Tag Archives: language

Why is Museveni popular in Britain?

A former African head of state remarked that when an African leader is popular with and praised sky high by Europeans it means that by and large that leader is taking care of European interests more than those of his/her citizens.

Apart from areas of white settlement, Britain (unlike Portugal) chose to give independence to African countries without much struggle in order to keep them colonized and continue to serve British interests. It did so by influencing the choice of leaders or governing political parties. If a chosen leader digressed, he would be removed and replaced by a more compliant one.

In Uganda UPC/KY coalition and the rise to power of Obote were supported by Britain. When relations between Obote and Britain got strained Obote was removed and replaced by Amin, a gentle giant easy to do business with (Jon Abbink and Gerti Hesseling 2000 and New Africa February 2001).

As we have detailed elsewhere and posted on www.kashambuzi.com, Museveni was chosen by western powers including Britain in the early 1980s to topple Obote and UPC government (actually toppled by Okello in July 1985) because Obote was not trusted to do business with (Peter Phillips 2006 and Vijay Gupta 1983). Obote was chased out twice in 1971 and 1985 because by and large he put Uganda interests above Europeans! Amin was supported until Tanzania troops and Uganda exiles chased him out of the country in 1979.

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Uganda has entered the enlightenment phase

Enlightenment also known as the age of reason or the age of rationalism was a period in history when thinkers emphasized the use of reason (justification) through observations to arrive at the truth – five plus five is ten. The period began in the 1600s and lasted about one hundred years. The thinkers included John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau and Voltaire. Their ideas have lived on.

Brilliant thinkers in Europe rejected uncritical acceptance of long-accepted dogmas or views about society, politics and religion including the divine right of kings, primacy of aristocrats and prelates (church leaders) and a class society that dictated one’s destiny. For instance, if you were born a ruler or peasant you would stay that way. Thinkers developed the freedom and boldness to inquire and to doubt. Consequently, people in authority and church leaders were blamed for keeping others poor and ignorant in order to keep power for themselves. The outcomes of this freedom included major changes in governing and ecclesiastical institutions. American and French revolutions borrowed a lot from the work of enlightenment thinkers. What is the relevance of enlightenment to Uganda’s situation?

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Not all Rujumbura people belong to Bahororo ethnic group

When I give lectures at universities and other places I gauge the extent of interest or understanding of the subject by the number of questions or requests for clarification from the audience. When the subject is complex or uninteresting, the audience’s response is very limited. But when the topic is exciting some members in the audience interrupt before the presentation is over. My articles on the history of Bahororo in Uganda have been so exciting that I have received more questions and requests for clarification than on any other topic I have posted on my blog. The dialogue will therefore continue.

For easy reference I will synthesize what I have written about Bahororo in Uganda, their origin, ancestry, geographical distribution and role in Uganda’s society. I will also touch briefly on other ethnic groups of Rujumbura to set the record straight because the 1993 Report of the Uganda Constitutional Commission: Analysis and Recommendation chaired by then Justice Benjamin J. Odoki recorded (page 72) Hororo (Bahororo) as the only ethnic group in Rujumbura county of Rukungiri District. But before doing that let us refresh our memories about the definition or understanding of ethnicity or ethnic groups. This is in addition to what I have already provided on my blog.

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