DON’T MISS THE TEPETH CULTURAL CARNIVAL THIS WEEK

Later this week, Thursday 25^th, a groundbreaking event will take place in Tapac Sub County, Moroto district. It is the Tepeth culture day. According to the area LCIII chairperson, Peter Loboot, the occasion will showcase the wealth and beauty of the Tepeth cultural system. It will also be an opportune time for this border group of Karimojong people to put clear their intention and reason for crave for autonomy. They are yearning for an independent constituency – Tapac County.

Expected to attend this occasion are; Lukia Isinga Nakadama, the minster for Culture and Gender who shall -as arranged be accompanied by Janet Museveni, Minister for Karamoja affairs. Others will be district officials at their various capacities, but also other Sub County officials from Matheniko County and beyond are all invited. The celebration is also open for the general public, Tepeth, non-Tepeth, Karimojong, non-Karimojong, Ugandans, non-Ugandans, Africans, non-Africans.

The LCIII believes it will be a real big event and that the Tepeth will take clear advantage of it to lobby for development support. “We have vast land and other mineral resources, we have big development dreams, but we have no loud voice and no support”, Loboot said during an interview with this blog. He added that, “the function is geared towards displaying our strength as Tepeth people and requesting government and other partners from all corners of the world to step in and give support necessary for social, economic and political development”.

According to Loboot, the Tepeth have been hugely sidelined by way of representation and distribution of development projects at the greater Matheniko county and Moroto district as a whole. He said social services growth schemes are poorest in his Sub County compared to other parts of the Constituency. Sighting the absence of a secondary school despite government arrangement to establish and support post primary education at Sub County level, Loboot said the jamboree will give a chance for the people to present their cry to the guys in power.

However, according to Sisto Lokiru, the Gombolola Internal Security Officer (GISO) of the area, this event was planned by the Sub County in consultation with and support from Moroto District Local government as a whole. “The main objective of the occasion is to launch a community-driven campaign against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) which is commonly practiced by the Tepeth people, yet is very unhealthy, Scary, degrading and unlawful” Lokiru observed.

The GISO explained that the culture day will enable the community demonstrate their commitment to kick FGM out of their land and embark on development activities that government and development associates can provide. Another prominent issue that might come up during the event is that of security. Although disarmament program is as said, a real success story in Karamoja region, Tapac which sits on a precipitous land still faces the problem of presence of illegal guns and the weapons have continued to cause havoc to the inhabitants and their neighbours. More to this is the presence of arms in neighbouring Turkana region of Kenya.

The communication of every issue at hand will be done mainly through Music, dance and drama, but powerful speeches from Tepeth elders and key leaders is also expected to send the message home. This foundation festival according to Lokiru will see all cultural activities; signs, outfits, songs, dance, dexterity, believes etc displayed to ensure marketing of the Tepeth breed and also to let the young generation have a feel of their culture.

Tapac Sub County is located to the extreme East of Matheniko County in Moroto district of Karamoja region. It borders the republic of Kenya to the East –touching Turkana land at Lodwar district and the soils of North Pokot district in Kenya. To the south of the Sub County is Amudat district. Nadunget and Katikekile Sub Counties also neighbour Tapac from the West and North western respectively. Like most people in the Karamoja region, the Tepeth practice animal grazing as their main livelihood activity with subsistence crop growing carried out on a very small scale.

The Sub County is composed of six parishes including Tapac which has six abnormally large villages (each village in this Sub County is the size of a parish in other parts of the country,). Other parishes are Katikekile with six villages, Loyaraboth having 3 villages and Kodonyo with six villages.  Others are Nakwanga of seven villages and Natumkale (not accessible by road) composed of four villages.

Although the cultural gala is organised by Sub County authorities, the event will involve all Tepeth people from all over the region. The Tepeth are also found in another separate Sub County called Katikekile at the edge of Moroto Municipality. According to the GISO the Tepeth ground in Karamoja is approximately 300sq KM.  Reader, you could get more by attending the cultural fare this Thursday at the Sub County headquarters in Tapac.

