First Published on: Aug 6, 2020 at 19:04
By Yoweri Kaguta Museveni
President Yoweri Museveni has responded to a number of issues raised by his social media followers. In the following excerpt, Museveni explained recent claims that people from western Uganda dominated the senior positions in the military and government.
The other wrong malignment is trying to cast the NRM as a system monopolized by people from western Uganda.
Since you are allergic to history, otherwise, I would have reminded you that much of my time I was in Tanzania, Mozambique etc. How many Banyankore or Westerners were there?
We fought in the Luwero Triangle. Many Ugandan groups were there: Baganda, Banyankore, Barugwaara, Baruuru, Barundi, Banyarwanda, Baruuli, Banyoro.
There was an unclear picture trying to show some army people. Kindly, leave our Armed Forces out of the nonsense of tribal debates.
They have serious work to do and they have done it well. Leave them out of your confusion.
The only point one can say about that is recruitment in the Armed Forces is by quotas per district. You check during the recruitment time.
However, you can look at your fellow civilian officers. Here in the Presidency, I am quite comfortable without many Banyankore, or, indeed, any munyankore around:
- Mitala- Unless he became a munyankore today – Head of Civil Service.
- Katuramu- Westerner- Kabalega’s land;
- President’s Office – Kakande- only munyankore through enkaanda, otherwise muganda from Ddwaniro- Masuliita.
- State House Comptroller- Nakyobe – only guilty on the nkaanda side, muganda of some place.
- PPS to the President- Omona – Originally Acholi, but somehow Kumamunized by residence.
- I am quite comfortable without any big munyankore in the vicinity.
Do not tell us about those cheap things of tribes and religious sectarianism.
The LDUs that you are complaining about were all recruited from Kampala and Wakiso.
Are you trying to say that people of Wakiso and Kampala are bad because of mistakes of individuals against laid down laws, who are, moreover, punished for those mistakes?
Finally, for now, one point of principle. FAD wondered why I use Bazzukulu which is a Luganda word. Why don’t I use the Runyankore word, abaijukuru?
Then FAD added: “Otweesibako” (you tie yourself on us when you are not welcome). FAD, munnange nkwesibako Kubanga nkwetaaga nsobole kubeela obulungi (prosperous).
Atte, naawe FAD, singa oleengela wala, wandibadde onesibako kubanga onetaaga osobole okubeela obulungi.
I tie myself on you because I need you for my prosperity. Also, if you could see far, you should be tying yourself on me because you need me for your prosperity.
How? FAD is one, most probably, of the people that buy my milk from Rwakitura and bananas from Ntungamo.
Hence, FAD is supporting my prosperity. Yoweri Museveni and all the non-Baganda that live in Kampala are also buying a lot of things from the Baganda shops in Kampala.
Hence, Museveni and other non-Baganda in Kampala, plus the Baganda of course, we are supporting the prosperity of many Baganda businessmen. What does FAD do?
Therefore, if you do not love Museveni and do not welcome him and other non-Baganda in your midst, you are, actually, an enemy of the Baganda first and foremost and enemy of Africa.
Why? Kubanga olinya musowaani kwebaliira – you are stepping in the plate from where the respective group feed (that prosperity).
I hope the ones that wanted to understand our thinking and the facts have benefitted from my long essay. The hostile ones are welcome for a dialogue.
The writer is the president of Uganda
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