Embrace culture that rhymes with science, Museveni tells Karimojong

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President Yoweri Museveni has urged the Karimojong to embrace a culture that rhymes with science.

Addressing a huge gathering during the closure of the one-week Karamoja cultural event on Saturday, September 7, 2024,  at Napeikori village, Karenga town council, the President emphasized the significance of linking culture to science.

Museveni said culture is not dancing, it’s not food adding that looking at it in a broader way it must grow and be dynamic.

“What calls culture to grow is science,” he noted, adding that it means understanding nature more. God made natural laws around us to make us live better,” Museveni said.

He further said when women in Karamoja are winnowing sorghum or millet they are using the scientific laws of nature.

“They employ wind to remove the husks because they have a light density and then the grains remain,” Museveni stated, adding these two have different densities.

Thus, Africans use a lot of science, therefore, we should talk about static culture.
“I'm a modern “Munyankole” and I use a lot of science,” the President said, adding let me show you my pride, Karimojong.

Museveni also said in Ankole, culturally it’s not allowed to marry within the clan adding that they do it elsewhere to avoid inbreeding.

He added that the Banyankole had a defensive science of drinking milk without boiling yet there’s what we don’t see inside it.

“The milk may contain microbes of tuberculosis and brucellosis that can affect people,” he said.

Bokoras from Napak at the cultural week closure on Saturday. (Credit: Olandason Wanyama)

He reminded the Karimojong that while talking about culture let’s look at the relevant one.

‘I came to Karamoja for campaigns in 1980 under the Uganda Patriotic Movement and the locals were only 180,000, Now Karamoja which is bigger than Belgium has that population yet most of you are polygamous.

Museveni said what was killing the Karimojong were diseases and conflicts, however when the National Resistance Movement took over power in 1986 we immunised everyone.

“So you are leaving because of the NRM,” he said, adding that we have immunised you against measles, and polio but also other diseases like cancers urging the relevant authorities to immunize against cancers.

Citing the Pokot, Museveni said the culture of cutting girls/women is bad because it causes a lot of problems for them and even the children they produce.

“It’s important that it must be tested for scientific evidence,” he said, adding that people should live a better life.

Museveni noted that because of immunization the population of Karamoja has risen 1.4 million since NRM took over power, which is 10 times.

“Yet we have done only immunisation. We have not solved other issues like education, and water. So, if life has improved by immunisation how much later will life be in Karamoja,” he wondered, saying the little science has caused changes in the region.

“We now add, cannot do all things if you don't have peace,” he said.

The weeklong Karamoja cultural festival was celebrated under the theme: Celebrating Cultural Diversity, Peace, Eco-Tourism for Sustainable Development. It aims at enhancing how the Karimojong can co-exist and reap from the sub-region with great potential.

Several dignitaries from Turkana South Sudan and Ethiopia attended the closure including Karamoja legislatures amongst leaders.