Does Unity Mean Kissing Someone's Butt?

Abwoye was my childhood friend. He did not ask to be born in his family. Neither did I. We would visit one another's home or meet somewhere in the playground. Sometime we fought each other or ganged up against others. But we always made up and were tight. We were both different. Abwoye was an amiable guy, easy-going with an infectious smile. I was an aggressive and take-no-prisoner little tyke. At the end of the day we each retreated to our parent's house to re-energize. We later went on to different schools and colleges, earned degrees, and worked in various places and professions.

In Uganda we have many different families, tribes or groups. Just as Abwoye and I, no Uganda chose to be born in a family, tribe or group. That family, tribe or group is unique based on its experience and historical journey. Just as with Abwoye and I, we find ourselves having to interact with one another--sometime in play, work or conflict. At the end of the day we go back to the family, tribe or group to re-energize--not out of selfishness, hate or chauvinism but that is the way it is. In time, if we do it well, the family, tribe or group prospers and is strong--so are the others--and there is mutual respect. Overall the nation moves forward and prospers. This is the way it should be. Is it?

Unfortunately that is not the way it is in Uganda. We gain power and lord it over others in fear. The abused, in fear, now want to kiss the butts of the oppressor in the hope of some crumbs from the King's table. Meanwhile others go on rampages of tribal chauvinism of their group's greatness and superiority, all the while throwing Molotov cocktails of invectiveness towards their supposed inferior enemies, who also have nasty choice of words of their own. And the state of the nation that is not mentioned in the State of the Nation address flounders, but survives shakily by what my Christian friends would say, the grace of God.