The Kasese crisis should not be looked at as a 26th and 27th November 2016 incident but rather as a conflict that is rooted in the recent past (July 2014 to date) and also as a conflict that carries forward historical grievances that have remained unresolved. This approach will help in addressing occasional fights whose causes are accumulated unresolved issues that keep piling each passing day.
The institution of Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu (OBR) has not dedicated enough effort to focus on a cultural agenda that should aim at promoting cultural values and development in the area, but rather positioned itself as an alternative administrative unit within its areas of influence.
Allowing politicians across the divide hijack the institution of OBR and use it for their political agenda, which is misleading as contradictory messages keep on being passed to people. This has bred a lot of intrigue within the institution and cultivated a sense of mistrust that keep fueling misunderstandings within officials of the institution, politicians and spreads to the communities.
Prioritizing politics rather than economic development by leader at all levels in the District has led to more tension resulting into communities viewing every action or inaction as an act of politics aimed at favoring one community and disenfranchising the other.
Government has not proactively provided facts about its engagement with the institution of OBR allowing room for peddling falsehoods that keep creating tension and fueling conflict.
Government has not dedicated enough effort into resolving the concerns raised in Kasese taking into historical grievances but rather opts to address individual problems without recognizing that they are intertwined with historical grievances. Addressing an incident independently without taking into account the contributing factors of that incident has always left grievances unresolved.
The failure to timely and proactively address the land distribution question that remains at the center of the conflict has led to suspicion among the population leading it to view recent Government proposals such as the creation of more districts as an act of grabbing land from cultivators and giving it to pastoralists. This has simply entrenched resentment among people leading to a situation where they find any excuse to express their frustration.
Supporting the Institution of OBR to understand its mandate as a cultural institution and how this contributes to the economic development of the people. This will enable the institution to be positioned as a development vehicle rather than a divisive entity in the area.
Politicians across the divide should be kept away from affairs of OBR and letting cultural leaders spearhead the affairs of the kingdom including leading its development agenda and the current conflict. This is aimed at having OBR as a unifying entity rather than one that plays into the politics of NRM Vs the opposition.
Leaders from Central Government and OBR should agree to table and discuss concerns raised by the communities without prejudice such as the land distribution question, proposed District boundaries, the Basongora / Banyabindi cultural question, tensions between Busongora North and Bokonzo County among others.
Communities should be engaged on the role and mandate of Government and that of OBR so that there is an understanding of what they should expect from the cultural institution and from Government. This will help in managing expectations and also limiting on falsehoods that often mislead people.
Question on Co-existence: Communities in Kasese have co-existed before without tensions. Animosity towards each other became evident in the later part of 2000s after the land distribution process (Land is a key factor of production and heritage in the area). One community felt disenfranchised and started looking at the others as a source of their problems. However this can be resolved once people’s concerns are addressed, have targeted economic empowerment programs and also carrying out awareness creation campaigns to promote a sense of a one community rather than tribal groupings
Question on Yiira State: The sentiments raised by people shouldn’t be ignored and rubbished, rather Government should focus on addressing the reasons why people feel disenfranchised. Government should aim at articulating its development programs in the area, and demystify continued misleading talk that makes people feel left out of development programs and neglected.
Government should work on letting people understand why the districts of Kasese and Bundibugyo were granted in the 70s. There is a school of thought among some people who believe that owing to the fact that Bakonzo and Bamba resisted and asked for autonomy from Batooro, this was supposed to translate into complete autonomy. This should be demystified and let people understand the decentralization approach to governance and how this contributes to the wider governance structure in Government and development agenda of the country.
Question on Witchcraft: Leaders should aiming at making communities understand and realize the distinction between Cultural practices and Witchcraft. As a cultural institution, OBR is expected to perform a number of cultural rites, customs and traditions but these do not necessarily mean Witchcraft. Culture should be positively viewed as a means of developing people rather than involving themselves in negative witchcraft practices that contribute to instability based on unfounded beliefs.
Mode of recruitment of Royal Guards: All leaders especially in the institution of OBR should agree that royal guards are to perform a cultural role rather than providing security. Security should be a preserve of Government. Royal Guards should serve a specified period of time after which they are to return to their normal community lives, than looking at the role of a royal guard as a life time employment.
Lessons form Bakonzo – Tooro Conflict of the 60s: Leaders in the OBR and Kasese District at large should appreciate that the key cause of Bakoozo revolt against Tooro kingdom was the refusal of Tooro to recognize Bakonzo and Bamba in the administration of Tooro Kingdom. Leaders in the District should reflect upon the question of Basongora and Banyabindi and see how they have involved these two communities in both the affairs and administration of the District Local Government and also the affairs of the institution of OBR.
In addition to this, there is a question of Bakonzo from Busongora North that have for a long time expressed dissatisfaction against Bukonzo County. There is a feeling of marginalization among this section of the District where they feel that it’s orchestrated by Bukonzo County. Lessons from the Tooro – Bakonzo conflict will help in informing how to address the current grievances among the communities within Kasese. We can’t afford to revert to old mistakes!!
Peace, stability and harmony should be the guiding principles in addressing the Kasese conflict with an aim of restoring hope, confidence and building trust among people.
Parliament and Government of Uganda should support OBR to be a cultural institution that involves itself in development. This will enable people find the institution relevant to their lives and livelihoods, reduce on tension and suspicion and focus on being a unifying factor.
In Handling Omusinga Mumbere, Government should be cognizant of the fact that he is a leader despite of the circumstances we find ourselves in. Desist from actions that might easily be interpreted as vindictiveness which infuriate people but rather focus on corrective actions to restore trust, hope confidence and continuity among people.
By Bright Anthony Malere 0701356085 bmalere@yahoo.co.uk