 

 

 

 

 

WHO ARE THE PENSION BENEFICIARIES? WHO ARE THE GIRRAFFES OF MOROTO HIGH SCHOOL?

Back from my official hideout at planet B! I touched the ground at exactly 2:00PM on this chilly Friday in Moroto town; the first thing to catch me was the fresh news on The Daily Monitor website, “Government Stops Pension, Gratuity Payments”. That more than 60,000 retired civil servants would eat air for some good months as government mounts an operation on wild cuts that are allegedly diverting benefits of the dead, the ignorant and the ‘unconnected’ citizens of this Country. The ‘cats’ reportedly direct shares of these unfortunate groups to their personal accounts.

Uganda at present in my view, ought to be called ‘the pain... ’, and not the pearl of Africa any more. The pension recipients countrywide will sob bitterly following this reported -intended delay. But it is better to cry with anticipation than stay cheated because of ignorance caused probably by denial of information. I refer to millions of Ugandans who do not have any ‘connection’ or access to information or assistance to enable them access such country benefits.

These defenseless creatures are mainly found in the vulnerable regions. You will meet them in Northern Uganda; Acholi land and the soils of Lango. You will see them in Teso, but most of them are also suffocating here in the heat of Karamoja. The need to dig into this corruption suspicion is crucial, but the other very important thing that government should do is to release the nuts on procedures of retirement and processing of benefits- even for the dead ones. Otherwise millions of former civil servants with no benefits are commonplace. They usually complain that the procedure takes a lot of time, money and blood.

Our upcountry beneficiaries are hindered by the transport costs and the absence of what government employees refer to as ‘connections’ at Kampala level. It would make better sense for the Country to decentralise some of these offices that handle benefits of retiring workers so as to reduce the cost to the recipient and to the central government - in terms of work load and also to make it difficult for the wild fat cats in Kampala to continue milking poor village based citizens.

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Moroto: A week ago when students –young boys of Moroto High school scored four goals to just one in a football match they ‘Giraffes” had with Nakapelimen FC here in Moroto, I had a lot of laughter. One of my friends, my good neighbour is a super striker for the mighty Nakapelimen FC. During this particular game – the Semi Final of the famous though poorly facilitated Huhuru Cup, my man did not even have a shot on target. Yes, they lost to the kids and the excuse he gave was that “those boys take a lot of porridge!”

Another colleague in the Nakapelimen league said “our boys took too much of beer the previous day and you know, they had hangover”. The other thing that another player was about to say was that “our boys are married and they had a lot of sex the night before...” these boys almost took away my lungs. Anyway, football is a very exciting game! I don’t advise soccer stars to get addicted to drugs. I used to test Lira-Lira but I remember it affected my speedometer as a trusted winger at Kabalega S.S. I could vomit form whenever I tried to Inzicruiz so as to cross the line and give the goal keeper a killer shot. These days am retired, but not tired of playing football.

Soldiers: I always believe in, and support soldiers because they use military might in everything they do in this world. I cannot believe that the UPDF for instance is a weak force. Bush battles aside; we are talking about other tasks like games, sports. To the Huhuru cup here in Moroto, the army took it last year using the obvious usual military capacity! After escaping the wrath of Nakapelimen FC, the porridge boys of Moroto High School mysteriously invaded the military armoury in Moroto Friday and gave the UPDF a run for their haughtiness.

Personally I did not cheer the porridge boys although the whole world present seem to back the kids against our defence guys. For me, the lession learnt from their game –the Final play to determine the Huhuru cup champions were two; that over-confidence is a killer disease, my combatants had it all. They said it in the bars and in all public places that they at last would retain the cup. It didn’t work out, and it will as well not work for you bombastic man, lady outside there too!

