THE Pan African Movement Uganda Chapter noted with grave concern the recent riots in Buganda. Of particular concern was the fact that the riots took a ‘tribalistic trend’ and that many Ugandans were assaulted and lost property.
The Constitution of the Pan African Movement Uganda spells out principles to which the movement is committed, one of them being unity among Africans.
The essence of the principle is that our ethnic, cultural and tribal diversity should enhance unity rather than be a cause for division and conflict because we share a lot in common as Africans.
Tribalism, sectarianism and macro-nationalism are an enormous challenge to our ultimate goal of African unity.
The 1994 Rwanda genocide should be a lesson to Africans as one of the dangers of tribalism. Over one million Tutsi and moderate Hutu were murdered in cold blood in just 100 days.
Tribalistic violence was also responsible for the death of over 1,000 people in the aftermath of the 2008 Kenya elections as the Kikuyu and Luo took on each other. Many tribal conflicts in Africa have been a consequence and reaction to sectarianism and tribalism.
The Pan-African Movement believes tribalism in Africa is a colonial legacy that has dragged on over the years. The imperialists, with their draconian policy of “divide and rule”, sowed seeds for tribalism in Africa. It is unfortunate that many post-independence African leaders have continued to practise tribalism and sectarianism.
Africans should look at themselves as Africans first before considering their tribe or even nationality. In that regard, the Pan-African Movement is against all forms of xenophobia, racism and macro-nationalism.
The xenophobic attacks in South Africa in 2008 are a reminder to all Africans that a lot has to be done if we are to have a strong and united Africa envisaged by our forefathers including Kwame Nkrumah and Patrice Lumumba.
The Pan-African Movement Uganda Chapter, therefore, calls on all Africans to embrace each other regardless of their tribe, religion and nationality.
African unity is the solution to under-development.
The writer is a youth mobiliser with the Pan African Movement Uganda Chapter and legal adviser of Youth Focus Uganda
