EAST AFRICA,IS THERE A DIVIDING BETWEEN TRIBALISM AND POLITICS

The specter of tribal cum racial sentiment must be deeply rooted under the skin of humankind. While Ralph Limbaugh devotes his debilitating radio shows on Obama bashing, thanks to blackness, ethnic cleansing has not just been a preserve of ethnic movements in the Balkans but has come to roost in Dafur.

In the not so distant past news networks were beaming with deplorable images, Kenyans butchering countrymen after a failed election. Their sins, simply belonging to Luo, Gikuyu lines or otherwise. Breeding grounds for such civil strife being politicians’ minds. An ego that transcends collective mankind’s aspirations seems to always to be highjacked by political ambition, the I need this, I need that mentality lies at the epicenter of the debate doing the rounds, from the streets to the elitist forums as reason enough leading to such social ills.

Uganda has not been spared the pangs of tribal bickering spilling into mainstream politics. This country’s tribalistic history hangs plainly on a white wall but this does not serve deter sitting politicians treading that line. A period of détente from the ashes of guerilla war of the 80s is fast becoming a shadowy relic. With some of the politicians in the highest office posturing as to extend and nurture tribal talk, civil society cannot afford to stomach the sheer display of arrogance and are repetitively taking them head on.

Trouble is brewing on who shares what of the spoils of the “kill”, or more clearly as the debate goes of who did or didn’t fight rages on , but as it has come up, certain tribes seem to have been darlings in the rewards contest.

Tipping the balance is what has become of the almighty Buganda kingdom’s embroilment in a land feud as the Uganda government tinkers on wrestling a bigger chunk of this medieval kingdom’s land into its possession, probably this would weaken the Kingdom and avert cessation claims. What the timing? At a time when the land titles in Bunyoro kingdom bordering the recently discovered oilfields are rumored to have found themselves in the hands of the big shots. Likewise the unofficial legislation to have indigenous Banyoro seek political office in Bunyoro, while aliens get kicked out earlier than later is ripe.

Ethnic Baganda have however left the vision Media establishment with a bloody nose for uttering verbal diorrhea on negative exploits of his Majesty King Mutebi over the Kingdom estates. To cool down temperatures and save the media house from summary execution through falling sales, its CEO has had a rare display of remorse publicly for his employees’ sins; after all he lay on the crucifix.

Really if drama continues to pile up, as has been in recent times from Migingo Island feuds to Busia border claims, to public arresting and ultimate demotion of errant police constables, scribes will have a rich opportunity to sale their wares to a devouring public.

Tribal leanings in political appointment, to offering business opportunity, to current land grabs, to anything will definitely become fodder for Ugandan media houses in some time.