The “Tutsi Empire” project is real and on course albeit slower than expected. The idea which had been formed earlier received a boost when USA, UK and Israel chose Museveni to be a surrogate in their pursuit of geopolitical interests in the great lakes region. Museveni would help to overthrow governments in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo. In the latter three countries Anglo-Saxons would oust France from the region. According to Keith Harmon Snow “War for the control of the Democratic Republic of Congo – what should be the richest country in the world – began in Uganda in the 1980s, when now Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni shot his way to power with the backing of Buckingham Palace, the White House and Tel Aviv behind him” (Peter Phillips 2006).
Museveni who began the politics of larger geographic entities in the 1960s to reverse the effects of colonial balkanization in Africa welcomed western support that would help him to realize his dream of a ‘Tutsi Empire’. Museveni and other Tutsis falsely believe they are endowed by God to rule others initially in the area stretching from Uganda to DRC through Burundi and Rwanda. To realize the dream of a Tutsi Empire Museveni adopted a three-pronged military, economic and political strategy.
The so-called rigged 1980 elections in Uganda gave him a window to launch a guerrilla war with media and financial support from the west. He also obtained financial support to the tune of $8 million from a Tutsi government in Burundi (Media Critic Fall 1994). Some 25 percent of Museveni’s guerrilla fighters were Tutsi from the great lakes region mostly Rwandan refugees in Uganda. In 1986 Museveni became president of Uganda. There are allegations that he quickly began his empire project by destabilizing Burundi to install Tutsi leadership. He also helped Rwanda Tutsi in the diaspora to prepare for military takeover of Rwanda which they invaded in 1990 and waged a guerrilla war until they overthrew the Hutu government of Habyarimana in 1994. The Tutsi leadership in Burundi and Rwanda helped Museveni to advance his Tutsi Empire project by attacking Zaire and overthrowing Mobutu government in 1997 with Tutsi forces.
Except Kabila, the new government of Zaire later DRC was formed largely by Tutsi mostly from Rwanda and Uganda who occupied senior and strategic positions including the army and foreign affairs. The great lakes region (Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and DRC) was in Museveni’s hands with his Tutsi cousins in charge of Rwanda, Burundi and DRC. Museveni who is alleged to be Tutsi was in charge of Uganda. The Tutsi Empire was ready for launching except for one stumbling block: The people of DRC did not like Tutsi in their government and in their country. Kabila senior was faced with a dilemma: to stick with Tutsi friends and lose Congolese or stick with fellow citizens and kick out Tutsi. He chose to kick out Tutsi who were very furious and would come back to remove Kabila.
Indeed in 1998 the Tutsi came back to DRC fully confident that Kabila would go within days and a Tutsi-friendly government would be installed. Sadly, the Tutsi did not realize that the idea of Tutsi Empire was no longer secret and some countries in the region would not allow it to be established. Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia and Chad etc joined Kabila and repulsed the invaders with heavy losses. Mugabe declared that he had entered DRC war to stop the creation of Tutsi Empire in the region. Although another military attempt cannot be ruled out, it has not delivered the Tutsi Empire so far.
Museveni then turned to the economic strategy to help facilitate Tutsi Empire project by having Tutsi dominated Rwanda and Burundi admitted into the expanded East African Community. Through economies of scale, intra-community trade, population movements and settlements, support for East African integration would be enhanced and pave the way for political integration and ultimately the Tutsi Empire.
However, realizing that the economic integration process was slow and time was running out fast, Museveni resorted to the third strategy: the East African political federation with him as the first president given his seniority among the presidents in the member states of the community. He pushed for first track negotiations so that the federation is ready by 2011. Museveni created a new ministry in Uganda specifically to push for the federation. Ugandans in the East African community made the federation project their top priority.
The speed with which the federation issue was pushed began to raise questions about Uganda’s motive. People began to liken the political federation project to building a house starting with a roof, then the walls and finally the foundation. They felt that a house and similarly a federation built like that would not stand or if it did would not last. They also drew lessons from what is happening in Europe where thorny questions especially about political and population mobility and settlement still remain unresolved. Consequently the 2011 East African Federation deadline may be missed unless a miracle occurs.
Thus far, the three military, economic and political strategies to the realization of a Tutsi Empire have not worked as expected. The allegations that Uganda and Rwanda troops committed serious crimes against Rwanda and DRC Hutu people in DRC may slow down the process of East African federation and ultimately of a Tutsi Empire including DRC.
This article was written to further the debate because there are many unanswered questions including the Tutsi Empire which is no longer a secret. It is better to go slowly but surely than rush and regret later on.