The other is that, luck is for real; even as the match started, everything indicated that the military would win, but a weak pass, a minor personality created the lonely goal for the porridge drunkards and it was end of business for the combatants. Forceful attempts even worsened the UPDF game by producing ‘unfair’ red cards.  Sorry dear losers, take care of tomorrow dear winners...

 

 

           

           

 

THE GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY WE SHOULDN’T MISS

Understanding Conflict:

 

Tepethland is not like Moroto town. Whereas you get mixed up every evening with raucous musical sound and noise of drunken brethrens and sisters while in town, real peace and tranquillity prevails while in Tapac - a typical indigenous African village setting. So I took advantage of this reverential environment behind the mountain to read and complete David Augsburger’s book, Conflict Mediation Across Cultures (Pathways and Patterns).

 

In it, Augsburger explores the true description of conflict, the fuel to it in the traditional time and at the contemporary moment. He also presents some plausible ways of handling clashes from corner to corner in different traditions. I found the book so rich, so challenging and very relevant to my current work, but also good for mending the existing (but-not easily visible) misapprehension between different people who live and work in Karamoja today.

 

I liked this observation: "conflict is a visible sign of human energy; it is the evidence of human urgency; it is the result of competitive striving for the same goals, rights and resources." Augsburger writes that disputes are part and partial of human nature much as most times it is destructive, he says it is also remarkably constructive!

 

The author reminded me of "The Opportunity we missed" debate, some two months ago. Here was when one open minded member of the Karimojong community sighted ‘a wrong’ in the way of sharing family fate as one people. The family dogs barked at the boy, and the boy’s relatives almost killed the dogs. It was fire. But Augsburger would curse my brothers who exchanged live bullets at the time, yet he would also say that the clash was necessary.

 

The book says "if a group were found in which such ebb, flow and counter flow did not exist; it would show no discernible life process". It goes on to emphasise, "in one society unwelcome words or deeds may be met with immediate violence, in another with covert attack through ... witchcraft or curse, a third moves toward compromise or conciliation. In some, a wrong requires retaliation, in others restraint. In one group honour is regained by revenge, in another honour is lost by retaliation since it lowers the avenger to the level of the offender". And my memory tells that the conflict fuelled by "the Opportunity we missed "debate openly lowered the fighters of the ‘wrong’ to -below the level of the offender!

 

I also learnt that global growth has come with gadgets that are now active in fuelling conflicts; these are industrialisation, urbanisation and technicalization. "All encourage contact among people, competition between increased visibility of inequities, injustices and inertia in social institutions." Thus, facebook, twitter, the use of phones, newspapers, radio, T.V and blogs are some obvious prerequisites for conflicts in today’s world. They encourage contact with strangers; they encourage participation in a discussion of a topic coined by strangers...

 

Personally I’ve ever hit my nose on media fuelled conflicts. Three months ago, a stranger - woman whose facebook face is the only thing I know insulted and worried me. I thought she would divorce her husband –just because she failed to understand the chat message that I unknowingly posted on her wall. Another chaos came my way when I posted a security story on a networking site; members cursed my actions to a point where others wanted my job to go to the dogs.

 

Indeed, the internet has become a very dangerous platform in a way, as rebel groups also use it for making revelations on the damages they cause. The al-Qaida network for instance uses the internet to threaten the world or to claim responsibility for killings or destructions committed. The Al-Sha-bab militants in Somalia are also in this business and several professional corn-men the world over as well use the internet platform or the media at large to make money through abduction of individuals and asking for ransom.

 

Other common fights that now live in the Karimojong working environment are those caused by such things as: Greed; greed is healthy but it hurts not only people, but the work goal. In most cases one man can assume to be more energetic, knowledgeable enough to do a single task so that -selfishly he/she can eat large. As we must know, ` team is stronger than individual.’ There is also prejudice; discriminatory characters judge others unfairly according to ethnicity, sex, skin, social status or regions of origin. Life and work become so traumatic and the targets are buried.

