Ugandans, beware!

Feb 11, 2008

EDITOR—I had not read John Nagenda’s column about Mr. Makau. After reading it, I would like to add to it my own experience in a country that has always been portrayed as a peaceful one. For some of us who happened to have lived in Kenya, we probably have other views.

EDITOR—I had not read John Nagenda’s column about Mr. Makau. After reading it, I would like to add to it my own experience in a country that has always been portrayed as a peaceful one. For some of us who happened to have lived in Kenya, we probably have other views.

Ugandans in Kenya should beware, as things might get worse for them there. Kenyans usually blame foreigners for their problems. Indeed whenever a former president wanted to divert Kenyans’ attention from internal weaknesses he would ask the wanainchi to report to the police any suspicious foreigners/elements in their midst.

This, unfortunately, would sometimes target refugees living in Kenya so that they would be rounded up while the police would tear up their documents, before locking them up in jails for days. Getting out of those jails required bribery that was called kuwonga.
Taking action against foreigners would unite the Kenyans who would then vent their wrath on mainly Ugandans, Congolese and Tanzanians in the country. Ugandans are particularly hated in Kenya.

I remember housing a former top Ugandan official who had taken refuge in Kenya after an upheaval in our country. This former senior official, despite being almost sixty years old was targeted by one of our neighbours who drove his car menacingly very close to him and asked him to go back to his country. The neighbour then parked his car and came to inform our guest that he wanted to take him to the police. All this happened as our guest was waiting for us to open the gate.

I think that Kenyans must change their attitudes not only towards each other, but also towards people from neighbouring countries living in their midst. To quote Nagenda, I would also say that this is not fiction, but a true story.

Jenn Jagire
Ontario, Canada

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});