana- useless kids” and “abaana- preferred kids!”
In part one of this submission I told you how, if given a chance to be in power or in a position of authority, I would not hesitate to employ my people including my wife, children and my mother!
I stealthily advised Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine and likely minds that rather than lamenting of being segregated against, they have to prepare to also bring their own “people” close if they ever get power. And once they underlook this simple fact, they will have themselves to blame.
And this, is the problem with us, Baganda, always preaching to others but not doing those same things we like to teach others.
We, Baganda people, are inherently jealousy of each other that is why “twewunya- get surprised” when others bring their kind close. We are a divided people who are incapable of rallying behind a cause led by our own. But we will welcome others as we did with Banyarwanda who with time took over our lands as we fell for the beauty of their daughters.
My people have a saying: “Abarya tebogela- those eating don’t talk!”
This saying has many hidden messages but three will suffice:
1- You can be a bad eater and you spit food while talking
2- You can easily get “empagama-choke on food” while carelessly eating.
The third one is the real meaning which clearly characterizes fully who we are: “DON’T TALK WHILE EATING SUCH THAT YOU MAY NOT ATTRACT OR INVITE UNWELCOME VISiTORS!”
Folks, that message above will be the basis for this second installment of our discussion.
WHY BAGANDA ARE OWN VICTIMS
The bush war:
When Yoweri Museveni and his famous 27 fighters (actually guns) dashed to the bush to fight Milton Obote’s UPC government in 1981, a group led by Dr. Andrew Luttakome Kayiira, a Muganda, had gone a few weeks earlier.
It is worth to remember that after Idi Amin was overthrow with the military support of Tanzania, two Baganda- Prof. Yusuf Kironde Lule and Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa- were entrusted with state power. Prof. Lule lasted only 68 days and Binaisa ruled from June 1979 to May 1980.
We wouldn’t want to dig deep into how they lost power but a simple analysis tells us that the two failed to have enough Baganda backing them notably Paulo Muwanga who wielded more power then.
During the struggle for our liberation from 1981 to 1986, Kayiira’s UFM (Uganda Federal Alliance) was predominately made up of Baganda but failed to make up the numbers even when it was based in Buganda.
Alas! The Baganda people decided to support Yoweri Museveni who Kayiira people had even gone around warning the wanaichi not to support because he was a Munyarwanda.
The same happened with FEDEMU (Federal Democratic Movement of Uganda) a splinter group from UFM led by George Nkwanga, Fred “Mpiso” Kiberu and Kasirye Ggwanga. It fought in Buganda but failed to muster support among Baganda people.
Kabaka Yekka (KY) and UPC:
KY and UPC were pre independence parties the former made up of Baganda loyalists and the latter a nationalist group led by Milton Obote.
There was a more formidable group also of Baganda Catholics called DP (Democratic Party) and led by the flamboyant Benedicto Kiwanuka. Rather than support Kiwanuka, their own, the Baganda surrendered all their MP slots (21) and added them to Milton Obote who went on to become Prime Minister and the man who saw through our independence.
Milton Obote would later overthrow the Kabaka and burned kingdoms. His chief legal advisor was a one Muganda called Godfrey Binaisa who apparently had advised him in 1966 to destroy Buganda Kingdom!
Folks, there is something wrong with Baganda.
General Severino Kahinda Otafire, a man who doesn’t lie, once castigated Baganda by frankly telling them:
“If you are united, you can decide who rules Uganda… but you will never unite for any cause!”
When we have no one else to hate, we attack our Baganda leaders. Look at how we destroy our Katikilo, Kingdom Prime Minister, a man who has brought back Buganda’s lost glory!
GIVE A MUGANDA AN OFFICE:
If a Muganda is given an office or appointed as a minister for instance, expect him or her to alienate other Baganda. Two or three examples will suffice:
Nalongo of Meeru:
One day a Muganda lady from Bukomansimbi came to the president’s office complaining about her late husband’s estate. Apparently his family was chasing her from the land and confiscating her animals.
