A few weeks ago, I watched a clip of Singer Rema detailing the kind of racism you tasted in Turkey. It was indeed so dehumanizing. However, as I listened to her, my mind kept racing about the similar torment some Ugandans go through in the hands of fellow Ugandans who think are better placed in terms of tribe, religion, social status and other aspects of life. Today, racism is all over the world. Even those Turkish who made her feel devalued also have places where they reach and are segregated on grounds of colour, religion and other differences.
Our forefathers were one until the white man came and disorganized our relationships. They respected diversity and embraced it whole heartedly. Before Uganda was born, most of the tribes lived in decentralized societies under the leadership of kings, chiefs, clan leaders and elders. Each society needed allies not only for barter trade but also for protection against its enemies. That way, tribalism was a no go area. Instead, brotherhood had to prevail.
Around 1894, the British waged war against Kabalega the King of Bunyoro. He sought refuge in Acholi under the protection of Chief Awich of Payira. It’s from there that he led the famous Nyangire rebellion. What other symbol of oneness is beyond protecting a king of another region from his pursuers. Indeed, our forefathers were one and loved each other regardless of their differences in tribes. Our societies were not as tribalistic as they are today.
The fact that Kabalega and Mwanga were captured in a swamp in Lango in April 1898 proves that the three kingdoms; Bunyoro, Buganda and Lango enjoyed oneness. A king of Buganda hid in Lango together with the King of Bunyoro. None of the three cultural rulers put their tribes first. Instead, they prioritized their brotherhood more than anything else. The level of trust among the three cultural rulers from different trines really beats my mind. Truly, tribalism wasn’t our portion..
If Kabaka Mwanga who was a close friend of Kabalega came back today, he would immediately order for the killing of the person who started the stereotypical statement of “Nyoko akuzalanga ku mawanga natabeera Omunyoro”. To Mwanga, that would be the worst abuse against the brotherhood and trust he enjoyed with his brother Kabalega and Bunyoro as a kingdom.
The case of Prince Suna, a brother of H.H. Kabaka Daudi Chwa II of Buganda being the best man of Sir George David Matthew Kamurasi Rukidi III the King of Tooro in 1930 clearly embodies the strong ties there was across tribes before Uganda was born. Even the blind can see that tribalism, wasn’t ours.
Among the twelve (12) wives of Kabaka Edward Muteesa II of Buganda was Lady Kaakako Rwanchwende, a princess from Ankole, Lady Winifred Keihangwe, another princess from Ankole and Omubiitokati (Princess) Beatrice Kabasweka, a Mutoro from Tooro. Marriage of kings across their own tribes clearly indicated how our cultural institutions were very accommodative of other tribes. With such ties, a Muganda would look at a Munyankole as just a brother or sister from another mother. And that way, love would prevail over tribal differences.
There are so many trails of brotherhood that existed within the pre-nation states of Uganda until the white man set us into religious wars and land rows like the Buyaga and Bugangaizi confusion. With western education, we found reasons to believe we were supreme and others were inferior and that threw us into this shit called tribalism and other kinds of stereotype.
The educated slowly began planting the seed of tribalism. Statements like “A good Muganda is a dead one” came from an elite who chose to recklessly release his anger on a full tribe due to his selfish interests.
During my primary school, every time some children failed to finish tasks in time or came late, our teachers would always made a statement “We shall not wait for Karamojongs to develop” – meaning the people of that region are too backward and don’t deserve to be improved. Indirectly, they biased our minds against an innocent tribe. The loose stereotypical talk of “Olina emputtu nga ey’Omusoga” was coined in the modern Uganda not by our forefathers. All these perpetuated tribalism and other forms of stereotype.
The educated entertainers also unknowingly watered the seed of tribalism in their plays since the 1970s or even earlier. In every drama, the person who played the role of an Askar was painted as a Northerner. That person would be made to speak broken Luganda with a northern tribal accent while appearing tough and rough with others. And that consistently painted that region as one which has people worthy being security guards for they are tough and ruthless – a belief that is totally untrue.
The comedy industry has taken the trophy since the early 2000s as a vehicle that fuels stereotype in this country. Through comedy and the media, Basoga have been painted as daft folks who like sex a lot while the Baganda are said to be conmen who treasure money over relationships. The Bagishu have been framed to be thieves while we have been made to believe that the Bakiga are rude. The list of false accusations and generalizations against tribe is endless in this country all in the name of comedy and entertainment. As the comedians make us laugh at our own tribes, they make a living as we risk losing the close ties we once enjoyed regardless of our tribal diversity.
Unfortunately, the young generation and the youths of today have not been given a chance to appreciate the history of the close ties there was between cultural institutions. We were one and we can still be if we let go of the unnecessary angers and generalization of communities based on individual acts of a few elements.
Before we blame the non-blacks for being racist, let’s first re-examine how we treat those who are not of our tribes, religions, gender and social classes within our immediate communities. If you do an honest inner reflection, you will realize that the change has to start with you. If we don’t stand up against stereotype in all its forms, we are on a roller coaster to a genocide in this country. And that’s why I Nkono Yeeko, before being a Ugandan, I am a Musoga but I chose to think of myself as a Ugandan Musoga rather than a Musoga Ugandan