Sad Thoughts.

I cant seem to escape them. Seems as if my country is going down a road that we have been before. One of death and despair and destruction. Yet just a few years ago we seemed to be full of hope.

First, the International Criminal Court wants to indite Omar Bashir, President of Sudan. It has come as a surprise to Africa, and to the Arab world.

Yet, with Darfur an ugly sore, hemorrhaging onto the world’s conscious, what surprise is it? How long, and how far will the world go to chase this down is doubtful. Because it seems as if Africa, official Africa is reacting with outrage.

We are hearing the old, disqualified arguments. In self interest, our leaders are reacting as if it is a sore affront to the dignity of Africa. Imperialism! Colonialism! They are crying. And poor people, our people are reacting as if this is what it is.

Yet I am thinking of 2 million people displaced. 200,000 killed. And still Darfur is a sore. A purulent, ugly sore on the conscious of the world. And we in Africa are not even conscious of it?

Black Africa. The self interest of the leaders. One would expect Negro Africa to stand up and erupt in violence. After all, it is negroes who are experiencing this genocide. But, official Africa is out, protecting Bashir, from ‘colonial imperialism of the west.’

Bullshit.

And my Arab brothers. They are also reacting with injured dignity. Horror of horrors. One of their own has been indited, accused of genocide.

Shame brothers. You are as guilty as he is. Bashir. And you do no help following the path of our traitorous leaders. For indeed they are betraying Africa. They are betraying Africans, in the interest of their stomachs, and gain, and power.

Just like Zimbabwe. Nothing was as shameful as Mugabe being accepted by the leaders of Africa. That stain on our conscious is going to be long in removing. The hypocrisy of it all. They cannot do wrong, because they are the leaders.

Sad. Sad indeed.

In Uganda, a curious thing is occurring.

The president wanted a life presidency. Apparently, he got it. Well, let us say the population voted for him to do that. We are children indeed. So little knowledge, and those who have more of it, so ready to deliberately lead us down the path of death and despair.

But, he seems to have been incensed by their being opposition, any opposition, to him.

So, opposition leaders are arrested. Well, it happens all over Africa. And we shrug it off. Right now, to be an opposition leader in Uganda is almost treason. And the courts which protect them are also ‘treasonous’. The will of the president seems to be paramount. Indeed this article may be treasonous! Ha, how the first 26 Comrades are corrupted. 27^th Comrade, isn’t the First comrade turning in his grave? Or was he just a figure head? (By the way, I miss your crazy arguments. Very suprising!)

It would have gone on like that, indefinitely. But now something else started happening.

In Uganda, in the central is the Baganda tribe. Supposedly the largest in the country. And with a reputation of being (I know I am stepping on some political incorrectness), a reputation of being proud, self serving, thinking of themselves above the other tribes.

Historical problems there. Something which we do not talk about. Again, like sex. We are very, very good at burying our collective head in the sand of time. We as in Ugandans.

Now, at first it was the Kabaka, king of Buganda against the President. Seemed like a clash of egos. The Baganda are very ‘land’ minded. Land to them is wealth. And the President, rightly or wrongly, thinks that one of the biggest drawback to economic development is land ownership. So, the president wants to make it easier to buy and sell land. At least that is what I think he thinks. But the Baganda don’t want it. And, the Kabaka, the ‘Sabataka’ or owner of all land in Buganda, has broken with the government.

It is a clash of egos. A tragedy of un-understanding.

The president is from a cattle keeping ethnic group. To them cattle is wealth. Land is land, you use it to roam the cattle on. Cattle is the wealth that means everything. I think that he personally has no understanding at how important the land is to the pesky Baganda. And, he does not want to see their point of view. He is incensed at the ‘opposition’ from the Baganda. They has been a cold war between the Central government and Buganda government for some years now. No talking. No dialogue, and everything getting more heated and more heated. Suddenly, it is all out in the open now.

Two days ago, two ministers in the government of Buganda were arrested. The charges include ‘terrorism’ of all things. See here, and here.

Storm in a teacup?

Not realy. All of a sudden, people are talking about ‘Buganda Nationalism’. The scepter of our differences is being pulled to the fore, slowly, inexorably. The president seems to want to play it as the Baganda against the rest of Ugandans. But, he is tearing apart my crazy, ethnic mad nation. Nothing, absolutely nothing makes us as crazy as our ethnic identities. Before it was a north south divide. It has not been closed in his 26 years or so of presidency. But I am truly worried about what the current problems mean. Because, logical thought is thrust aside when the issues of our ethnic differences are used as the basis of thought.

For a long time, we the new generation did not think of ourselves as our ethnic groups. But now, it is occurring.

Again.

Same old, same old. Sad thoughts indeed.

Think of the 100 year wars in Europe. Or Asia as the Mongols swept through. A time of sadness and crazy madness. Indeed Africa, my beautiful Africa is crazy and mad. Home of political incorrectness.

And I bet Orombi’s summon will be about the evils of ‘homosexuality’! Ah.

That was my Sunday sermon. Sad, beautiful Africa. No wonder very few do see your strength and beauty. And the fact that there is nothing as beautiful as you.

Well, did I say you are home to me? And I do love your dirty undergarments. They stink to heaven, but they are you, aren’t they? Of course I am biased, arent I? But I would rather point out that they do stink, and are not perfume. Not ready to be another Romanesque!

GayUganda