Next month (February 2011) you will exercise your right and elect a president, a member of parliament and district councilors for the next five years. The purpose of elections is to choose people that will represent the interests of all the people in their respective constituencies through for example building schools (and providing school lunches), hospitals and clinics, constructing roads, providing affordable energy, improving agriculture, storage and processing facilities. Representatives should implement development promises they make during campaigning time. When a representative does not deliver as promised he/she should not be re-elected.
Like other constituencies in Uganda, Rujumbura has had elections since 1961. For most of the time (some 95 percent) Rujumbura has been represented in parliament by Bashambo clan of Bahororo people.
By way of background information, Bahororo are Batutsi from Rwanda (not Bahima as previously thought. There are no Bahima in Rujumbura) who came to Rujumbura around 1800 as refugees when Bahima overran their short-lived Mpororo kingdom (after it had disintegrated) in present-day Ntungamo district. In collaboration with Arab slave traders who came with superior European weapons, Bahororo managed to defeat and enslave, exploit and marginalize Bantu people they found in the area. Bantu people who were dubbed Bairu (which means slaves) lost their short horn cattle and industrial enterprises. They were reduced to cultivators growing food for and providing free labor to the new masters in a master/serf relationship as existed in pre-colonial Rwanda and medieval Europe. Punishments were severe to prevent rebellions or when they occurred.
When Britain extended her colonial rule to Rujumbura it appointed Bahororo as salaried civil servants or administrative chiefs that helped Britain to administer the county (Bahororo falsely think they were hereditary chiefs). For administrative convenience all people of Rujumbura who had until them been recognized by their tribal names (Bazigaba, Basyaba and Bakimbiri etc) became Bahororo (hence Nilotic Batutsi/ Bahororo on the one hand; and Bantu/ Bahororo on the other hand). In Bufumbira all people there were reduced to Banyarwanda in colonial days. Since independence the people of Bufumbira have changed the name to Bafumbira. In Rujumbura changing Bahororo to another appropriate name has not been possible because Bahororo have remained in control and Bahororo title serves them better at present and possibly in the future.
It should be clearly understood that Bahororo was a collective term used for colonial administrative purposes. Therefore it is Nilotic Batutsi/Bahororo represented by Museveni and Muhwezi that have become filthy rich. On the other hand Bantu/Bahororo people have got poorer under Museveni’s NRM regime although they have voted overwhelmingly for Museveni and Muhwezi. That is why some Bantu/Bahororo people in Rujumbura who do not like to be called Bahororo are beginning to refer to themselves as Banyarujumbura or Banyarukungiri. They can’t come out in the open because Museveni and Muhwezi who are powerful Bahororo in Uganda would not like it. Some day an appropriate name will be found.
Bahororo people falsely believe that they are superior to Bairu and mixing would dilute their superiority (evidence shows that Bairu are more intelligent (have more and advanced degrees) and more enterprising (more cattle since the 1960s) than Bahororo. That is why Bahororo have deliberately blocked progress of Bairu people by denying them functional education and jobs (at home and abroad) and frustrating their businesses). If Bahororo did not get the support of Arab slave traders in pre-colonial days and British from colonial days to today in 2011, they would not match Bairu – and they know it. One day Bairu will prevail no matter how long it takes! What Bairu need is to collectively realize that potential and the earlier the better.
Until very recently, intermarriage between Bantu and Bahororo people was strictly forbidden by Bahororo. Since the restriction was relaxed for political purposes of maintaining dominance over Bairu, Bahororo women are marrying progressive Bairu men and converting the latter into Bahororo of a lower class. Meanwhile Bahororo men have resisted marrying Bairu women (they have sex with them alright and even produce children together) because they want to keep their secrets about dominating Bairu and since 1986 the rest of Ugandans to themselves while they use Bahororo women as spies on Bairu and increasingly other Ugandans so they pre-empt plots against them (Bahororo). Thus Bahororo’s main reason for participating in Rujumbura politics is to advance and protect their interests at the expense of Bairu’s. Political participation at all levels gives Bahororo opportunities to squeeze Bairu and other tribes in Rujumbura.
Let’s resume the 2011 elections story. As noted already, Bashambo people have represented Rujumbura people for over 90 percent of the time since 1961 elections. Apart from Bashambo politicians, Rujumbura has also had Bahororo civil servants in strategic positions influencing allocation of development resources. Rujumbura being one of the least developed areas in Uganda one would have expected considerable resource allocation to the area. The reality is that very little, if any, has been allocated to Rujumbura. Secondly, these prominent Bahororo people who are filthy rich have invested all their resources outside Rujumbura. They prefer Mbarara town, Nyabushozi and Kampala. In Rujumbura, they have invested in building their homes including Jim Muhwezi’s ‘palace’ and a few hotels in Rukungiri town to provide accommodation when they are in town campaigning. Other than these residential homes and hotels, Bahororo whether politicians, presidential advisers (Susan Muhwezi wife of Jim Muhwezi and Joan Kakwenzire in-law of Jim Muhwezi) or civil servants have totally ignored the development needs of Bairu people of Rujumbura (investing outside Rujumbura is one way of denying Bairu opportunity for getting jobs and improving their standard of living).
