Minister rejects districts based on tribe
Oct 06, 2009
THE Third Deputy Prime Minister, Ali Kirunda Kivejinja, has said agitating for new districts based on ethnic grounds is an old fashioned idea, which cannot stand in this era.
By Moses Nampala
THE Third Deputy Prime Minister, Ali Kirunda Kivejinja, has said agitating for new districts based on ethnic grounds is an old fashioned idea, which cannot stand in this era.
Kivejinja, who is also the Internal Affairs minister said the new districts should instead be based on the need to take services nearer to the people.
He was reacting to a complaint by Tororo county MP Geoffrey Ekanya that the division of Tororo district into two had delayed.
Ekanya was speaking at the national celebrations to mark the World Habitat Day at the Police Primary School, Tororo.
“The relevant parliamentary committee finished reviewing the issue of dividing Tororo into Mukujju and Kisoko districts. Why has the Government taken long to come up with a final decision on the matter?†Ekanya asked.
In a reaction, Kivejinja warned that creating the two districts based on ethnicity would cause both disentegration and hositility.
“Diversionary sentiments will not work in Tororo, a multi-ethnic community,†he said.
He added that when the NRM government came to power, it restored the monarchies as provided for in its 10-point programme. Kivejinja said the monarchies were restored regardless of size.
He cited the Banyala and Baruuli communities, which he said were as old as society but were victimised by colonial policies.
The creation of kings in the two communities has been contested by the Buganda Kingdom.
“For Baganda to disregard the Banyala and Baruuli cultural institutions, is to miss the point.â€
He said no community could assume powers to approve other communities’ interests.
Kivejinja also unveiled a sh5b low-cost housing project in Kasooli slum in Tororo municipality.
Commenting on th housing project, the director of housing in the lands ministry, William Mudewalaga, said it would be funded by World Habitat International, dfcu Bank and the Government.
THE Third Deputy Prime Minister, Ali Kirunda Kivejinja, has said agitating for new districts based on ethnic grounds is an old fashioned idea, which cannot stand in this era.
Kivejinja, who is also the Internal Affairs minister said the new districts should instead be based on the need to take services nearer to the people.
He was reacting to a complaint by Tororo county MP Geoffrey Ekanya that the division of Tororo district into two had delayed.
Ekanya was speaking at the national celebrations to mark the World Habitat Day at the Police Primary School, Tororo.
“The relevant parliamentary committee finished reviewing the issue of dividing Tororo into Mukujju and Kisoko districts. Why has the Government taken long to come up with a final decision on the matter?†Ekanya asked.
In a reaction, Kivejinja warned that creating the two districts based on ethnicity would cause both disentegration and hositility.
“Diversionary sentiments will not work in Tororo, a multi-ethnic community,†he said.
He added that when the NRM government came to power, it restored the monarchies as provided for in its 10-point programme. Kivejinja said the monarchies were restored regardless of size.
He cited the Banyala and Baruuli communities, which he said were as old as society but were victimised by colonial policies.
The creation of kings in the two communities has been contested by the Buganda Kingdom.
“For Baganda to disregard the Banyala and Baruuli cultural institutions, is to miss the point.â€
He said no community could assume powers to approve other communities’ interests.
Kivejinja also unveiled a sh5b low-cost housing project in Kasooli slum in Tororo municipality.
Commenting on th housing project, the director of housing in the lands ministry, William Mudewalaga, said it would be funded by World Habitat International, dfcu Bank and the Government.