Africa-Press – Uganda. Members of the Bakenyi tribe have petitioned government over being perennially under counted during national population censuses.
Through the Bakenye rights NGO, Bakenyi Education Foundation (BEF), the community wants government to rectify this anomaly so as to help them enjoys their existential rights as an indigenous tribe recognized by the constitution of Uganda.
George William Wabwire, the Managing Director of BEF faulted the Uganda Bureau of Statistics for not properly representing them in national census figures, which weakens their power to equitably share on the national cake and fully benefit from the various socioeconomic development interventions by government.
Wabwire premises his call on the results of the recent 2014 census which showed that the tribe has only 99,880 members, up from a population of 62,009 in 2010.
However, Wabwire says the above figures are very small, citing a 2002 independent survey by global Minority Rights Group International which put the Bakenyi population at 1.2 million people.
The results of the research which was led by Dr. Wairema Becker alongside local Bakenyi rights organizations including Bakenyi Isaanga Development Association (BIDA) were put to UBOS, which however did not do much to remedy the situation.
Wabwire, a former BIDA Executive Director says UBOS put the blame on the BakenyI people who prefer to declare themselves as members of other tribes.
He has since called upon government to empower the Bakenyi through deliberate affirmative action so as to uplift them to enjoy their rights of belonging and association as granted by the constitution.
“It is not possible that the Bakenyi naturally declined in numbers; actually they should have increased to more millions but suffer an identity crisis whose causes we want government to help address,” he said.
Wabwire revealed that the Bakenye changed into a new and distinct tribe after they migrated out of Buganda in the 18th century following the civil war between princes Junju and Semakokiro.
He noted that being a fishing community from Sese Island, they settled around the Lake Kyoga basin in the areas of Teso, Lango and Bukedi.
However, these would face persecution during the NRA bush war of the early 1980s, with mainly the Langi and Itesots labeling them NRA/M rebel collaborators since they were Bantu-speaking.
He adds that tt is out of fear if such persecution that many dispersed to different areas of Uganda where most of them identify as members if the dominant host communities.
However, Wabwire has urged Bakenye to stop hiding, saying the country is now peaceful and with enough structures to enable every Ugandan live freely.
“The constitution of Uganda in the third schedule recognizes us as one of the indigenous tribes of this land. We therefore enjoy equal rights as the other Ugandans, which should be reason enough for us to be proud of who we are and our heritage. I therefore urge all Bakenye to proudly identify themselves because the Ugandan government has put in place structures, systems and laws to protect our rights like any other Ugandans.”
Wabwire said BEF has launched a nationwide campaign to unite all Bakenye as the first step to lobby government to improve their socioeconomic status.
“All Bakenye can now join our social media channels under Bakenye Community Link where we discuss matters peculiar to us. Later, we shall hold physical gatherings to see how we can help ourselves not to lag behind since we also have a duty to build our country.We can only do so if we uplift ourselves first,” he said.
He called upon the Bakenye to attend the inaugural Bakenye Consultative meeting organized by BEF at Imperial Royale Hotel on October 28 .
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