Story by;
Nassur Taban El-tablaz
I am a 30- year-old Mukonzo living in Izahura, Bundibugyo District. My parents, grand parents, and I were born and bred here for as long as we can all remember! I am, however, puzzled and enigmatic whenever one tells me that Bundibugyo, as a district, belongs to the Bamba and Bawiisi and not us the Bakonzo!
The Bakonzo of Bundibugyo, not those of Kasese, the Bawiisi and Bamba fought against the Tooro Kingdom, hence the Rwenzururu uprising that resulted in the creation of Bundibugyo District ordained by Idi Amin Dada. Then how do some people get the audacity to say that the Bakonzo in Bundibugyo belong to Kasese District? When I go hunting with you and kill an animal, do you tell me to go share my brother’s hunt which I did not contribute to? Isn’t this hypocritical and double standard? This, to me, seems to be what my brothers and sisters, the Bamba and Bawiisi are doing!
I request the government to clearly demarcate the tribal districts or boundaries so as to alleviate these tribal squabbles and to enable different tribes pay allegiance to their cultural leaders. With this poverty, do you expect all the Bakonzo living in Bundibugyo to be ferried to Kasese whenever there is any Obusinga bwa Rwenzururu function? Will they never host any Rwenzururu cultural ceremony? Maybe they too should ask for their own kingship, just like the Bawiisi and Bamba are doing - after all, the Businga is ‘Obusinga bwa Rwenzururu’ and not ‘Obusinga bwa Bakonzo’!
Ideally, the government can as well compensate the Bakonzo in Bundibugyo for their property and inconvenience and then relocate them to Kasese District. Queen Elizabeth National Park would be an ideal location (relocate the animals to Bundibugyo where the Bakonzo currently reside!). Maybe this would be cheaper than just providing security and allow the Omusinga wa Rwenzururu visit his subjects in Bundibugyo. I will not delve into the possibility of constructing another road through the mountain ranges directly into Bughendera County so that our king can give us a treat of happiness, joy and pride.
As a nation, we ought to borrow a leaf from what happened in Rwanda and South Africa; maybe we should also read Peter Abraham’s ‘Mine Boy’ to understand that we are all men first, before we become Bakonzo, Bawiisi, Bamba, Batooro, Baganda, Banyakole, name it. Mr President, this swinging pendulum is going daringly too fast, we barely can hold onto it! Long live the omusinga wa rwenzururu! Long live the President! Long live Uganda! I rest my case!
Nassur Taban El-tablaz
I am a 30- year-old Mukonzo living in Izahura, Bundibugyo District. My parents, grand parents, and I were born and bred here for as long as we can all remember! I am, however, puzzled and enigmatic whenever one tells me that Bundibugyo, as a district, belongs to the Bamba and Bawiisi and not us the Bakonzo!
The Bakonzo of Bundibugyo, not those of Kasese, the Bawiisi and Bamba fought against the Tooro Kingdom, hence the Rwenzururu uprising that resulted in the creation of Bundibugyo District ordained by Idi Amin Dada. Then how do some people get the audacity to say that the Bakonzo in Bundibugyo belong to Kasese District? When I go hunting with you and kill an animal, do you tell me to go share my brother’s hunt which I did not contribute to? Isn’t this hypocritical and double standard? This, to me, seems to be what my brothers and sisters, the Bamba and Bawiisi are doing!
I request the government to clearly demarcate the tribal districts or boundaries so as to alleviate these tribal squabbles and to enable different tribes pay allegiance to their cultural leaders. With this poverty, do you expect all the Bakonzo living in Bundibugyo to be ferried to Kasese whenever there is any Obusinga bwa Rwenzururu function? Will they never host any Rwenzururu cultural ceremony? Maybe they too should ask for their own kingship, just like the Bawiisi and Bamba are doing - after all, the Businga is ‘Obusinga bwa Rwenzururu’ and not ‘Obusinga bwa Bakonzo’!
Ideally, the government can as well compensate the Bakonzo in Bundibugyo for their property and inconvenience and then relocate them to Kasese District. Queen Elizabeth National Park would be an ideal location (relocate the animals to Bundibugyo where the Bakonzo currently reside!). Maybe this would be cheaper than just providing security and allow the Omusinga wa Rwenzururu visit his subjects in Bundibugyo. I will not delve into the possibility of constructing another road through the mountain ranges directly into Bughendera County so that our king can give us a treat of happiness, joy and pride.
As a nation, we ought to borrow a leaf from what happened in Rwanda and South Africa; maybe we should also read Peter Abraham’s ‘Mine Boy’ to understand that we are all men first, before we become Bakonzo, Bawiisi, Bamba, Batooro, Baganda, Banyakole, name it. Mr President, this swinging pendulum is going daringly too fast, we barely can hold onto it! Long live the omusinga wa rwenzururu! Long live the President! Long live Uganda! I rest my case!
Nassur Taban El-tablaz,
