It is a great relief, as we write this, that the riots in Kampala are over.

We can only hope the Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Mutebi and his government patches up his differences with President Yoweri Museveni.

The Kabaka and his people obviously thought they have a real government in Mengo – as opposed to a symbolic one. If they had forgotten that they found out the hard way - or more precisely rioting Baganda youths in the streets did.

Police clobbered them into submission and fired indiscriminately in crowds – possibly with loss of life to innocent people among the 14 reportedly dead.

At this newspaper we take no sides in a conflict in a neighboring country.

But we are concerned because every time riots of such a nature break out in Uganda inevitably innocent Banyarwanda are targeted – and by that we mean anyone who “looks” a Tutsi.

It doesn’t matter whether or not these Banyarwanda are bona fide Ugandan citizens some of whom have never even stepped in Rwanda.

All it requires for you to be in trouble whenever crazed mobs high on marijuana is in action is to “look” Rwandan – i.e. you have a thin long nose, thin lips and other physical characteristics that in Rwanda in 1994 caused loss of life to over a million people.

The truly unfortunate thing is that facial features have become as false a means to characterize an individual as it gets. People have intermarried for generations and a foolish Muganda youth beating up on someone because this person looks Munyarwanda or Munyankole may be beating up another Muganda.

In any case someone ought to remind these fellows that even their king has a son with a Rwandan: this is Prince Junju whose mother is our own Veni Sebudandi. That alone should be grounds for Baganda to treat Banyarwanda with the utmost respect.

But what is it with these tribalists we have on this continent?

Baganda tribalists have a problem with Museveni; they have a problem with Banyala of Bugerere or any other group and the next thing you know, when a riot breaks out Banyarwanda are targeted. Why? Is it because in their tribalist mindset a Munyarwanda is not distinguishable from a Munyankole? It is really difficult to understand.

Another common complaint we hear in the Buganda region is that Banyarwanda have become wealthy at the expense of Baganda!

Leave alone how incredibly asinine such assertions are, aren’t there poor Banyarwanda who like the majority of Ugandans go hungry every day? That aside, if like they say Banyarwanda are wealthy, whom did they rob?

Isn’t it the very Baganda making noises who are busy selling their property to everyone and eating up their wealth only to cry foul when others make better use of that property?

Obviously this kind of behavior cannot apply to all Baganda, so let these statements not be taken to mean we are generalizing. We are only stating facts on the ground.   

Having said all this we wish only the best for our Baganda brothers; they are our neighbors and friends and without going too much into stereotypes are generally very agreeable people. So here is a word of advice to most of them: please grow up and address problems like grown up people instead of always yapping on radio stations and starting riots that cannot possibly end in your favor.

Related articles:

Mobs of Baganda youths to Banyarwanda: get out of our country!