{UAH} REJOINDER TO UMUBANO'S MISGUIDED PRESS STATEMENTS.

By James Rudasingwa

REJOINDER TO UMUBANO'S MISGUIDED PRESS STATEMENTS.

As a munyarwanda living in Uganda and closely following the narrative in the media,  I have been appalled, astonished and totally disappointed by the press statements which a faction of UMUBANO unleashed both on social media and in a press conference.  

For starters,  while Umubano has been in existence for decades, it's quite telling that, the organisation has been in slumber for its  decades of  existence,  never once holding a single media briefing to advocate for the rights of Banyarwanda, in  the face of widespread discrimination and unfair treatment of Banyarwanda.

 That, that particular UMUBANO faction chose to use its maiden press briefing to unleash a tirade that was laced with malicious misinformation to attack Council for Banyarwanda  by  parroting falsehoods to mislead the public, is most unfortunate and downright regrettable. 

I happened to have followed the press briefing of Council for Banyarwanda on a wide range of issues affecting Banyarwanda,  and not once,  did Council for Banyarwanda ever attack, malign or denigrate Umubano, rather they concentrated their effort on issues affecting the Banyarwanda community

Why then would a certain Umubano faction come out guns blazing, not for a constructive dialogue with Council for Banyarwanda to either agree or disagree, but to negatively portray Council for Banyarwanda as self seekers, and brand Frank Gashumba a non munyarwanda!? 

How does such pointless narrow mindedness help  the interests of the wider Banyarwanda community? What is the criteria or qualifications used by this UMUBANO faction, to determine who is, and who ain't a munyarwanda? Equally ridiculous is the false and misleading perception by Umubano faction that they "own" Banyarwanda in Uganda. Absolutely NOBODY has a monopoly over the Banyarwanda community in Uganda.

 Freedom of association is a constitutional right and Umubano is a mere association that represents only its membership card-holders. 

It should not therefore masquerade as a one-stop-centre for all Banyarwanda in Uganda. It is neither an umbrella organisation for all Banyarwanda neither is it a statutory body created by statute or an Act of parliament. Henceforth, other Banyarwanda are free to form other associations as they please, and it is hardly Umubano's place or purview, to advise the public or government agencies which Banyarwanda association to cooperate with.

Lastly, the word Bavandimwe is not a derogatory word to cause hostility and unnecessary excitement, rather, a mere proposal ought to have been a basis for positive dialogue to either agree or disagree, or peacefully agree to disagree and either maintain the statusquo or find other options. That, I believe, would have been a more positive and more constructive way  forward.

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"When a man is stung by a bee, he doesn't set off to destroy all beehives"

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