Fellow countrymen,
Summing up: The problem facing Uganda today is that of REVISIONISM and the search for revenge. Mirima is among but not the only victim of this symdrome.
I am short of ‘machine time ‘ at the cafe but I will share, all the same, a brief moment with you on the reaction of the likes of Henry Ford (???), in reality Owekitiinisa Mirima, to my post.
First, he mistakes Baganda to have been ‘colonial agents’. Forgetting the Buganda-British relationship, at least at the beginning, was not that of “a Colony with a Coloniser” but that between two allies. There was an “allied relationship” from the 1880’s.
I will mainly dwell on clarifying truth from ‘chaff’ (sorry the word). But to summarise, there are two tendencies observed here:
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- One is the distinction between intellectual discourse and political propaganda hype and sentiment. ‘Sir Henry Ford’ mixes his love for country [Bunyoro Kitara, which he is right to love] and hate for the victors [Buganda and Britain] with intellectual facts. Intellectual discourse has no room for tribal colours and sentiments.
- The second is the idea of basing arguments on the common saying and syndrome that every tribe has in its language: “..mother cooks best” or “..dad knows all..”. Read ahead please.
1/5. The collapse of the Berlin Wall: This wall was created by a third party [the USSR] between on German territory, dividing a SINGLE PEOPLE for geopolitical reasons , in the aftermath of WWII. Like, if a wall was built between Hoima and Masindi Districts or between Kyadondo and Kyaggwe by a third party. Neither the Bunyoro or the Buganda nations would be happy with that situation. The collapse of the Berlin Wall was a result of the decision of the Soviets (Gorbachov) to withdraw and thus re-align their politics and economy. It was not a decision of German Nation at either end of the wall. Am sure Honneker did not want it off the map. So, by Henry Ford giving this as an example, he is deliberately misleading the debate. Is he trying to say that Bugerere is inhabited by Banyoro? Is he trying to forget that the Baluli were colonial surfs under Bunyoro and they are NOT Banyoro and were happy to come under Buganda’s protection?
The right comparison should be: After WWII, Germany lost many territories, including the “Imperial Citadel” of East Prussia. Where is that territory now? Has it been given back to Germany? [for an answer, see Kaliningrad]. Check Germany’s Eastern Border with Poland? Where is it? See the Oder river? Has Germany claimed the pre-war territory ceded to Poland? The example of Georgia is anachronistic. Russia ruled Georgia by invitation from 1781 and, going by Mirima’s theory, they should have a right to ‘claim’ Georgia lost by Yeltsin in 1991. But, if the Russians pulled out of Georgia, last summer, it was according to their own strategic plan, not by an external directive. Remember they prepared a draft of the ‘cessation of hostilities’ and president Sakorsy appended his signature. On the idea of military trophies being from ..”the last century..”, I give the following comparison: In the Caucasus 2008, the Russians captured American Hamvees. Where are they now? They are being displayed at the military Museum somewhere in Russia as war trophies. Are the territories of S. Ossetia and Abkhazia still under Georgia’s control? Is Kosovo still under Belgrade’s control? Don’t underrate peoples’ understanding of facts, Hon. Ford Mirima. So, Bunyoro is going to claim the ‘Abalega‘ territory from the DR Congo government , because it was under Bunyoro 130 years ago and because Kabalega was born there?
Conclusion: The German/Georgian examples Henry quotes are irrelevant here.
2/5. Heroes and villains: May 27th was/is “heroes’ day”, at least according to the UPC. To the UPC, Lutamaguzi was a traitor against an elected Governemnt while Haji Sebirumbi was an agent of the elected government then and may be declared a hero should they come to power again [Hmmm]. January 25th is liberation day, at least according to the “Aminists”. The saying, ”..mum cooks best..” fits here very well. Sir Henry Ford thinks, Midas style/way, that “what ever Museveni touches becomes Gold”. What he [M7] says is the WHOLE TRUTH. In other words, “..dad knows all“. No much debate needed here because the heroes of today may not be the heroes of tomorrow. They were not heroes yesterday. Political heroes are always a political invention, to suit the powers that be, at a given time. Example: you ask the “Aba-yudaya” of Mbale whether Kakungulu is a hero or not? He is their Patriarch!
3/5. Tribes of the East: Did you know why the Bagisu loved Obote so much? Open Secret: Obote ‘gave’ Maruku County Headquarters to the Bagisu, at the expense of the ‘Bakedi’, who set up post in Tororo. the rest is History. But why this example here? – to prove that these people were fighting physically in the pre-Kakungulu era and by proxy in the post Kakungulu era. It is 2008 and people and lives are being lost in a boundary [swamp] dispute between the Bagisu and the Bagweri on one hand and between the Banyore and Bagisu on the other. Where do you live Sir Henry, to ’seek evidence’ that Kakungulu pacified the East? How the Lango and Acholi come in, I do not know BUT, Kakungulu was mainly active up to Kaberamaido and I have not heard the Kumam complaining. I want to challenge Henry Ford instead to tell/prove to me that the Ateso have never fought the Karamajong, the Bagisu-the Ateso, the Bagweri-the Banyore, the Dhopadhola-the ‘Tororo’ Ateso, etc. Leave the sentimental and wishful world man.
4/5. Finally, on Buganda serving as ‘colonial agents’, not as Allies: when Brittan joins the US in the war in Iraq, is that a master-colony relationship? Are the Hungarians the colonial agents of the USA because they are in Afghanistan as allies? Let Sir Henry answer that.
The point here is that Buganda was never a colony of Britain. they were allies. Buganda has been expanding that the expense of Bunyoro for 300 years in advance of the British coming here. to pretend that, when the British came in, Buganda should have reversed her strategic and historical mission of acquiring territory by diplomatic means [Kooki, Bugerere] or by war (parts to the north-west] is asking too much in retrospect. Once again, was there in place, a “non-aggression pact” ['toli ntabaala siri kutabaala"]let alone ‘omukago – friendship treaty‘] between Buganda and Bunyoro? What friendship did the Buganda betray then?
5/5. Conclusion: On this forum, many tell lies and get away with it. this is because of the inherent nature of the medium, thought to be secure and affordable in cost. But, on the positive side, we exchange views freely and thereby learn something. This cannot happen on the pages of the ‘New Vision’ under the amateur and political apologist Kabushenga, that Muchiga-Musisu mix of an upstart.
For example, those drunk with power now think that what they want, they must get because they are in power and have the coercive elements of governance. We have also learnt that people are ready, with the means above, to use their power to reverse 100, 2000, even 500 years of historical evolution of events, on the space now called Uganda. This is a ‘tall’ order before such people. Loosing a battle does not translate into loosing the war and justice will always prevail in the end on ONE CONDITION: LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD where it is known, otherwise state it as own opinion, not as fact.
Christopher Muwanga,
Nakasero,
Kampala.
18.12.2008.
