{UAH} What Rwandans admire about Uganda

BY TIMOTHY KALYEGIRA

What Rwandans admire about Uganda

-- From my chatting with people in Kigali, I would sum up a few of the things or areas that Rwandans admire or like about Uganda:

1) The popularity of Luganda. The affectionate way Luganda is spoken in Kigali not just between Rwandan and Ugandan but between Rwandan and Rwandan, would suggest some warm feeling about Uganda.

2) Many Rwandans say there is much more money in circulation in Uganda than in Rwanda. The difference, some felt, is that Rwandans both as citizens and government use their money more carefully and less wastefully.

But they acknowledge the bigger Ugandan economy.

3) The amount of contemporary Ugandan pop music played on Kigali radio stations can only suggest a certain liking for the music or, even, a certain liking for Uganda.

4) The much more abundant human resource in Uganda than in Rwanda. Even ardent believers in Rwanda like Andrew Mwenda note the shortage of skilled manpower in Rwanda relative to Uganda.

5) Rwandans didn't say it, but I surmised that because of their reserved and modest national character, they don't have the energy, and the bold and unabashed self-promotion that is essential in such industries as advertising, marketing, the music industry, the broadcast media and that sort of thing.

I guess Rwandans, then, find the Ugandan media unbelievably vibrant and one to admire.

6) A Kigali businessman amused me when he said "The thing I like about Uganda is that there is always one topic that the whole country is talking about. From the beggar to the president. Right now it is 'Togikwatako'."

I would imagine he was speaking for many Rwandans with that observation.

Of course some of might wonder what Uganda gains by all this endless national debate when it would be better to just get things done, but that's what the businessman said he likes about Uganda.

ENDS

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Allaah gives the best to those who leave the choice to Him."And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is Able to do all things." (6:17)

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