The new regional names on the map of Uganda are ridiculous and provocative. No right-minded Ugandan can settle for this and certainly no one will take it lightly. The illusion of regarding this country as a property for an individual or a small group of persons, who make decisions for the rest, should be thrown in the bin. Treating Ugandans in a demeaning manner is an act of transgression and dehumanisation. Ugandans are intelligent and know what they want, deserve to be respected and be allowed to get involved in deciding what matters to them. One may ask, was the regional names changing comprehensively consultative or it is a mere imposition of one’s feelings and prejudice.
The scheme to change the history of Uganda is unfortunately becoming real but, is this what Ugandans want? What is the value and reason for renaming the region? What I have observed and heard from informal sources is that there is a scheme to weaken and dismantle the institution of Buganda and destabilise the Baganda. The re-naming of the regions is intended to erase Buganda from the map of Uganda. This makes no sense when the significance of identity is more important today than ever before. Ugandans should be allowed to feel proud of their identity and the history of how their nation was created. A well known and glaring fact is that the foundation of the name Uganda is in Buganda. It is just inconceivable to erase Buganda from the history and literature about Uganda. At no time should these facts be tampered with.
Without mincing my words, the superiority of Buganda in the state of Uganda is what bothers some people whose inferiority complex has kept on haunting them, but facts are facts, Buganda has been and continues to be a pace maker in many aspects of social, economic even political operations and development in the country. I find nothing wrong with Buganda being the pace maker and if there is anything that Ugandans should be proud of is the nation of Buganda. It is rare to find a Ugandan who does not wish to have an infrastructural development in Buganda. Karamojongs, Westnilers, Jopadholas, Banyoro, Basoga etc all strive to acquire land for development in Buganda in order to enjoy the good weather and environment, to tap into the economic potentials in the region, enjoy the nice food and ambience of the region, have access to abundant water sources and above all to enjoy the love, care, beauty, intellectual abilities and the innovativeness of the Baganda. It is hard to single out any politically and economically powerful person who does not have property and a base in Buganda. It is interesting to note that whoever is not ethnically a Muganda and not born and raised in Buganda and gets a chance to set a foot in Buganda, that person’s life drastically changes physically with better and clean looks, socially including learning to speak the soft and sweet luganda language, economically and even sometimes politically. Infact, those who get established in Buganda, this becomes home and their ancestral places become venues for holidays and for hosting selected ceremonies and burials.
The erasure of Buganda from the map of Uganda is toxic and it will not be surprising if it creates a standoff between the Baganda and other nationalities. It is a display of hatred and an inferiority complex of those who now feel that their current status is above that of the Baganda.
The pre-occupation on fighting and undermining Buganda is costing the country more than one can imagine. There is no doubt a lot of time, energy, money and other resources spent on this instead of planning for the development of the country. England is for the English people while Scotland is for the Scottish and the areas have remained and maintained the names for centuries without changing the status of the UK. It does not make sense, therefore, for a group of disillusioned people who are holding powerful positions of the country to change the history the country. Uganda was created centuries back and in my view, if anyone wants that establishment to change, then let the state of Uganda be dismantled back to the position it was at, prior to the 1880s. The areas like Ankole, Busoga, etc are victims of circumstances. The target is Buganda not those areas. Whoever is behind this should rise above being petty. Re-naming an area with a negative connotation serves no purpose and not worth cracking a mind for. There are more important things to do for the country to get it move forward than concentrate on how Buganda can be demonised.
The same goes for the recent court ruling that the roads and other historical monuments in Kampala should be renamed. It should be noted that the future is built with history as its solid foundation. Therefore, whether the name or the monument has a bitter and deplorable past, let that be an opportunity for developing what is good and required for the time. Uganda’s past relations with Britain gave it an automatic admission to the commonwealth, which it highly cherishes, yet it was a colonial master. In respect of the above ruling, Uganda should then too, consider pulling out of the commonwealth.
Uganda is a lovely country but unfortunately with fundamental gaps in the leadership. What matters today seems inconsequential while the things that are worthless are hyped. The Uganda we want today is not where trivial matters are given much more attention but one that is pro-people and pro-development with respect of human rights and inclusiveness practiced across the board. There are several developments that are yet to come, let the names be reserved for those but leave the present ones unchanged.
John Mary Odoy-Senior Citizen
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