 

I pray and sob for the restoration of fairness, the adoption of merit systems and professionalism in our working environments, here in Karamoja, in our Country, in the African continent and indeed the world over. An open approach to settling conflicts and solving problems in my view would definitely make the world a far better planet to spend our lives. Off to the weekend house...

　

　

　

THE LAW IS ALIVE YET YOUNG GIRLS CONTINUE TO BLEED

   Girls this size in Pokot &Tepeth are already booked for marriage

She is called Christine. Her real name is Naupe. The 13 year old girl is in painful hiding from two of her people’s most cheeky cultural practices. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and forceful early marriage for the girl child are the most disturbing cultural order for Pokot and Tepeth girls in Uganda and Kenya.

The season for FGM is here. It is practiced during harvest time when food is available to keep victims indoors for weeks or months after their ‘sweet aerials’ are cut off. Then immediately, wealthy men – no matter the age, men with animals can ferry these disabled children off to their dark sleeping chambers; for sex, sex that should ‘according to elders’ taste sweet to only one side – not to the feminine, -only for the masculine whose pistons are at large.

This is the story of Christine Naupe. Poor Naupe crossed the border about a month ago after several battles with her parents deep in Nasal –North Pokot district of Kenya. “I was already forced into marrying a very old man who offered goats and cattle to my parents, but the man’s condition made me think of dying instead”. The old man demanded of Naupe to go through ‘the women stabilising’ initiation process –FGM.

“I could not bear the pain of being cut because last year three girls died after over-bleeding caused by the mutilation and about 15 girls in our neighbourhoods disappeared due to fear of the practice” Naupe told this blog. Even after bargaining for the price of the girl and convincing the prey into this nasty cross-generational bondage, the old man in question continued to ask for more.

Naupe said “I was already set to stay with him because my parents convinced me that the wealth accrued would help our family. The only thing that made me jump off is the knife; old men believe that when a girl is not chopped, she can still move out with other men”.

Naupe trekked, crossed the border from Kenya into Amudat district of Uganda where some of her family relations exist. “I woke up, got out of the house at about past-midnight and started to my relatives in Amudat.”

By 10: am of a new day – a Saturday, the girl was at her aunt’s home in Amudat and by 6:00pm same day, the boys from Kenya following- hunting for her, also touched the same soil, but; “I was inside when they arrived and started asking for me. My aunt protected, told them she didn’t see me and as they proceeded to another relative’s home, I planned another journey that took me to Loroo and finally to here, to Tapac.”

As we curse, Naupe is currently trying to forge life eating free posho and beans –sharing with Tepeth pupils at Tapac Primary school. The catholic mission in Tapac learnt of her plight and the long journey she cleared before securing for her shelter in this school. Naupe also reported that she was in Primary two before her breasts developed eyes. With only one pair of clothing, no shoes –sandals, no beddings, no sanitary things –basin, soap... she still feels better while here –away from home.

Naupe is not alone; hundreds of Pokot and Tepeth girls go through this shameful and painful experience year in and out. According to media reports, last year alone 169 girls were cut. More 317 girls were abused in the year 2010 and a shocking 500 others were dissected in 2009. Although the percentage is promisingly coming down, more effort is really needed to hit the last nail on the FGM coffin.

Human rights activists rightly argue that the practice disgustingly infringes on the rights of women as it causes terrifying corporal and emotional injuries on them. Doctors also say a woman who has been cut is at high risk of developing gynaecological problems which might cause terrible difficulties during child birth. However, very little is directly being done by our governments to ensure its total elimination.  

Uganda enacted the FGM law in 2009. It is now up to the people and their leaders to ensure that the effort to fight the monkey business is taken seriously. For instance in July last year, 36 community leaders composed of kraal heads, religious bosses and LCs of Pokot Sub region –Amudat district signed a declaration to advocate against the practice. Such pronouncements should be encouraged and they must be walked and not merely written or talked.

