Did #Uganda's colonial boundaries affect only the #Banyarwanda????

The Tuareg are a nomadic pastoralist tribe of the Sahara Desert who are found around the border between Libya, Mali, Niger and Aligeria. They live a life of pastoralism, moving with their camels and goats across the far depth of the Sahara Desert while others live settled lives as part of the nation states and national politics. They comprise  Ten percent of the population of any nation where they find themselves.  There are one million Tuaregs in Niger, 900,000 in Mali, small numbers in Aligeria and Burkina Faso while there is also a small population in Libya.

Since time immemorial, the Tuaregs have pushed for an independent state.  They have formed independence movements in Niger and Mali to emancipate themselves from oppressive, subordinate relationships that took shape in the Sahara. In the 1980s, Libyan Tuareg were involved in armed liberation movements and in the 1990s Gaddafi supported the Tuareg independence movements in Niger and Mali. 

The same Gaddafi regime facilitated and mediated efforts for an agreement and a temporary peace deal between the Tuaregs of Libya and those of Niger.  By the beginning of the new century the Tuareg were a tribal group with many national identities, at risk in some areas, suffering the impacts of draught and political oppression, and in the remote parts of the Sahara along the Libya-Niger border having a degree of autonomy.  They thrived on their strong links with the Gaddafi regime's oil money.

Following 9/11 and the coming into force of the Global War on Terror, the Tuareg territories in the Sahara were labeled beds of terrorism and key supporters of AL Qaeda.  Consequently, their dependant tourism economy collapsed and they were isolated and lost the dream of autonomy or redress to wrongs suffered in Mali, Aligeria and Niger.  Hundreds were arbitrarily killed and a large number of their animals were destroyed by the Niger military.  The Gaddafi regime extended to them cash aid, some appealing ideological and political rhetoric against the USA and its allies.

In 2005 the Gaddafi regime offered residency to Tuareg who were refugees from wars in Mali and Niger. Thousands relocated to Libya, finding work in the oil and gas sector.  A year later, Gaddafi invited Tuareg to be an important part of an antiterrorism and anti-drug smuggling coalition in the Sahara.  The Gaddafi regime offered US$ 1,000 per month to Tuareg young men to join the Libyan army in its fight against the NATO backed revolutionary fighters.  The turn up to help their long-time ally and benefactor was overwhelming.  The Tuareg became so powerful and influential that they warned Mali thus; ".... if you interfere with Gaddafi, we will overthrow your government."  They made a declaration that "we are the lords of the desert".  The Tuaregs were marginalized and ignored by their governments and exploited and manipulated to serve Gaddafi's interests.  They found themselves at the centre of Libya's political events in the belief that they were closer to Gaddafi's heart.  They and their Gaddafi paid the dreadful price when Libyans reclaimed their country.

It is an open secret that for the last 40 years, Banyarwanda have been and continue to be the topmost players in social, economic and political life of Uganda.  When Museveni took over power in 1986, he immediately enacted an Anti sectarianism law designed to contain the agitation by Ugandans over his preferential treatment of Banyarwanda.  In 1995, he granted them citizenship through a constitutional provision that made them one of the indigenous tribes of Uganda.

The Museveni regime cohorts have vehemently argued that it is the " insensitive and divisive colonial demarcation that divided some communities along the national boundaries. Uganda is bordered by Congo in the western and West Nile regions; Tanzania in the southern region; Kenya in the eastern region; Rwanda in the south-western region; and Sudan in the northern region.  The Alur of Uganda's Nebbi district are related to the Alur and Lundu of Ituri in eastern DRC. 

Some tribes of West Nile region are related to communities across in Congo and South Sudan.  The Madi and Acholi of northern Uganda are related to the Kuku, Nuer and Shiluk of South Sudan.  The Banyoro, Batooro, Vamba and Bakonjo tribes of western Uganda are related to the Leega, Hema and Nandi tribes of eastern Congo respectively. The Bafumbira of South Western Uganda are related to the Banyarwanda of Rwanda and Rutshuru in Congo. The Samia, Iteso and Japadhola of Uganda’s Busia and Tororo are related to the Jaluo, Samia and Iteso of western Kenya.  The Bagisu and Sabiny of eastern Uganda are related to the Luya and Kalenjin of western Kenya.  The Karimojong of North eastern Uganda are related to the Topotha and Turkana of South Sudan and north-western Kenya respectively. The same applies to the Baganda and Banyankole of central, mid southern and western regions of Uganda and their relatives in Tanzania, the Haya, the Baziba and the Baganda Kyaka of Tanzania's Kagera region.

In Kenya, Modi Awori was the Vice President while his blood brother, Aggrey Awori was contesting for the presidency in Uganda.  What about Uganda's Charles Onyango Obbos, Opondos, Wafula Ogutus and Kenya's IBEC Chairman, Wafula Chebukati??????  How come in Uganda we only see the Nkurunzizas, the Ngengiumvas, the Kalekyezi's, the Kalisas, the Mbonyes etc. at the centre of social, economic and political life of the country???? How come of all the 50+ tribes of Uganda it’s only the Banyarwanda who have a legally registered tribal association, the Association of Banyarwanda in Uganda (UMUBANO)???? 

The other day Kagame and Museveni convened a meeting at State House to iron out leadership wrangles of the UMUBANO.  Two days ago, the Chairman of the Banyarwanda Association at KI University perished in a motor accident together with six other association members. Look at how the Banyarwanda Association threatened to storm Gen. Kalekyezi's home if Frank Gashumba was not to be released from detention.  What if Gashumba had chosen to call himself Frank Tumwebaze???

Gashumba was jointly accused with his younger brother who simply opted to drop 'G' and call himself (K)asumba.  Is it a coincidence that even Journalist Stanley Ndaula was jointly charged with Robert Ndaula???  I bet if any other indigenous community of Uganda like the Acholi attempted to form an Association of Acholi in Uganda they would be accused of sectarianism and high treason.  One of the crimes leveled against Iddi Amin was that he illegally recruited and relied on the Congolese and Sudanese in the civil, public and security services of his regime.  Over to you.

INFORMATION IS POWER AND DEFIANCE IS THE WAY TO GO

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