President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called for unity beyond tribal politics at the 2024 Southern and Eastern Africa Chief Justices Forum (SEACJF).
The President made the call while officiating at the opening ceremony of the Forum on October 1, 2024, at the Commonwealth Speke Resort, Munyonyo in Kampala.
“What is crucial for politics? Is it identity? Or is it interest? Now our people at that time, at independence and before, and even before the independence came. Our leaders were emphasizing the issue of identity—the identity of the tribe. Then later on they added the identity of religion,” the president remarked.
The President called for unity among Ugandans, noting, “Like me, I am a cattleman in my area there. So I produce milk, I produce beef, and I produce bananas. But members of my tribe don’t buy my milk. I need money to build a better house. And you have not bought my milk because you also have milk. You have the same problem. So that’s how we told our people, Look here, Uganda; the people who buy my milk are the people of Kampala. So that’s how we were able to tell our people, you people, that Uganda is more important for you than your tribes. If you want to prosper it.”
The President further called for patriotism and pan-Africanism, noting that that is one of the ways for countries to prosper.
“And that’s why we emphasize patriotism. You love Uganda. Why do you love Uganda? Because you need it for your prosperity, better than your tribes and religious groups. Then, pan-Africanism, you need Africa, not only East Africa,” he noted.
He went ahead to acknowledge the efforts of the former leaders of East Africa for putting together the East African Community.
“One anthem is for Uganda; the other one is for East Africa. I want to salute our elders, Umarim Nyerere, Milton Obote, and Jomo Kenyatta, who created this East African community in the 1960s,“ President Museveni said.
“East Africa can help you to buy what you have supplies here for. Oh, so now they are willing to wake up from the sleep, from the opium. It’s actually opium. Opium of tribes, religion, religious sectarianism. They are beginning to see that prosperity comes from producing a good or a service, “the president added.
The Forum, which has attracted over 19 Chief Justices from various countries in Africa, is convening to discuss pressing issues related to justice delivery.
The Southern and Eastern Africa Chief Justices Forum 2024 is expected to run from today, October 1, 2024, to October 4 in Kampala, Uganda.
This year’s theme is “Enhanced Access to Justice: Underscoring Reforms in African Judiciaries.
The Chief Justices Present are from countries like Lesotho, Eswatini, Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, the Seychelles, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania, including non-member states like South Sudan and Somalia.