She dramatically ended up in President Museveni’s office adjacent Parliament through noise and sheer guts.
President Museveni did see her alright and later sent her to then Prime Minister Apollo Nsibambi. He had asked her whether she supported NRM and bed her farewell as he told her: “Nyonyola muganda muno Nsibambi aja kukuyamba- explain to your fellow Muganda Nsibambi he will handle.”
Six months later Nalongo was back at the President’s office with her usual antics: making noise and shouting amid cries.
Once again the President had asked his aides to usher her in.
“Nalongo ate oyagala ki?- what do you want this time around?”
“Sebbo pulesidenti katikilo teyanyamba- your Excellency, the Prime Minister did not assist me!” She replied amid tears.
When I listen to her (she personally narrated this story to me) she came out as a sincere lady. She told me how she often cried and tossed herself to gain the President’s attention and sympathy.
The President had summoned his lawyer then Fox Odoi and said the following: “You see Baganda cannot help their own. What is wrong with them?”
So you know Nalongo ended up being helped by Fox Odoi and she became rich too through some presidential favours.
Friends, Baganda people don’t help other Baganda unlike Banyankole and Basoga. If a Musoga is given an office (have you ever visited passport office?) even cleaners will be Basoga! Banyankole will speak to their folks from villages in Runyakitara while a minister from Kyotera will speak to an old man from Kalisizo in English. Never mind whether the old man comprehends what he says. The idea is to look important and of course to scare off other often illiterate villagers from coming to the office.
It is never about service delivery, if it comes to a Muganda, but all about looking important!
HON. SEKANDI AND HIS COUSIN:
This story was told to me by a man who happens to be a cousin of our former speaker and Vice President.
One day this man, he was barely out of his teens, had visited Rt. Hon. Edward Sekandi who was the Speaker then to enquire about a chance to visit America. Hon. Sekandi had told him that there a delegation he was busy putting together for the same purpose.
The boy returned to his village and sold his “kibanja- plantation” and came back to inform Hon. Sekandi that he even has some money to go with.
“Eh banange mutabani- Oh my son,” replied a soft-spoken Sekandi, “naye nga kulisiti toliko- you not included on those going!”
“Naye kojja wansubiiza nentunda be kibanja kyange- but uncle you promised and I even sold my land!”
“Munange byebyo. Anti kulisiti kwaliko abaganda bangi- sorry but there were many Baganda people on my list!”
That is a typical Muganda for you. But President Museveni will not see any problem calling a security meeting and all members are Banyakitara!” I once read a list containing Ugandan students sent to Algeria to study petroleum (oil and gas) and all were Byakitara.
“ENKWE ZABAGANDA- BAGANDA BETRAYALS”
A friend of mine asked me to include here that Baganda people are famous for betraying each other. This unfortunately is not a Baganda-only problem because all black people have this trait in them.
I know too that Generals David Sejjusa, Jake Kaihura and Mugisha Muntu also tried to remove their benefactor, Yoweri Museveni, and they were not Baganda. Amama Mbabazi, Samson Mande, Kazoora, Amanya Mushega and Dr. Kizza Besigye who were in the trenches with Museveni also tried to remove him from power. They were not Baganda.
And Milton Obote was removed in the May 1985 coup d’etat engineered by his Acholi cousins prominent of whom were Tito Lutwa Okello, Bazillio Olara Okello, Dr. Olara Otunnu and Col. Had Wilson Toko. None of them was a Muganda by tribe.
It is fair to conclude therefore that most humans have cliques among them and Baganda only happen to have “lutwe- often singled out” to extinguish their elevated egos.q
The last word today comes from a Banyankole saying:
“Yola zoona toorikumanya erahige kurungi neha- look after them all (puppies), because you don’t know which one will hunt better!”
Adam Kamulegeya
adamkam2003@gmail.com
0779104336
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
