{UAH} Say No To Tribalism: Banyarwanda Are Also Ugandans, Stop The Silent War Against Them – Gashumba

Human rights activist Frank M. Gashumba has called upon the government of Uganda to fight the tribal sentiments and attacks on the Banyarwanda community in Uganda.

While addressing the press today at Speke Hotel, Gashumba, a Uganda born, raised in Vira Maria, Masaka city, but with Rwandan roots, called upon the government to address recent events where a section of Ugandans turned against Banyarwanda.

Some of the tribal attacks made against the Banyarwanda during the free Bobi Wine riots

"The executive committee of the Council for Banyarwanda, the umbrella association for the Banyarwanda community in Uganda has implored Ugandans to come together and unify as one nation and desist from violence and acts of discrimination that will lead to divisiveness and instability," a statement from the council reads in part.

Gashumba, who is a co-founder and chairperson of the Council said the Banyarwanda community in Uganda has a number of issues to raise and called on the Government to address these issues and handle them with the utmost urgency.

"It is worth noting that the other newly and recently recognized tribes like the Basamia, Bakonjo, Alur, Kakwa, Sabiny, Banyankore, and Bahaya) enjoy full citizenship rights as Ugandans, unlike the Banyarwanda (who were counted and recognized as a tribe in Uganda in the 1900 census), who are discriminated against and denied their full rights and liberties as citizens of this country. There is a silent war that is being waged against the Banyarwanda community in Uganda," Gashumba said.

He pointed out that The Council for Banyarwanda Organization was established by a group of Banyarwanda born and raised in Uganda and whose parents have lived in Uganda for decades with prime objectives of promoting:

• Unity
• Culture
• Rights of Banyarwanda
• Economic Empowerment

Gashumba, who was flanked by other members of the Council, including Enock Nkuranga and Paul Ntale insisted that there is a systemic move planned at sidelining the community and their rights with the end goal to exclude them from all economic, social and political spheres of life.

"We all know by now that you cannot transact business in Uganda without a National Identity card, but it's becoming practically impossible for a Munyarwanda born in Uganda to acquire this document," he added.

They also set tough conditions for Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine, the National Unity Platform (NUP) party presidential candidate if he wants to get their votes in the 2021 general elections.

"For us Banyarwanda, we act when provoked and his excellency Bobi Wine should come out and distance himself from those fools, who claim to be in his camp who are discriminating us, he should not take us lightly because we are over six million voters in Uganda, so we have a block vote," Gashumba said.

He said that in Bobi Wine's camp, there are supporters of his who are inciting the public to harm the Banyarwanda accusing them of being behind the state agencies who arrested him in Luuka district.

He said that many Banyarwanda are innocent and are fighting for their survival like any other Ugandan and they are not benefiting from the current government led by president Yoweri Museveni.

The third schedule of the Uganda's Constitution recognizes Banyarwanda as an indigenous tribe as of 1st February 1926.

Gashumba said that the Council for Banyarwanda arose out of a need to come together as a community and address challenges within a structure and to ensure positive impact on the growing community adding that the Council is non-political and non-partisan.

 

By Grapevine Reporters

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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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