We are Ugandans like you, stop tribal sentiments against us- Banyarwanda cry out 

The executive committee of the Council for Banyarwanda, the umbrella association for the Banyarwanda community in Uganda, has called upon the government to address recent events that they believe have led their fellow Uganda citizens turning against them and instigating violence against them.

In the same vein, the Council implored Ugandans to come together and unify as one nation and desist from violence as well as acts of discrimination that will lead to divisiveness and instability.

Speaking at a press conference held on Wednesday at Speke Hotel, social and human rights activist Frank Gashumba, who is a co-founder and chairperson of the Council said the Banyarwanda community in Uganda has a number of challenges and called on the Government to address these issues with the utmost urgency.

“It is worth noting that the other newly and recently recognized tribes like the Basamia, Bakonjo, Alur, Kakwa, Sabiny, Banyankore, and Bahaya) enjoy full citizenship rights as Ugandans, unlike the Banyarwanda (who were counted and recognized as a tribe in Uganda in the 1900 census), who are discriminated against and denied their full rights and liberties as citizens of this country. There is a silent war that is being waged against the Banyarwanda community in Uganda,” Gashumba pointed out.

The Council for Banyarwanda organization was established by a group of Banyarwanda born and raised in Uganda and whose parents have lived in Uganda for decades with prime objectives of promoting: Unity,Culture, Rights of Banyarwanda and Economic Empowerment.

Gashumba, who was flanked by other members of the Council, including Enock Nkuranga and Paul Ntale insisted that there is a systemic move planned at sidelining the community and their rights with the end goal to exclude them from all economic, social and political spheres of life.

“We all know by now that you cannot transact business in Uganda without a National Identity card, but it’s becoming practically impossible for a Munyarwanda born in Uganda to acquire this document,” he added.

The third schedule of the Uganda’s Constitution recognizes Banyarwanda as an indigenous tribe as of 1st February 1926.

“The Council for Banyarwanda arose out of a need to come together as a community and address challenges within a structure and to ensure positive impact on the growing community. The Council is non-political and non partisan.”