Denying Banyarwanda in Uganda key identification documents is disturbing

Kenneth (not real name) got a scholarship to study in Germany, a life changing opportunity that would transform his entire family. He carried his National ID and went to apply for a passport but when he introduced himself as a Munyarwanda he was denied a passport. 

On advice of the Council for Abavandimwe, he went to his LC1 chairperson and got a recommendation letter that was signed by the area GISO, DISO, RDC & Area MP, all confirming that he was a Ugandan. But someone at Internal Affairs in his air conditioned office made a decision that Kenneth was not a Ugandan, his life changing opportunity was lost, his dream was shuttered! That’s the plight that thousands of Banyarwanda in Uganda go through! 

This prompted the council for Abavandimwe led by Frank Gashumba to petition the Speaker of Parliament. This petition comes at the time when Uganda is organizing mass registration and renewal of National Identity Cards. Many Banyarwanda risk being denied National Identity Cards. 
What can one do without a national Identity Card? He or she can’t register or transfer a land title, can’t open a bank account, can’t enroll on a government sponsorship, can’t open a company etc.

But how did we get here? The whole issue is that Banyarwanda as a tribe share a name with the Republic of Rwanda, a reason many mistake Banyarwanda people to be Rwandan. It is the reason the Council for Abavandimwe had proposed a change of name from Banyarwanda to Abavandimwe, a name that is distinct from the republic of Rwanda. But even then, why would immigration officials fail to distinguish such basic facts?

It is worthy to note that Banyarwanda are one of the 56 tribes recognized as per the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda 1995. This recognition is not a favor but a right that is based on our history. It is important to note that Banyarwanda existed in the present day Uganda even before the territory of Uganda was established by the colonialists in 1894.

For example, Kisoro District was part of the Rwanda Kingdom. The Banyarwanda in Kisoro opted to be named Bafumbira because they were staying in Bufumbira, named after Mufumbiro ranges. However, there were many Banyarwanda who were settling in Ankole and Buganda who could not call themselves Bafumbira and so they remain Banyarwanda who are equally Ugandans.

Similarly, there are many Bakonjo in DRC called Nandi and they pay allegiance to Omusinga wa Rwenzururu as their king; The Banyamulenge in DRC are Banyarwanda who occupy mulenge hills; There are Bagisu and Samia in Kenya as well as Ugandan. In 2001, the late Aggrey Awori was a Presidential Candidate in Uganda, he had served as MP, and later served as a Minister. At the same time (2003 -2008), his elder biological brother Moody Awori was the Vice President of Kenya.

To understand better the historical context of Banyarwanda in Uganda, one may have to look at areas in Buganda that were named in Kinyarwanda language many years ago; places like Masaka (sorghum), Kibuye (big stone), Ndeeba (look at me) among others. Kigezi (as it was named by colonialists) derived its name from ‘Ikyigyezi’ (water logged / pond) in the Kinyarwanda language. It was a place where the colonialists first camped in Bufumbira in 1909.  

So in respect to the above history, it is bewildering and primitive how Kinyarwanda names sound so unusual to  some officers to an extent of denying these lawful citizens passports even when they have national identity cards and voter slips. Why is it that these Banyarwanda are allowed to vote as Ugandans but then denied passports? Are they important only during voting? 

More so this is happening at the time when we are championing regional integration for East African Community countries. If we can’t tolerate fellow citizens because they are presumed to be associated with another country, how are we going to tolerate people from Somalia, South Sudan or DRC under the East African Community?

In any case, if our passport is titled ‘East African Community – Republic of Uganda passport’, why would then a Ugandan presumed, just presumed to be a Rwandan, be denied a passport of the East African Community as if Banyarwanda are Europeans? 
Sadly, the same government that seems not to care for its own citizens is seriously caring for other nationals by giving them favors of all kinds, when our own citizens are languishing!

Mr George Muhimbise,  policy analyst.        

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