Today is the first time I have seen Rukungiri top the twitter trends but it comes as no surprise in times like these.
It probably has the most exotic sounding name of all Ugandan districts and I am not even sure what the proper accent for pronouncing it is yet. As part of the original Kigezi or rather Rukiga geography, Rukungiri is a land of mixed farmers herded on hilly slopes of arable land.
Though the weather is not much different from that in Kabale, the people in Rukungiri particularly in Rujumbura speak more of the Nkore language rather than Rukiga. There is a debate on whether they are Bahororo or were ruled by the Bahororo hence the mix up.
The history is littered with chiefdom, resistances, expansionism and connection with the greater Rwanda and Ituri people. The real economic cash cow remained with Kanungu in the form of Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth National parks. That in my opinion is perhaps why the town does not seem to change much in decades. There is not much going on in terms of development.
But this often forgotten district has stamped its mark on Ugandan politics,perhaps owing to the resilient nature of its people. Aside from key army generals from this place, there is a trail of fodder on the President's own links to the district. In the late 90's there was a club of political elites from the district which disbanded with the advent of opposition politics.
In 1996, I witnessed first hand how a young boy from our school fell from a rally truck and broke his leg under the ensuing traffic of a political motorcade. In 2001, we were restrained indoors as we heard the shootout of police near the district stadium during another rally. Today, another young man died in no different circumstances. Someone's son, someone I might know; millennial Ugandan blood irrigating the soil in ideological differences way above his pay grade.
The stark difference between municipality and "district" appreciation of politics and consensus has meant that even if Rukungiri is the place where the FDC leader hails from, cohesion has been far from reality. The municipality has however remained a vocal hub of opposition politics if its representation is anything to go by. The script of Ugandan politics is a confusing tapestry, some actors take on jester roles and others are worse off- mere props. Sometimes, it is hard to tell who is fooling who? Sometimes, nobody knows who is playing for what team or what the marching orders are. Marxism and the Communism offshoot have been a forlorn relic of the cold war. The cycle to nirvana is seldom completed and the idea of a lumpen proletariat one that did not formidably survive Bonarparte. Occasionally, some buds flirt with the warm rays before the inevitable nip.
Economically, Rukungiri is probably one of the districts that suffers most from the stratification and micro-decentralization. If as is; to scratch from the dregs of a transparent glass; it cannot be faulted for being apolitical.
It probably has the most exotic sounding name of all Ugandan districts and I am not even sure what the proper accent for pronouncing it is yet. As part of the original Kigezi or rather Rukiga geography, Rukungiri is a land of mixed farmers herded on hilly slopes of arable land.
Though the weather is not much different from that in Kabale, the people in Rukungiri particularly in Rujumbura speak more of the Nkore language rather than Rukiga. There is a debate on whether they are Bahororo or were ruled by the Bahororo hence the mix up.
The history is littered with chiefdom, resistances, expansionism and connection with the greater Rwanda and Ituri people. The real economic cash cow remained with Kanungu in the form of Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth National parks. That in my opinion is perhaps why the town does not seem to change much in decades. There is not much going on in terms of development.
But this often forgotten district has stamped its mark on Ugandan politics,perhaps owing to the resilient nature of its people. Aside from key army generals from this place, there is a trail of fodder on the President's own links to the district. In the late 90's there was a club of political elites from the district which disbanded with the advent of opposition politics.
In 1996, I witnessed first hand how a young boy from our school fell from a rally truck and broke his leg under the ensuing traffic of a political motorcade. In 2001, we were restrained indoors as we heard the shootout of police near the district stadium during another rally. Today, another young man died in no different circumstances. Someone's son, someone I might know; millennial Ugandan blood irrigating the soil in ideological differences way above his pay grade.
The stark difference between municipality and "district" appreciation of politics and consensus has meant that even if Rukungiri is the place where the FDC leader hails from, cohesion has been far from reality. The municipality has however remained a vocal hub of opposition politics if its representation is anything to go by. The script of Ugandan politics is a confusing tapestry, some actors take on jester roles and others are worse off- mere props. Sometimes, it is hard to tell who is fooling who? Sometimes, nobody knows who is playing for what team or what the marching orders are. Marxism and the Communism offshoot have been a forlorn relic of the cold war. The cycle to nirvana is seldom completed and the idea of a lumpen proletariat one that did not formidably survive Bonarparte. Occasionally, some buds flirt with the warm rays before the inevitable nip.
Economically, Rukungiri is probably one of the districts that suffers most from the stratification and micro-decentralization. If as is; to scratch from the dregs of a transparent glass; it cannot be faulted for being apolitical.
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