 

NO BODY CAN STOP REGGAE! I WILL WRITE FGM NEXT WEEK

Two key issues dragged my mind this week. First, the surprise I received from this dim African whose egocentric aspiration is to see this platform dead and buried. But I say, even if it should die I will not burry it, I might choose to let it rot and taint all flowers in the crazy creature’s world! Will this amazing son of Adam burry it? I don’t think! I strongly believe that it takes sound mind to participate in the entombment of this podium should magic let it perish anyway.

The other matter is the pain in my neck. It came probably because from next week, my week days’ posting will be no more. I have acquired shelter outside the global village and will be spending my blue life here till weekend. But as I jet back to the global village, I have already told the chairperson to inform the villagers that I will always have a show. My hope is that the performance MUST keep the audience in hang-over for five good days before I get back with another rap at weekend.

I was almost browbeaten by the careless attack of the imp in paragraph one. But the words of Ramit Sethi kept my head high and the world should trust me, I will go by this man’s view. In an introductory note for a business counsel, Sathi writes:  

“Why you should stop listening to kooky weirdos about money.
How many of us have friends and family that are FULL of advice...that makes NO sense?
Your parents will tell you, "real estate is the best investment!" Your college advisor will tell you, "Better take Chinese! The future is in China!" And your friends will tell you about this "super-cool investment strategy" that they read about on a penny stock site.
Isn't it weird how everyone feels their opinion counts? Let me be the first to tell you: No. No, it doesn't.”

Ramit is inclined on pure business for money and wealth. But I will use this entrepreneur’s idea to walk all roads; do all businesses as long as my final destination is a free world, a peaceful planet, a developed earth.

Now reader, you can believe that am strong enough at this point. At First, I almost shifted the goal post. I even started a mini-business.  Your blogger bought second-hand wheelbarrows and put them in the hands of idle, docile and redundant boys in Camp Swahili town. I wanted to be one of the employers within and around! But by Monday this week, one of my drivers (wheelbarrow drivers) was already in pupu! This grouchy woman grabbed my crap from the driver claiming it was stolen from her compound. I swear, I bought the machine from a timber workshop using hard earned cash. The case is still in the LC court, and I need a lawyer ASAP.

There is news that would have come live on this site this week. It didn’t make it. It covers; the twist of events at Nakichumet where opportunists have started taking advantage of the calamity. As travellers try to find alternatives for easy movement, Lucifer’s boys are also scheming to do what their kingdom expects of them. Children of God must continue facing the mountain - praying hard for the devil’s mission to sink and sink forever!

Next in news was the pain mothers pass through in giving birth. This blog witnessed the passing on of a mother with baby in the stomach in Tapac behind Mount Moroto. A recent report put Karamoja region at the top end of this country in maternal death rate. If we are to generate reasons, they revolve around: culture, it is still poor.

Most of our mothers still have deep trust in the traditional birth systems where spirits are relied on fully to pull babies out from wombs. Poverty; our mothers are not yet there –where special feeding, particular medical expenses, ample rest time (in Karamoja a woman and a donkey have no difference) are covered. Thus, these mothers have to work hard at any cost despite what condition so they can eat and not die. Others are poor medical infrastructure or pitiable logistics in the available health units or few and or inadequately qualified medical professionals...

I also needed to alert all concerned bodies that harvest season is here and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) activists ought to face Tepeth and Pokot. Young girls have started disappearing from these communities because they get locked off in small huts and their ‘sweet aerials’ are sliced off just like that. Since this week is already wasted and nothing news has come out from this site, I will come back give a vivid account of this shameful practice (FGM) next week. Just next week. Trust me.

 

 

 

 

WHAT HAS THIS SEPTEMBER BROUGHT FOR KARAMOJA?

There is something that seems wrong with this month. This September started entirely in bad disposition. The only thing news is bloody! In a span of hardly one week; strange, fatal or actually death reports are the things people can hear and talk of. As I put this down, a colleague at my work place is reported bruised in an accident. She was on her way home to leak the sugar in an annual leave. Back at office, we are on our knees -to pray hard for her quick recuperation.

