On the paradox of tribal identity and favoutritism

There is also a case of the Banyarwanda; itemised in the Constitution of Uganda as an indigenous community.

However, most Ugandans subtly (sometimes brazenly) associate the Banyarwanda with the Republic of Rwanda. And needless to say, where there is a state to state tiff between Uganda and the Republic of Rwanda, the Banyarwanda are viewed with scepticism.

Why? Because, as I have said elsewhere, the entire security architecture in Uganda is premised on the foundation of a defensive posture towards the Republic of Rwanda. Mr Frank Gashumba thinks if they (Banyarwanda) changed their name to Bavandimwe, this annoying Ugandan attitude of holding the Banyarwanda as less Ugandan would cease.

Then there was a recent event at which the Barundi (also) demanded something I didn’t comprehend. The Barundi too are recognised by the Constitution of Uganda as an indigenous community. Why is becoming an indigenous community so important?

A friend who responded to this question said: "because you can only hold the Office of the President of Uganda if one (or all) of your parents belong(s) to one of the indigenous communities (tribes) of Uganda. I will need to consult a lawyer to verify this for me. Then came the census.

The UBOS messed up the numbers for some tribes. For example, the last census (2014) returned the Bakonzo as the biggest group in the former Bunyoro Kitara (the kingdoms of Bunyoro and Tooro as at October 9, 1962).

Ten years later, the Banyoro are now the biggest. I even want to sue UBOS for this. But the best joke I heard about the census mess was in my WhatsApp kafunda. A Mufumbira kafunda member joked that the Bagisu are a dominant group in State House. Trust the Mugisu's raw sense of humour. His response: Is it why your uncle messed our census figures?

For context, the UBOS chief is a Mufumbira (if one goes by the name).In the kafunda, we have someone from Kazo or Kiruhura who has had the burden to carry all the accusations levelled against the government.

Poor soul, he or she is not even a government employee. And the joke he or she always pulls off: I carry the original sin of coming from Kazo. What is the problem with tribe in Uganda? Tribal favouritism. Because of the sin of tribal favouritism, there is a tendency to look at tribe as a dirty thing.

Yet the tribe is the foundational basis for social cultural identity. That, for the gods, is not a bad thing. Tribe is about nativity; the primary identity. The rest is mere interests. If the constitution considers indigenous community (tribe) as a basis of national identity and citizenship, then tribe is not dirty. The terminal loyalty of a citizen to the state implies duality between state and nation.

Citizens may have other identities like religion, education, social status etc. And this may carry several allegiances with different contexts; yet not necessarily contradictory. The multiple layers of identity and loyalty (for man is not unidimensional), do not have to conflict with terminal loyalty to the state as a citizen.

The loyalty of the people (they can only be citizens in relation to the state) needs to be re-examined. The state needs to reorganise, recognise and negotiate other loyalties like community, belief values (religion), freedoms and liberties, economic growth etc. Short of that, the state is setting herself up against what it claims to be her citizens.

Mr Bisiika is the executive editor of the East African Flagpost. [email protected]