MUSEVENI: I am a Musiita, not a Munyarwanda

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has responded to social media posts alleging he is a Munyarwanda, saying not only is it not true, but those peddling the lies undermine the NRM’s Pan-African vision.

In his missive, a response to comments to his online postings last month, he also categorically castigated those promoting tribalism.

“The NRM talks of Africa, not just the small tribes or even just Uganda. We want the unity of East Africa, of Africa,” Museveni said, before explaining how Banyarwanda became one of the tribes in Uganda.

He said one of the ways to solve the problem of surplus production and market, is to struggle for the deeper integration of the East African markets and not to talk of tribalism.

The President was responding to a one @MwoyoG who declared on social media that he is not against Banyankore, a subject of the President’s August posts against sectarianism,  but only against Banyarwanda from Rwanda. (SEE FULL RESPONSE BOTTOM)

@MwoyoG  also wondered whether Banyarwanda are an “Official” tribe of Uganda.

“I am not a Munyarwanda. I am a Musiita and my mother is Mweene Rukaari and you can go to the beginning of creation, you will not find any Bunyarwandism in me. However, it would not have mattered if I was a Munyarwanda,” he responded.

Museveni restated that Banyarwanda are one of the indigenous tribes of what became Uganda and explained how it occurred.

“Part of Rwanda, Kisoro, was put in Uganda by the colonial borders. They are indigenous Ugandans and they are Kinyarwanda speakers (Kifumbira). Secondly, a part of Mpororo, Omutara, was put in Rwanda by the Colonial borders. A number of Bahororo clans actually have their origins in Omutara: The Bagina from Kichwamba, the Bakimbiri from Rutuungu,” he wrote.

He concluded his response by stating that, “therefore, those who waste their time trying to find which Samia is from Kenya, which Mukonzo is from Congo, which Alur is from Congo, which Kakwa is from Congo or South Sudan, which Madi is from South Sudan, which Acholi is from South Sudan, which Karimojong is from S.Sudan. Which Mugisu is from Kenya, which Munyankore or Rakaian is from Karagwe or Buhaya in Tanzania, are not part of our Pan-African vision.”

President Museveni earlier explained why talk of tribalism undermines efforts to unite the region and Africa. He also warned that the army should be spared the sectarianism talk.

“Coming to the Armed Forces, my advice to all of you, is that leave your Army out of that nonsense. The NRA, the UPDF are Armies of sacrifice, all the time for no pay or low pay. They (we) put their lives on the line. Therefore, leave UPDF out of the circus of sectarianism,” he warned.

“On the issue of tribalism, especially referring to jobs of the Public Service, people who push that talk are wasting the time of our People and misdirecting them. Jobs and wealth do not come from just being employees in the Public Service,” he said, before naming the recent heads of the public service to show the social media claims are baseless.

“The claim that the Banyankore or the Westerners are monopolizing the 480,000 Public service jobs cannot be true.”

Museveni Response SEPTEMBER 3 2020 by The Independent Magazine on Scribd