But the main issues are these critical accidents that rocked the vicinity of my current location – Karamoja. Comical ones are those reported at two Campuses of discipline –the prison stories in Kotido and Moroto. In Kotido, inmates reportedly scattered into the bushes as police officers in charge went for body fitness exercise -a road run. Bullets, am told roared in this dusty town until most of the campus students were fetched back.

Similarly, in Moroto, the afande in charge was ostensibly duped by these disciplined citizens. The boys, am told tricked police that they needed to pick their phone calls from nature! Boy, eye witnesses narrate that these students took the role of Steven Kiprotich after getting behind some bush. Police had no option but to shoot without missing. One unlucky gold medallist was hit and hurt not in the leg as required. Good thing, this wounded sprinter is currently chewing free medicine at Moroto regional referral boarding school.

Critical injuries caused by Asian craps called pikipikis are of all most weird considering the way they rocked the region. It’s unbelievable, yet we must accept and probably do something about it –at least pray for it.  Late last week; a man on a bike in Nakapiripirit district reportedly hit at a Tipa Lorry and his bones were immediately in broken pieces, limbs were badly out of order according to reports. As we say our prayers, the victim is receiving help in West Germany because no hospitals and no doctors were good enough for his assistance within our Country.

At the same time, another Youngblood in Moroto also landed with one more pikipiki and painfully broke all his two legs –bones chopped.  As we pray, this brother is being nursed at Mulago Hospital. Another man in Nyakwae Sub County of Abim district Friday last week reportedly kick-started the engine of his bajaj machine and entered gear one, gear two, three and four at the highest speed as he aimed at the sign post. His injuries according to those who saw are also terrible.

The motorbikes’ accident report that reached this website indicates that between Friday and Saturday last week alone, a total of nine people were admitted at Morulem Health Centre and most of them got transferred to Matany Hospital. A friend of mine who visited Matany tells that, the surgical ward is the busiest at present. “Almost every case is serious and nearly all of them are accidents from motor bikes”, he says. Before completing this write up, here is a phone call and guess what? Another accident! My Two home boys who were heading to Abim to attend two separate funeral services have entered the pikipiki ‘ambush!’ Moroto regional referral is trying to do service on the one injured person. As we pray, I even fear now to board a boda boda. My bicycle will be my jet for now.

Then, fire on the mountain! This should have been my catch-word; like never before, I almost witnessed live gunshot to kill. As we traversed Nakonyen village in Tapac Sub County Monday, people are on the run. The driver and me are stuck in thought that the farmers are either jogging to capture time, or the heavens is beginning to bleed. It was a simple stop that gave us the lession.

A self appointed 2^nd lieutenant is down and blood is burbling from his coconut. The young warrior clad in an army uniform had his ‘made-of-thread’ rank. According to the UPDF, the boy had a gun and was shooting at the combatants, before the trained men shouted bullets on his head. The army say the ‘lieutenant’ was with two other boys who had no guns, the two scattered free. Other cases of shootings and death are said to have occurred in Lorengedwat...

Thus, in order to try and save lives, traffic police might need to do more serious and real verification of the riders. There is need to regulate on speed. Police have all other possible reasons for the occurrence of accidents; I call upon them to do something. Then, as the grass continue to grow toll, let’s watch that some stubborn brothers still try to take advantage and look for innocent lives...Let’s be careful, this must be a crazy month!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHY ENCOURAGE DIFFERENT COLOURS IN KARAMOJA?

“The golden opportunity we missed” has, to me, now become the golden opportunity we reaped! Is there anyone who disputes this fact?  Yes, I mean, we picked a lot from the message that John Bosco Ngoya unwrapped from his Karimojong heart last week after attending a ‘family’ ceremony in which sons, daughters and elders of the semi-arid state had converged to celebrate the survival of one of the sons.

