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Of ambassadors, ‘musawo’ and ‘second deepest lake in Africa’
Author: Odoobo C. Bichachi is the Nation Media Group (NMG)-Uganda public editor. PHOTO/FILE.
What you need to know:
- Suffice to say Lake Bunyonyi is possibly the most beautiful lake in Africa with the enchanting hills around it and the island. Let’s sell that.
Last Friday, the newly appointed honorary consul of Namibia in Uganda hosted a banquet announcing his arrival on the “diplomatic” scene. It brought together “everyone that was somebody” – so to speak – among Kampala’s rich and famous, capped by a music show featuring famous Congolese musician Awilo Longomba.
Monday was therefore awash with coverage of the weekend event in mainstream and social media (in pictorial and text). A reader was, however, not impressed by the misrepresentation of Mr Kirumira as an ambassador and being addressed as “his excellence” – during the party and in the media coverage. The reader, who is a retired diplomat, asked that I clarify to journalists and public in general the difference between an honorary consul and an ambassador. I share snapshots of a general information note on the subject:
“An Honorary Consul is an official representative of the government of one state in the territory of another state. His/her main activities are to assist and protect the citizens of the country which he represents and to facilitate/promote trade, culture and friendship between the people of the two countries.
An Ambassador or High Commissioner [for Commonwealth countries] represents the sending State from the Head of State to the Head of State of the receiving State. An Honorary Consul represents the People and interests of a State.
Honorary Consuls are not professional diplomats. It means, they do not make a living as diplomats. They usually do live and work as well as pay taxes in the country where they operate while they do represent their native country on a voluntary/not-salaried basis until their appointments are revoked.
Honorary consuls have an important part to play in the international relations of many states, particularly smaller states and those unable to afford the costs associated with establishing conventional diplomatic and consular missions.”
The two are addressed differently. Ambassadors and High Commissioners are addressed as “His/Her/Your excellency” while consuls, consuls-general and honorary consuls are addressed as “The Consul of… The Consul-General of… or The Honorary Consul of…” preceding Mr, Madam, Ms, Sir or whatever the case may be.
Namibia’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, who is resident in Dar es Salaam is Mr Lebbius Tobias.
Mr Godfrey Kirumira is the Honorary Consul of Namibia in Uganda. Congratulations, sir!
For the record, this is not to pour water on his lofty and well-deserved appointment. It is just to help disabuse ourselves from the old Ugandan disease of referring to everyone that works in a hospital as “Musawo” or “Doctor”. I now turn to another falsehood that is routinely repeated in the media and in tourism circles, the latest occurrence being a tweet by the Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Mr Bahinduka Mugarra Martin, that Lake Bunyonyi in south-western Uganda is the deepest in Uganda and second deepest in Africa (at 25 metres)!
Well, there is the talk, then there is the science. These are a few of Africa’s famous lakes and their scientifically measured and documented maximum depth, in descending order:
Tanganyika at 1,470 metres, Lake Malawi – 706 metres, Lake Kivu – 480 metres, Lake Nasser – 180 metres, Lake Turkana – 109 metres, Lake Kariba – 97 metres, Lake Victoria 83 metres, Lake Volta – 75 metres, Lake Mutanda – 56 metres, Lake Bunyonyi – 40 metres, Lake Naivasha – 30 metres, Lake Albert – 25 metres, Lake Edward – 17 metres, Lake Mulehe – 14 metres, Lake Chahafi – 7.5 metres, Lake Cyohoha – 7 metres, Lake Kyoga – 5.7 metres, Lake Rweru – 3.9 metres, Lake Manyara – 3.7 metres, Lake Nakuru – 2.8 metres, Lake George – 2.4 metres.
It is therefore clear from the above that Lake Bunyoyi is neither the deepest lake in Uganda, nor the second deepest in Africa. Uganda’s deepest is Lake Victoria and the second deepest is Lake Mutanda. Lake Bunyonyi is the third. The two lakes are in Kisoro and were formed by lava damming the valleys in the area.
Africa’s deepest is undoubtedly Lake Tanganyika, second deepest Lake Malawi and third is Lake Kivu – all in the Great East African Rift Valley. Only tour guides and related continue this claim of 900 metres depth of Lake Bunyoyi but that’s understandable; they are trained to wow tourists! Until a new scientific measurement is done, let’s rely on science and not believe “our lie”.
The media can help straighten this. Suffice to say Lake Bunyonyi is possibly the most beautiful lake in Africa with the enchanting hills around it and island. Let’s sell that.
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