Ethnicity and Conflicts in

Uganda
Ethnic Politics in Uganda
 Definition
• An ethnic group which some call tribe is a social
category of people in a country who share a
common myth of origin, common history,
common language, common customs and
common culture.
• All the above do not have to be present for an
ethnic group to qualify to be an ethnic group. It
may be some of them present.
• An ethnic group is socially constructed. It is not in
born. It is always changing although it takes a
long time to change.
 Ethnicity
• The existence of an ethnic group does not necessarily translate
into ethnicity.
• Ethnicity is a negative phenomenon where one ethnic group or
many ethnic groups use their ethnic belonging to discriminate,
harm, oppress, marginalize etc others.
• An ethnic group in itself is innocent but it is the
instrumentalization or weaponization of ethnic belonging to
create othering other ethnic groups. To mobilize ethnic group
belonging in say political competition or resource competition
with other ethnic groups.
• To label other groups, to stereotype others, to humiliate them etc
is what constitutes ethnicity.
• To use the Marxist language, to turn an ethnic group from being
an ethnic group in itself to an ethnic group for itself.
 Manifestations of ethnicity in Uganda
• Ethnicity is manifested in many different ways
• In political competitions, elections, business,
allocation of resources such as licenses,
scholarships, jobs, job promotions, land
allocation, political appointments, in church
leadership, and even who accesses justice and
who does not get justice.
• In Uganda it manifests in service delivery also etc
 Manifestation of ethnic conflicts in Uganda
• Some examples of how ethnicity has manifested in Uganda in
our post colonial history.
• Political parties in Uganda have manifested ethnicity such a KY
or PP belonging to one ethnic group in leadership and following
• There has been a tendency for voters to support a certain party
because the leader comes from their ethnic group e.g langi
supporting UPC or Westerners supporting NRM or Baganda
supporting NUP.
• other manifestations were through political conflicts which
sometimes were violent.
• There was a case of Uganda versus Baganda politics on the eve
and in the first years of Independence.
• At Independence there were many ethnic conflicts in Uganda as
reflected in the Lancaster house constitutional talks. The Batoro
vs Bamba and Bakonjo, Baganda vs Banyoro, Bagisu Vs sabiny,
Bairu Vs Bahima, Bakiga Vs Bafumbira etc
 Manifestations cont.
• Idi Amin targeting Langi and Acholi in murdering them in the
1970s, Acholi and Langi killing many west Nilers during the early
1980s, Luwero where ethnic Banyankore, Banyarwanda and
Buganda clashed with UNLA army mainly composed of Langi,
Iteso and Acholi
• The Lords Resitance Army of Kony composed mainly of Acholi
etc etc
• In allocation of resources there has been a tendency for the ethnic
group where the president comes from at a general level to benefit
from the government of the day because the president comes from
such an ethnic group
• These ethnic tendencies lead to political conflicts along ethnic
lines thus weakening the development of political consensus in
the country
• Weakening the efforts of state and nation building and leading to
unequitable allocation of public resources
 Causes of Ethnicity
• Many factors have contributed to the emergency and sustainance of ethnicity
in Uganda
• Colonial legacy is one such a factor. Colonial system of indirect rule created
more ethnic ties than national bonds (Read how colonialism created ethnic
bonds)
• Politicians using ethnic mobilisation covertly or overtly
• Voters also encouraging their candidates by giving support according to ethnic
belonging
• Those in power murdering people of one ethnic group or rebels also murdering
another ethnic group
• State allocating public resources such as jobs, scholarships, loans, licenses etc
according to ones ethnic belonging
• Recruitment into security forces or public service following the ethnic criteria
etc
• Targeting ethnic groups for state sponsored murders
• Prejudices and stereotyping ethnic groups
• Delivery of social services discriminately by the state and favouring one ethnic
group against the other
 Efforts by governments to limit the phenomenon
of ethnicity in Uganda
• The Obote government tried to address ethnicity by abolishing federalism and monarchism
in the 1960s
• Obote and UPC attempted to ban multi-parties in Uganda in the 1960s
• Amin banned parties and any form of political competition in the 1970s
• The UNLA government removed the naming of districts according to ethnic groups and
instead used towns. In the past we had Ankole, Teso, Acholi, Toro. Busoga districts etc
• These were changed in 1979 to be named after towns such as Mbarara, Fortportal,
Lira ,Soroti, Mbale etc
• NRM came up with the movement system and more less banned political parties
• It also came up with the anti sectarian law
• The regimes have been trying to balance cabinet appointments etc
• The constitution has provisions for balancing development equitably among ethnic groups
• However all these efforts have not been so successful. The regimes only pay lip services to
balancing resource allocations
• The regimes have been saying one thing but practicing different things. Combating ethnic
tensions and divisions needs a commitment by those in power to have a good will and
practice what they say. No amount of legal provisions will discourage ethnicity. No amount
of condemning ethnicity will overcome it until rhetoric matches actions. Let those in
positions of power stop practicing ethnicity and the masses will gradually follow suit.
 Question for recapitulation
• Examine the causes and manifestations of
ethnicity in Uganda since Independence