Africa-Press – Uganda. I have been lucky to visit many countries across the world and interfaced with many nationalities. On first interaction, Indians will always strike a conversation about their spices and food; Kenyans without saying a word, you will see them with a Kenyan bracelet; the Egyptians will ask you if you have visited the pyramids, Rwandans will be quick to show you at least a beautiful girl or artistic impression of their next airport.
Tanzanians will unapologetically speak to you in their indigenous Swahili without fear of being thought of as backward (they are smart enough to know that a foreign language is not a measure of intelligence). The Congolese will either hum a tune or wiggle to their music, the Cuban and their cigars, the French and Champaign, etc.
Now meet a Ugandan in Boston, Dubai, London, Sweden, Washington, California and they will for the most part start a hateful degrading speech about Uganda.
They speak facts for the most part, the issues we should fix as a country, the flaws that our leaders haven’t addressed and all the ugly dirty linen is brought out.
Why do we hate our country so much that we are willing to tarnish it to whoever is willing to listen. People will say they don’t hate Uganda, but act with so much hate towards it.
Our country is not Mr Yoweri Museveni’s, it will not be Bobi Wines’s or any other leader’s. Uganda is our motherland and we should protect, promote and preserve it for our children and grandchildren.
The country is bigger than its leaders – the leaders will go and we shall have new ones at some point and this is inevitable. But what shall be left of our motherland if all we do is tarnish her image in the eyes of the world. We should all be responsible activists, especially as we advocate for the changes we want to see…We should put our country first.
It is naivety to think that Nigeria, India, Ghana, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, USA, Britain and the rest do not have problems like we do yet we see citizens of these countries always putting their country first even when their leaders don’t.
That is the least we can do for our country. Whether you hold a foreign passport, you will always be Ugandan.
The other one is a piece of paper that can be taken away, but no one can take away our country. It is also naivety to expect a guy thousands of miles away is going to have our best interest at heart. Seems we haven’t learnt enough from history.
What do I suggest? As we push for the changes we want at every level, lets sell the good first.
Let’s promote our tourism, this money ends directly in the pockets of Ugandans who are involved in hospitality business, food and the rest. We have more mountain gorillas than anyone else and our neighbours have marketed the few they have and are making a killing. Let’s not scare away the tourism dollar that comes direct to the wanaichi. The government has failed us, but what have we done?
Let’s promote our diverse culture. Our creative arts industry is the most vibrant in East and Central Africa; we should do everything to milk this industry that has potential to employ the youth. We just took away an opportunity to expose that art to the global audience and we celebrated it! No.
Julius Kyazze, Entrepreneur
