From: Omar Kezimbira <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [Ugnet] Throw out Federo only on its merit - Monitor 17/9/2004 Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2004 05:05:07 -0700 (PDT)
Hello Mr President --------------------------------- By David Ouma Balikowa
Throw out federo only on its merit Sept 17, 2004 - Monitor
President Yoweri Museveni was this week quoted in the media saying he would not let Mengo have an inch of Kampala city.
According to the President, Kampala belongs to all Ugandans and not only the Baganda who are fighting tooth and nail to turn the centre into a federal (federo) state.
The President�s vow comes in the thick of his failed negotiations between Mengo and the over the latter�s demand for federo.
To begin with, the President overstretched the matter when he used the above appeal. The issue is not whether Kampala belongs to us all. That is a truism. Even Mengo knows that very well.
Rather the issue is who between Mengo and the central government administers the capital city, Kampala. Any of the two can do this on behalf of the city dwellers.
So let us not play up this tribal sentiment of trying to suggest that a Kampala under Mengo is only for the Baganda. Or that once it falls under Mengo, the non-Baganda would be chased out.
That is cheap politics and that is divisive at worst. It is at best aimed at mudslinging Mengo and making it appear selfish and sectarian. Which is far from the case.
There are a lot of facts to bear Buganda or Mengo out. If anything to prove that they are very accommodative. But also because they have no choice even if they wanted to turn the wheels of modernity back.
Because of its central position and hosting the capital, Buganda has seen an influx of settlers from other parts of the country. Some settled in the city while others settled in the outlying districts like Mukono, Wakiso, Mityana etc.
Despite the few occasions where some national leaders have applied divisive politics and caused friction, the settlers have mixed in well taking up leadership positions in many cases. That is why you will even see non-Baganda members of Parliament representing constituencies in Buganda region.
Many voters in Buganda put personal record and performance over and above nationality considerations.
It is not only the Baganda. The latter who have either settled or do business in districts outside Buganda have also been welcome and treated same way.
One can say that Ugandans have by and large become less sectarian in their public life. Buganda belongs to all Ugandans the same way the
rest of Uganda belongs to all nationalities, Baganda included. It would for example be interesting to see how Museveni responds to the fact that he is free to own land and a farm in Mpigi, which will fall under Mengo if federo is granted. Will he shift his farm? Of course not. Mengo does not expect him to.
The truth of the matter is that Buganda already belongs to all of us. Many big wigs in Museveni�s have bought huge chunks of land in Buganda and now own farms.
So what difference will it make if Kampala reverted to Mengo?
It is very important that the federo debate is not confused for selfish reasons. If it must be defeated, it must be done on merit arguments, not dirty or sectarian appeals. That will only breed confusion.
It is also true that even under federo, all Ugandans will have rights to their properties both in and outside Kampala. The same way Baganda who have settled in other areas do.
If we begin saying Kampala is for us all, we are in effect saying other parts of Uganda are not. This is dangerous. This would give some people in a federated Buganda license to ask non-Baganda to leave say Mpigi or Mukono and go to Kampala because it is the only place that �belongs to us all.�
Even if one is opposed to Mengo having federo, this should not blind them to the positive developments at Mengo.
Today, Mengo processes land titles to all Ugandans without discrimination. Many non-Baganda have bought the commonly refered to as Kabaka�s land and went ahead to apply for titles at Mengo.
One can perhaps talk of the fee or delays, but not discrimination. But even then, delays in processing titles are common even at the central government�s ministry of Lands Federation represents some form of decentralisation.
The major difference is that it presents much bigger units than decentralisation at district level.
Kampala City Council already enjoys a lot of autonomy from the central government. So whether it falls under a federated Mengo or not, it might not make much difference.
The truth is that Mengo might not be able to solve some of Kampala City Council�s (KCC) problems; just the same way the central government has not.
One fact also need to be straightened out. A KCC under a federated Mengo does not entirely free the central government of any responsibility over the city.
Depending on how tax collection is shared out, the central government will properly spelt out structures that shall retain some responsibility towards the city.
The same way it would to other federated states other than Buganda.
So let us not confuse the issues as we debate federo. We should also do it in a manner that will not incite animosity between groups of different nationalities.
The fight for federo should be won or lost on merit.
� 2004 The Monitor Publications
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