 

Thanks are to God! The boy escaped a real national disaster. His name is Maj. Okidi, the UPDF pilot that survived death early this month. Don’t forget - the debacle claimed seven lives of fellow countrymen. The combatants encountered this mess in Kenya, when the plane crashed. They were heading to that failed state –Somalia...for a wrestle with the mighty Al-Shabab militants. So the thanks-giving ceremony was really a welcome thing. Thanks to Oscar, Amuno and all other living things that crafted the event. I didn’t attend it, but I hope all those who attended the thing went with the ‘prayer heart’ of God and not that ‘cursing heart’ of God’s lost son - Lucifer.

For the uninformed; some dirty exchange of written dycentry came up after this prayer opportunity for the lucky pilot. It was something that took place in Kampala any way. Ngoya John Bosco stated this of the party:
  

"Dear Sons and daughters of Karamoja,

Oscar Kanyangareng, sometime last week placed an open invitation for a great many of us to attend the thanksgiving prayer to be held at Victory Church for Major Okidi, the only pilot who made it to Somalia amidst the accident that rocked the nation a short while ago.  I thought this was an opportunity for us to celebrate this wonderful achievement as a region and probably galvanize our efforts around this event while strategists could be crafted in to see how to move Karamoja forward.  The service went great with the pastor blessing all the leaders and praying for the nation.  However, the reception turned a little off the mark since it turned into an Abim district affair (Ethur), a clan thing.  Got disappointed and walked out. I started cogitating, "When shall the Karimojong forget of these petty divisions and rise above the ....ness? Not sour graving but just wondering when we shall have a new breed of Karimojong (I hope the Ethur are Karimojong) galvanizing others for greater courses of action."

In my view, Ngoya’s outburst above is crucial because; it gives us a chance to identify the problems we have, but most importantly, I feel the message also gives us a chance to shoot the breeze on solutions for grievances at hand, so that we can make our Karamoja a better place to live in. Unfortunately, some people have chosen to take it wrongly. Some have gone personal, others are shouting simply because they crave to defend that -their Mammy’s food is best. Even those who have read wheelbarrows of books are engaging in this stupid tag. What for?

For me, a person who speaks out his mind is no enemy. He is actually a true friend. But one who represses issues at heart is enemy number one! When we tend to over-defend ourselves, we tend to sound guilty. Some people have made Ngoya’s statement look like a legal battle where lawyers have to scratch hard to ensure a win. In this way, some ungrateful friends have wrongly depicted Ngoya as a villain; others have simply exposed their weaknesses. Reading through the mails, I was able to identify probable traitors and credible Karimojong; –kudos Dr. Limilim, bravo to you Mark Ilukol! Thanks Oscar for your humble and clarifying remarks, but also JBN, let the free thinking roll on.

What is wrong with stating that there is divisionism in our region and probably suggesting that we need to sort it out? In fact, let me add that the thing is there and it may eat us up one day for as long as we are timid to quash it out. Do we need president Museveni to declare that Abim is a different region? Even if that is done, clan conflicts will still develop, then family clashes will grow, then we go back to live the life of lonely dangerous warriors in the bushes! Are we going forward or are we shrinking?

Some time back, I applied for a job in one of our districts and got shortlisted. But stress! The pain from common talks like to segregate according to; ngitoburit, ngimatheniko, ngibokora, ngidotho, ngijie, ngipian, ngitepeth, ngipokot...disheartened me! I did not attend the interview because I saw it as wastage of time, money, knowledge (that I could pour in front of the panel) and wastage indeed of integrity (as I felt the gang in the panel would look at me with prejudice).

The bottom-line:  The region is infested with tribalistic propensity and we should encourage talking it out, for it is only what we are told and we know that we can work on. What we don’t want to know will remain a problem for ever. Finally, I must boldly mention that Ngoya gave his view freely; Oscar gave a clarifying statement on the issues raised by Ngoya, but no! JB Amuno and Sagal Abraham, you traded in written dysentery. In your statements you went personal and you did not suggest any genuine solution...

Praises for you all.