Ugandans-At-Heart

Dear Ugandans,

Credit should go to Kabaka Kintu, who outlawed inter clan marriages or in house breeding, to borrow from MP Alex Onzima. He outlawed even one from marrying in his mother’s clan. Thus we have national integration in Buganda. Had Obote’s marriage with Miria Kalule was not foiled with 1966 crisis, it was the beginning of inter tribal marriages and we should encourage it.

For example, l don’t mind a person my child can marry so long as s/he is a Muslim. We have much in common as Africans, than what separates us. I don’t mind my daughter marrying a Congolese so long as he is a Muslim. Some Congolese Banyamulenge, Bahema, Balendu are nearer to us culturally than some of our tribes in Uganda. It is only the colonial boundary that is separating us. The Qur’an permits us to marry only people of the Book (The Bible) but not Animists as some people portray it. Muslim men are permitted to marry Jews and Christians but Muslim women are not allowed to marry non-Muslims. However a bi breed of religion may bring a half baked person. To be sincere with you l can not allow my daughter to bring a non Muslim suitor at my home. But she can bring any African so long as he is a Muslim. Some Ugandan Muslim parents belong to those that are after riches without considering which hands that brings them. Alhamdu Lillah l don’t belong to that category.I have attended many weddings in mosques and brides come in person and even write and sign on their registers and certificates. Visit any at Kibuli Mosque and you will see it. Some are held at Bukoto, Wandegeya and even Old Kampala.

Funerals

In Islam, as for burial, women attend burial, but not mixing up with men. I have attended many burials ceremonies especially of my own family and it is like that. I however know that some Muslims leave women folk at home for dodgy reasons but it is up to them to explain. The Qur’an dictates on how a woman should put on and it is no different from what St.Paul says in the Bible.

Arranged marriages

Like Africa and Asia, Islam also accepts arranged marriages although l don’t support them. There is no baptism in Islam, only God orders us to give our children good names. l can call my self only Africa names like Kateregga Kimera Musaazi without Ahmed, Abbaas and Zuliarabi. Islam and Christianity came and we can not do away with them. Let’s accept them but without fanaticism. Youths can interact in schools, places of worship, social and cultural activities like sports and cinema, etc…..Some Ugandans/Africans attempt to portray themselves as Zionist Christians which they can’t become however much they try.

Intermarriages can be legislated if law makers practise what they say. I have told you how Kabaka Kintu outlawed inter clan marriages, and one marrying to his/her mother’s clan. It has worked well. Thus in Buganda there is no classism be economic, social or cultural. Baganda are either Kabaka, official, chief, clan leader or peasant. All offices other than that of Kabaka and bataka are not hereditary. One can rise from a peasant to a Katikkiro etc….

If Obote had behaved well, even my self may have married in neighbouring Busoga or Bunyoro/Tooro or Ankole, or even the North especially among the Acholis, Alur or Adhola and if l were looking for a Muslim girl, then among Bombo Nubians or Madi or Aringa. But Obote messed it up and it is no longer a fashion. But this generation can take president Museveni’s advice on intermarriages and they advance it. We should remember that Nkrumah also married a Coptic Egyptian, but other Ghanaians did not follow him. Mandela has gone with a Mozambican l don’t know how many South Africans married our Ugandans, and even James Wapakhabulo is the only cerebrated Ugandan who married a Tanzanian.

If Obote had become a father of the nation as Nyerere was in Tanzania, we would have admired, imitated and copied him by marrying from other tribes especially in the north. But his love with Buganda was short lived, despite the marriage and we cursed him. l used to see Amin in papers pausing with his wives Madina and Sarah. Madiina from Mukono in Kyaggwe, who later became a personal friend, and Sarah from Masaka in Buddu. No wonder l saw many men of the day marrying Nubian girls. l don’t know whether it was for political connection like the way many Baganda men are marrying into Museveni’s tribe now. For me I decided to get my fellow Muganda Muslim but of Kooki origin since l am of Buddu origin. Her mother’s line is of Baganda immigrants to Kajara in Ankole, whose mother is a Munyankore. On my part, my mother is of Mamba clan, the mother to my father was of Ngabi clan, but the mother to my grandfather was of Nte clan, a Mugangaizi from Mubende, and the mother to my great great grand fasther is a Muhima, from Lwera valley on banks of River Katonga. Remember l am a Luo Mubiito with branches in Buganda, Bunyoro, Tooro, Busoga, Bugwere, Acholi, Lango, Alu, Adhola, Bahrel Ghazal etc….l am Ugandan enough.

Maama Miria Kalule belongs to Ngeye clan; it is the same clan where the mother to my mather belongs. She is on drip at Mulago Hospital (Not Maama Miria but my grandmother Mariam Nakakande). Please pray for her recovery despite old age of 75. forget getting any son or daughter of mine joining UPC. They hear from grand parents that Obote and UPC killed people and that is all. So other parties may try to encroach on them but not UPC.

Marrying one wife

l am already married and l don’t intend to add on another. However I will encourage my brothers, sisters, sons and daughters to embrace inter tribal marriages because they can save our country. Am bringing my up my children as African Muslims and there is no way they can disobey me. They know what we want as a family and what we don’t want. So they can not do that. Politically l have never indoctrinated them, but they are all NRM sympathisers and boys volunteered even to put up Museveni’s posters in our village and beyond. But among the daughters, one is a constructive critique of NRM.

Yes, a nation of tolerance does not mean producing half baked people. One should practice a religion of his parents and to that, inter religious and denominational marriages should be discouraged. That is the position of Bishop Marthias Ssekamaanya of Ligazi Diocese. He even repeated it recently in the presence of Kabaka Mutebi, VP Bukenya and Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala. A Ugandan should be my brother and my friend where each should tolerate another’s religion but not sneaking on my daughters nor should l do the same to yours. The best is to take Bishop Mathias Ssekamaanya’s advice, don’t allow inter religious marriages, practice in house breeding as far as religions and denominations are concerned.

Ahmed Katerega Mussazi

UAH forumist
Kampala