Ugandans who are assessing my contribution with a bias like Kennedy Burashe are missing the core message that could save them and their children. I am saying we are all Ugandans perhaps poorly led. We need to recast how we treat one another. When I was growing up as a young man in Rukungiri I did not detect any tribal or religious distinction. Kabatereine a Tutsi who owned a vehicle never left me a Muiru on the road. Rwakitonera a staunch Catholic never missed a function at our Protestant family. Katugugu never let me go hungry when we met in town. Rwabugaire a Tutsi protected me when we went to Kabale for sports. Karahukayo allowed me to sleep together in one bed knowing I was a Muiru and he a Tutsi. Rwekitama was one of my closest friends at Kinyasano. Kitaburaza gave us a ride knowing we were children of Bairu. Trouble started with Kam Karekaho Karegyesa after independence. He divided Rukungiri into meat eaters and vegetarians and he went after youth like me who did not share his views. He sent us into exile. When Museveni came to power we thought Rukikaire was going to represent us in parliament. He was undermined and we ended up with Jim Muhwezi whose character is totally different from his late father. I left this man alone but he was bent on destroying Bairu because he has a gun. Bairu were pushed into Rukungiri town council because of the illegal bill Jim and Ssekande then speaker of parliament pushed through parliament. Now my people are being pushed out of their ancestral land. I am languishing in exile at my age. I invested my meager savings to come home. I did not expect people like Jim to ever assume such powerful positions. Do you know how cold it is in New York now? I cant bury my loved ones. I cant attend the wedding of my loved ones. It is painful when you see others buying gifts to go home with their families and all you can do is to send them a few dollars. Money is not the same as giving a shirt or a skirt to a relative. And we are told Uganda is safe. Rukungiri is progressing economically and socially. What is progress when sons and daughters cant come home during Christmas Holidays. Cant come home to bury their relatives or celebrate holidays like now. Let me tell Ugandans: no situation is permanent. Let me add we should never punish children because of the sins of their parents. I have consciously helped children of parents who made my life difficult because children should not be punished because of the sins of their parents. Uganda needs healing but when you have people who think they can do what they want and can discriminate against you in broad daylight we have a lot of work to do. I am hopeful we shall win. People will soon see that Jim and Kennedy of Rukungiri cant harass us for ever. I have spared Jim and Kennedy out of respect for what their parents did for me. Now I am asking them to leave me alone. I wont be with you during this holiday season. I hope we shall be together during the next one. Bless you all and Happy Holidays. Eric Kashambuzi; New York.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 08:15:56 +0000
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