Ugandans become ‘settlers’ in their country as ethnic tensions implode

By ISAAC KHISA
Published September 15, 2009

Ethnic politics is raising tensions in Uganda as controversy over the legitimacy of the country’s Kingdoms and their control over land takes a violent dimension.

Last week, violence rocked Kampala and the neighbouring areas leaving a trail of death and destruction. Police reports indicate that the violence left more than 20 people dead, 58 injured and over 30 cars burnt.

The riot started when the government denied Buganda Premier Peter Walusimbi to visit Bugerere County, one of the 18 counties that are assumed to belong to the Buganda Kingdom, ahead of Kabaka’s (King) visit that was slated for last weekend.

However, the Baganda insist that the Kabaka cannot ask for permission for his visit because Bugerere County in Kayunga District is part of the Buganda Kingdom.

The Banyala have however insisted that Kabaka has to ask for permission from the Banyala leaders before visiting the district. Although recognised by the State, there are tensions between the place and role of these Kingdoms within the nation state.

The issue is further complicated by the demands by smaller ethnic groups occupying land within larger groups to secede from the Kingdoms. In Buganda for instance, the Banyala have over time demanded to secede from the Buganda Kingdom.

The tensions are widespread and go beyond the Buganda region. In the past three weeks, the Banyoro in the South Western part of the country have demanded that other Ugandans settled in the region surrender land to the indigenous Banyoro.

Uganda’s Internal Affairs Minister Matia Kasaija, who hails from the oil rich Bunyoro region together with other leaders from the region have demanded that the ‘immigrants’ surrender their land and jobs to the Banyoro. “We want our land back,” Mr Kasaija said.” Those who want to stay on our land should stay on with terms and only be allowed to lease.”

Banyoro leaders have also suggested that top political offices in the area be left to members of the indigenous tribe whereas the smaller political offices be allocated to the ‘immigrants’. The ‘Bunyoro Question’ goes back to the pre-colonial period when chiefs from the rival Buganda Kingdom were given large tracts of land after helping the British imperialists successfully break Omukama Kabalega’s resistance against foreign rule.

Previous efforts to return the “lost counties” to Bunyoro have often failed and the matter has been complicated by an influx of other Ugandans into the area over many decades.

Due to continuous demand by the Banyoro, the Uganda government recently accepted to buy land from the ‘immigrant absentee landlords in Bunyoro region to enable them buy land in other areas and ease tensions.

In the Eastern part of the country, similar tension is mounting between the Itesot and the Japadhola over the government’s plan to split Tororo District into two- West Budama County which belongs to Jopadhola and Mukuju District for the Itesot.

The government approved the split in 2005, a decision which raised political temperatures among the two major tribes in the area, with the Iteso supporting the division of Tororo and the Jopadhola opposing it on the grounds that it will destroy their identity.

Recently, the Japadhola through their Spokesperson Prof. Tanga Odoi, also a lecturer at Makerere University, petitioned parliament over the split of the district.

“Tororo District belongs to Japadhola,” Odoi said. “We have never requested for a district , and we don’t see why the government should split it.”

The Japadhola argue that allowing the split of the district would mean losing resources that include uranium, limestone deposits, phosphate and iron to the Itesots. The Itesots  have however demanded for their own district. A case is currently in court to determine whether Tororo will be split.

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