By Duncan Abigaba
Mr. Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine returned to the campaign trail, two years ahead of the road map released by the Electoral Commission recently, starting from Mbarara in South Western Uganda, through Eastern, Northern to his stronghold of Central region.
His remarks in Luwero District have sent the tongues wagging.
Mr. Kyagulanyi stirred a bitter cocktail, encouraging his supporters to protect Buganda’s resources by resisting domination from a small group that runs the country – referring to the current group of national leaders, adding that President Museveni was intending to build his own monarch on Buganda’s soil, by fronting his son for the presidency.
On social media, some of his most ardent supporters condemned the utterances, including his denigration of the first son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, and attacks on the ruling elite, impliedly the Banyankore, who have acquired property on Buganda soil.
Greater Luweero, part of the North Central, where Kyagulanyi stirred the storm in a tea cup is a beaming agricultural hub, with coffee, matooke, fruits, vegetables, and cattle ranches on the northern and western edges of Nakasongola and Nakaseke respectively.
The sub-region is one of the most transformed regions of Uganda. A 2017 study by the University of Denver (funded by USAID) estimated the GDP per capita of the region at $385, and was the third richest behind Greater Kampala and South Central (Greater Masaka sub-region).
The major towns of the area – Bombo, Wobulenzi, Kasana and Nakasongola beam with activity on any day of the week. From the fresh agricultural produce destined for Kampala, shops with merchandise, banks,
mobile banking and mobile money booths, guest houses, the ever present Boda bodas, a growing population, all pointing to increased economic activity.
In the last five years, an industrial complex has emerged out of Kapeeka in Nakaseke District, producing ceramics, electricals, clothings, suitcases, fruit processing and agricultural value addition. The vast park employs around 10,000 people, mostly youth from the area.
An attack on the capital (farms, factories, businesses, etc) owned by non- Baganda in Buganda can only be likened to Idi Amin’s expulsion of the Asians in 1972, which had devastating consequences for the economy.
This foolish act led to the shortage of basic commodities like salt, sugar, soap, etc, and emergence of smuggling. By the collapse of the regime in 1979, the economy had lost 20% of its 1970 value.
Therefore, Kyagulanyi’s reckless utterances don’t only threaten the property owned by non-Baganda in Buganda but also undermine the country’s efforts to attract investment or to retain it and to solve the contemporary challenges including creation of employment for our growing young population.
Because, if a Mugisha from Kabale doesn’t feel secure inside his shop in Kasana Town Council, how will Mr. Gandhi from New Delhi consider setting up a $10 million coffee processor in Luweero when he can take his money elsewhere – Kenya, Tanzania, etc?
What isn’t in doubt is that Mr. Kyagulanyi had a sea of people in Luweero, most of whom were young people, and should have used the opportunity to share his agenda regarding the plans for the youth – creation of jobs, skilling, funding, value addition, etc, building on the success model of Kapeeka industrial park.
Deploying a threatening tone against the non-Baganda residents of Luweero who have acquired property legitimately and legally under the laws of Uganda is political excusim and demagoguery that shouldn’t go unchecked.
Most of the non-Baganda who have settled in Luweero did so out of sentimentalism. Some of the former NRA Banyankore fighters established relations during the war, and most returned after the war, to settle among the friends who harboured, protected and fed them during the war.
An example is Gen Salim Saleh who established himself in Kapeeka, Nakaseke District – an association with the former battlefield that has blossomed into prosperity for the area through Kapeeka industrial area, by creating jobs, extending social services, infrastructure development, raising household incomes, etc.
Mr. Kyagulanyi and his team should be reminded that Uganda is a republic, with all its 64 indigenous tribes socially and economically integrated, well positioned in the East African Community, and marching into the continental integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Duncan Abigaba is an Open Doors Scholar, Higher School of Economics, Russia