Bairu have suffered terribly at the hands of Bahororo. Those who argue that all westerners have benefited from Museveni’s government need to visit western region to see how extreme poverty has affected Bairu people including through malnutrition. Suffice it to read Shifa Mwesigye’s article titled “Despite its rich profile, Rukungiri [Rujumbura is a part of Rukungiri] wallows in poverty” in Observer dated January 2, 2011. This article confirms what I wrote two years ago in Observer titled “How Rujumbura’s Bairu got impoverished”. I was clobbered by Ephraim Kamuhangire for telling the truth!
There is sufficient evidence that Bahororo representatives at the presidential level (Museveni) and at parliament level (Kham Karekaho Karegyesa and Major General Jim Muhwezi) have not shown interest in the advancement of Bairu people. In fact their divisive practices have been designed to weaken and impoverish Bairu so they are easy to govern.
In the 1960s division of Bairu Protestants into Banyama and Baboga groups weakened Bairu and their UPC candidate lost at the nomination stage. The DP Mwiru candidate was intimidated and cheated and lost the general parliamentary election to a Muhororo.
In 2001 Rujumbura people who did not support Museveni in the presidential elections were attacked at a rally, one was killed and others injured (Business in Africa April 2001). Those who organized the attack are known and will answer in a court of law when the time comes.
Progressive Bairu who did not marry Bahororo women have been systematically harassed in all sorts of ways and have been rendered virtually useless. Those who know the well educated men and women we are talking about find out how these Bairu who were enterprising have almost vanished from the scene.
Recently, Major General Jim Muhwezi (illegally some think) pushed through parliament a bill that has incorporated a targeted area occupied mostly by Bairu into Rukungiri municipality knowing full well that Bairu peasants will be pushed out because they can’t afford municipal high land rents. The ministry of local government has responsibility for municipal matters (and not area MPs like Jim Muhwezi) but it was shut out. Muhwezi took it upon himself to make a presentation to parliament (that was termed ‘political robbery’ by some members of parliament who smelt a rat) knowing whom he was targeting for destruction economically and politically etc. There are plans to declare Rujumbura county Mpororo kingdom (Mpororo name already appears on some Uganda maps (Ian Leggett 2004 page 10). Jim Muhwezi and collaborators knows that Bairu will object. Therefore disorient them and eliminate their resistance by chasing them away from the area. This action will ultimately reduce Bairu numbers which could be classified as genocide (J. Symondies and V. Volodin 2003). So Muhwezi’s decision could have far-reaching implications.
Recently, Museveni added an injury to a wound while addressing residents of Rujumbura in Rukungiri town. He told the audience that he has no money for supporting primary school lunch but he has enough money to help the people with funeral expenses. This was not only insensitive culturally and politically it was also a deliberate abuse of Bairu and other tribes in the area.
Museveni favors constructing roads and installing grid electricity to providing school lunch. But roads or energy and school lunch are not mutually exclusive. And Museveni knows that. He knows that when you are absolutely poor you cannot afford to purchase a vehicle or a bus ticket to use the road. He knows equally well that poor Bairu and other tribes in Rujumbura will never afford grid electricity. So Museveni was being sarcastic (I will give you roads and grid electricity which you will never use and deny you lunch so you drop out of school). Or maybe he sensed that Rujumbura being Besigye’s birth place the constituents have come to their senses and are going to vote for home boy Besigye.
May be Jim Muhwezi also sensed that Bairu in Kagunga sub-county were going to vote for Dr. Kamugisha and he decided to throw Kagunga into Rukungiri municipality to form a new constituency thereby denying Kamugisha support. A week before NRM district elections were to be held, a group of reportedly unknown people started a demonstration in Rukungiri town. Security forces used tear gas and live ammunition to disperse residents and intimidate the entire district. Supporters of opposition candidates were so scared that many did not show up and Major General Jim Muhwezi got re-elected as district chairman of Rukungiri district. Force and intimidation etc are expected to be used on elections day in February 2011. Without intimidation and harassment of opposition Jim Muhwezi cannot win in Rujumbura!
Whatever prompted Muhwezi’s action and Museveni’s statement, they should serve as good reasons for rejecting Museveni as presidential and Muhwezi as parliamentary candidates in spite of a difficult environment. It is therefore recommended that as an expression of disapproval, Museveni and Muhwezi should not be re-elected. If Bairu do not do it this time you will always be taken for granted and abused at will. This is the time to show that you have sharp fangs and you can use them to maximum effect. You will retain your dignity intact for it. If you are afraid of bruises or even worse you will never do anything meaningful in your life. So master courage and reject Museveni and Muhwezi come February 2011. Bishop Muhima – a very brave and admirable man who has already earned a place in history – has led the way.
Bairu people have been abused too much for too long. Those who have deserted their Bairu relatives should reconsider possibly because you did not know Bahororo’s hidden agenda at the time of your conversion. Instead of leading your people to greater heights you have ended up serving the interests of your in-laws in sub-standard positions (no disrespect). To confirm this, look at the positions you are occupying vis-à-vis Bahororo men and women and compare the level of education of both groups and see whether you are where you should be! I am sure you will find that you are occupying a much lower position than you deserve.
Charity begins at home and there is no sectarianism about this provided the playing field is level and the exercise of liberty is associated with equality. It is the right thing to do everywhere in time and space. Therefore, Bairu need to begin to lay a strong foundation for their children and grandchildren. You can’t do that when you are serving the interests of another group in an atmosphere of winner-take-all – Nilotic Batutsi/Bahororo being the winners!