Tribalism, egoism killing Ssembabule
Nov 06, 2006
SSEMBABULE district has been in the news for the wrong reasons. Formed in 1997, it first made headlines when the district chairperson was censured. Recently, the District Chairman, Herman Ssentongo failed to form a government after the District Council declined to approve his nominees and the budget
By Ahmed Katerega
SSEMBABULE district has been in the news for the wrong reasons. Formed in 1997, it first made headlines when the district chairperson was censured. Recently, the District Chairman, Herman Ssentongo failed to form a government after the District Council declined to approve his nominees and the budget.
The district’s woman MP, Hajjati Anifa Kawoya, was one the cashiers paying the controversial sh5 million to MPs to support kisanja in 2005. But she refused to give Lwemiyaga MP Theodore Ssekikubo his share, demanding that he confirms in writing that he supported kisanja. That was how the public knew about kisanja cash.
Tribalism and egoism are Ssembabule’s biggest problems. A group led by Mawogola MP Sam Kutesa and Kawoya, dubbed Banyankore/Bakiga camp, is pitied against the Baganda group led by Ssekikubo and Ssentongo. However, among Kutesa’s supporters are prominent Baganda like Prince Kitayimbwa Mumiransanafu, a retired Kabaka’s Saza Chief and member of Buganda Lukiiko.
Among Ssekikubo's supporters are prominent ethnic Banyarwanda like former Lwemiyaga MP and Deputy Speaker of Lukiiko, Dr. Higiro Semajege; Ms Joy Kabatsi, a former parliamentary candidate; and a UPDF veteran, Lt.Tom Asiimwe, a Munyankore.
Sources say that President Museveni learnt about this split from Ssentongo and Ssekikubo who accused the Kutesa camp of fanning sectarianism. But the Kutesa camp also accused Ssentongo of practising sectarianism in his appointments. Ssentongo denied this and instead accused the central government of appointing only westerners to high positions like RDC, Deputy RDC and DISO. The President reportedly said he was not aware of this and promised to correct the imbalance.
The major tribes are Baganda, Banyankore, Bakiga and Banyarwanda. However, none of these can boast of absolute majority in the district.
Intermarriages even make it difficult for anyone to support a hate campaign against any ethnic group because of the possibility of insulting uncles, in-laws or neighbours. Christians and Muslims are also spread across all political shades.
The return of multipartyism has made the divisions even worse. Ssentongo ha always been suspected of being a DP sympathiser from the time he surfaced on the political scene in 1994. Members of opposition parties have always supported him during campaigns. But he insists he is a stanch NRM cadre. His opponents say he is NRM during day and DP at night. His detractors cite the NRM primaries when he stood as an independent after loosing to Dr. Eric Muhumuza. But President Museveni defended him saying that it was not his fault that the opposition wanted to identify with him.
On egoism, young politicians like Ssekikubo and Ssentongo don’t want to recognise Kutesa as the district strongman. He in turn looks at them as his political sons. Kutesa says he was ready to work with Ssekikubo because they are both NRM MPs but won’t accept Ssentongo because he is independent.
Ssekikubo also says his group is prepared to reconcile with Kutesa even if he summons him at his private residence, because he is the district representative in Cabinet. Why then has President Museveni failed to reconcile the two groups? NRM National Deputy Chairperson, Al Haji Moses Kigongo, says he postponed a tour of Ssembabule until a day when Kutesa would be around so that he reconciles the two groups.
The current quiet in Ssembabule is a result of Ms Kabatsi’s court petition against Kawoya’s election. Whoever wins the court case will have an upper hand. However, that will be the end of the battle but not a war.
akaterega@newvision.co.ug
SSEMBABULE district has been in the news for the wrong reasons. Formed in 1997, it first made headlines when the district chairperson was censured. Recently, the District Chairman, Herman Ssentongo failed to form a government after the District Council declined to approve his nominees and the budget.
The district’s woman MP, Hajjati Anifa Kawoya, was one the cashiers paying the controversial sh5 million to MPs to support kisanja in 2005. But she refused to give Lwemiyaga MP Theodore Ssekikubo his share, demanding that he confirms in writing that he supported kisanja. That was how the public knew about kisanja cash.
Tribalism and egoism are Ssembabule’s biggest problems. A group led by Mawogola MP Sam Kutesa and Kawoya, dubbed Banyankore/Bakiga camp, is pitied against the Baganda group led by Ssekikubo and Ssentongo. However, among Kutesa’s supporters are prominent Baganda like Prince Kitayimbwa Mumiransanafu, a retired Kabaka’s Saza Chief and member of Buganda Lukiiko.
Among Ssekikubo's supporters are prominent ethnic Banyarwanda like former Lwemiyaga MP and Deputy Speaker of Lukiiko, Dr. Higiro Semajege; Ms Joy Kabatsi, a former parliamentary candidate; and a UPDF veteran, Lt.Tom Asiimwe, a Munyankore.
Sources say that President Museveni learnt about this split from Ssentongo and Ssekikubo who accused the Kutesa camp of fanning sectarianism. But the Kutesa camp also accused Ssentongo of practising sectarianism in his appointments. Ssentongo denied this and instead accused the central government of appointing only westerners to high positions like RDC, Deputy RDC and DISO. The President reportedly said he was not aware of this and promised to correct the imbalance.
The major tribes are Baganda, Banyankore, Bakiga and Banyarwanda. However, none of these can boast of absolute majority in the district.
Intermarriages even make it difficult for anyone to support a hate campaign against any ethnic group because of the possibility of insulting uncles, in-laws or neighbours. Christians and Muslims are also spread across all political shades.
The return of multipartyism has made the divisions even worse. Ssentongo ha always been suspected of being a DP sympathiser from the time he surfaced on the political scene in 1994. Members of opposition parties have always supported him during campaigns. But he insists he is a stanch NRM cadre. His opponents say he is NRM during day and DP at night. His detractors cite the NRM primaries when he stood as an independent after loosing to Dr. Eric Muhumuza. But President Museveni defended him saying that it was not his fault that the opposition wanted to identify with him.
On egoism, young politicians like Ssekikubo and Ssentongo don’t want to recognise Kutesa as the district strongman. He in turn looks at them as his political sons. Kutesa says he was ready to work with Ssekikubo because they are both NRM MPs but won’t accept Ssentongo because he is independent.
Ssekikubo also says his group is prepared to reconcile with Kutesa even if he summons him at his private residence, because he is the district representative in Cabinet. Why then has President Museveni failed to reconcile the two groups? NRM National Deputy Chairperson, Al Haji Moses Kigongo, says he postponed a tour of Ssembabule until a day when Kutesa would be around so that he reconciles the two groups.
The current quiet in Ssembabule is a result of Ms Kabatsi’s court petition against Kawoya’s election. Whoever wins the court case will have an upper hand. However, that will be the end of the battle but not a war.
akaterega@newvision.co.ug