UGANDA

are just there to take instruction?”
NATIONAL CONFLICTS
Participants alleged that Museveni’s Government sold off all Ugandan-owned assets to
the President’s family and foreign financiers. 193 The youth pointed out that people hailing
from western Uganda have a decent opportunity to gain employment and lead happy
lives, while people from the other parts of the country languish in poverty. 194 They added
that Uganda’s business infrastructure and investments can be found predominantly in
the western side of Uganda. A female participant from West Nile (Arua) commented
that, “All we have here are so-called reconstruction efforts; building health centres
without doctors and medicines. It is better to get treated under a mango tree than to die
in a hospital bed without a doctor and no medicine.” 195
The unarmed conflicts highlighted during the NRTJ Audit are reportedly manifestations
of poor governance that breed national inequality based on ethnicity. Such societal
divisions could prove disastrous to national unity, harmonious co-existence and
sustainable peace in the country, and create a high potential for anarchy and violent
internal conflicts in Uganda.
27. Conflict related to decentralisation (1995-present)
The advent of the decentralisation policy in Uganda, which was justified by technocrats
on the basis that it was intended to take services closer to the people, subsequently
contributed to conflicts over leadership, ethnicity and employment in many communities
across the country.
Participants from Bunyoro Sub-Region cited daunting conflict between the Banyoro and
Bagungu tribes over unequal representation in district leadership positions and related
discrimination in access to employment opportunities. Similar grievances between
Batooro and Bakiga in Kibaale District have also led to violence. 196 Tension is also present
between the Babuya and Batikane in the Bagisu region and in many other cosmopolitan
communities in Uganda. In eastern Uganda there is a political conflict between the
Jophadola and Iteso over district leadership and jobs.
The desire to split Tororo District in two is primarily fuelled by Jopadhola domination
over the position of the Local Council Five (LCV) and over access to employment, given
that they are the majority in the district. 197 The minority, the Iteso, are keen to split
Tororo District so that they can constitute a majority in the newly created district and
more easily access leadership positions and other jobs as a result. 198 These conflicts
have all greatly affected development and harmonious co-existence. If not properly
addressed, they have the potential to spark future ethnic violence and contribute to
prolonged disunity. Unsurprisingly, affected communities are eager for the creation of
their own districts to solve the perceived problems of marginalisation, unaware that this
193 Ibid
194 Ibid
195 Ibid
196 Research conducted in Tororo and Hoima Districts
197 Research conducted in Tororo District
198 Ibid
95