Response to a reader on my comments
A reader made comments on my response to Jim Muhwezi’s statement (published in Observer June 2010) about alleviation of poverty in his constituency of Rujumbura.
The reader’s observations, if I understood them correctly, are that:
1. I have dwelt on the ethnic divisions of Bahororo and Bairu of Rujumbura.
2. Jim Muhwezi, Rujumbura’s MP, is popular in because he has done a lot for the people in his constituency.
3. Focus should be on improving household incomes rather than dwell on the Bairu/Bahororo divide.
Let me explain why an understanding of the plight of Bairu in Rujumbura cannot be achieved without considering a historical interaction between Bahororo and Bairu. A good doctor traces the history of his patient’s illness, disaggregates the possible causes, conducts lab tests and finally identifies the cause before prescribing appropriate medication to heal the patient.
Similarly, a good political economy analyst traces the history of the problem in a particular area, disaggregates possible causes, conducts research and identifies the cause or a combination of causes before recommending solutions.
You cannot adequately analyze the poverty of Bairu in Rujumbura without understanding the 210-year interaction between them and Bahororo. Therefore a brief history of their interaction is in order and here it is for easy reference.