By Ian Ortega
Buganda and Baganda would be the last people to be accused of tribalism. There is no tribalistic Muganda. That kind of Muganda doesn’t exist. It is just not in the nature of the Baganda. I have not seen a tribe or region more accepting than the Baganda and Buganda.
The very name Buganda alludes to togetherness. Omuganda is a stack of things. As such, anyone can become a Muganda, anyone can be a Musajja Wa Kabaka! It is only in Buganda where entire clans were created to accommodate other tribes, foreigners, settlers.
You can accuse Baganda of every other crime in the world, but tribalism is not one of them. The Baganda have intermarried more than any other tribe in this country. We often joke; “almost hard to find a pure Muganda these days.”
One of the reasons we say; “Tambula Nga Omuganda” is because many people from other regions and tribes had become Baganda. There was only one way to cope, by one walking like a Muganda literally to walk through your “luganda” aka “links.”
Every other tribe in Uganda has a village to return to. Buganda doesn’t have that village. That’s why Baganda always has high stakes in every election and every decision in this country. Because when Kampala burns, Buganda burns. We must put some respect for Buganda and Baganda.
Buganda has fed this country, welcomed everyone, supported everyone. If there is one tribe that has always been betrayed, then it is the Baganda. They have always paid the price of “trusting too much” and “being too nice.” We should never take this love for granted!
The Audacity that someone with an office in Buganda, a home in Buganda, businesses in Buganda can confidently accuse the Baganda of tribalism. Imagine that happened in another region of Uganda!
We are reciprocating Buganda’s love with hate! Despicable to imagine!
