Opposition Mps of Uganda are Problematic

By Peter Gai Manyuon

September 16, 2013 (SSNA) — Since the newly appointed Minister of Interior of the Republic of South Sudan gave an order to stop Ugandans, especially the bodabodas (Ugandans] riders who were operating in the country for the last eight years beginning from 2006-2013. But, most Ugandans took the message wrongly even up to date they still conflict the actual message of the interior ministry. These Ugandans have been in South Sudan illegally without proper licenses and documents, number of crimes have increased in the new nation due to Ugandans and nothing have been taken seriously. They have been carrying most of the South Sudanese on their bodabodas and they ridded with high speed that have reduced the population of the new nation in one way and or another, and nothing have been taken seriously by the government of South Sudan.

Since the time South Sudanese people took arms against the northern Sudan from 1945 to 2005, most of the South Sudanese have been studying in different East Africans countries for some times. Up to date, majority of the citizens of South Sudan are still studying in universities, colleges, secondary, and primary schools in East Africa, particularly in Kampala, Uganda.  

The population of South Sudanese in Kampala is more than the number South Sudanese in Kenya due to many reasons. There are many reasons as to why Uganda is prefer by most the citizens of South; one of these reasons is a mistreatment of the people of South Sudanese by Kenyan police forces. Free movement in Kenyan towns was restricted during Daniel Arab Moi’s regime and too many illegal charges were used by Kenyan police and their associates to mistreat South Sudanese—most of those charges were meant to cause fear in the South Sudanese communities and ultimately ended up paying bribes to Kenyan police officers. This is one of the reasons why most South Sudanese prefer Uganda over Kenya. The hospitality that was given to South Sudanese by Ugandans was wonderful and should be appreciated, even though they are trying to complicate simple issues here and there. However, God almighty mentioned in the bible where he said ‘if someone did some things wrong to you, you should not response with bad thing”.

Based on the above history between the people of South Sudan and the Ugandans, you can see that the situation can get worse unless the two countries do something for the decency of the two nations.

Looking at Uganda, first of all, you find that most of Ugandans are doing business in South Sudan, especially they are washing clothes, selling second hand clothes, shoes and ridding bodabodas that caused a big tension recently where by five South Sudanese were killed by Ugandans in Kampala. In response, the minister of interior ordered the police Officers to arrest those who are ridding illegally without documents due to the current security issues that are taking place in South Sudan.

Ugandans have benefited from South Sudan and no one will dispute that, most of them have raised their buildings in Kampala base on huge Sum of money that they got from the new nation.

Coming to South Sudan; most of the people have studied in higher institutions in the Republic of Uganda for the last twenty one (21) years and the hospitality that has been shown to the South Sudanese by the Ugandans is very much appreciated and acknowledged without a doubt. Likewise, South Sudanese people are also good in term of socialization, togetherness and etcetera.

But right now, since there is serious tension from Ugandans people, I think South Sudanese might go back to their country one by one and therefore, very soon Ugandans will go to its originality where they were defending on begging on the streets all over the country for the last ten years and most of them are still begging.

Situation Analysis in Kampala

Most of Ugandans especially people from Ugandan opposition groups are the ones mistreating South Sudanese in Kampala; these opposition factions use useless accusations against South Sudanese people for many years. Most of them are not happy with the current relation between South Sudan and Uganda.

After the decree was issued by the South Sudanese Interior Minister, some few Ugandans begun harassing South Sudanese people who are studying in Uganda and about five people have been killed during night times and up to now, citizens of South Sudan live in fear.

More Ugandan Mps from the oppositions, especially those of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) are the ones who are now spearheading the initiative of suggesting to other parliamentarians to only give twenty four (24) hours to South Sudanese to leave Uganda for their Country. And the two Mps who are behind this are Nadala Mafabi and Olanya of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). And these very Mps are the ones who always complicate issues in Ugandan parliament; they are known in Uganda as people who lack good reasoning and diplomacy capacities. Thes FDC’s MPs have raised many motions in Ugandan parliament due to the issue of South Sudanese being in Uganda but the National Resistant Movement (NRM) MPs have regarded their motions as something that lack realities and facts. 

What can happen if all South Sudanese leave Uganda?

Most of Ugandans If not all, have benefited from South Sudanese in many ways, especially, in the educational sector. This is true and can be witnessed from Primary schools up to the Tartary Institutions of higher learning. South Sudanese have been paying school fees in hard currency because of the word “international”.

South Sudanese have been paying rents for their houses they live in, and most of the rents ranged from 350,000 Shillings up to millions respectively; you cannot rent below these amounts in Uganda.

The question is, will Ugandans forgone all those beneficial issues and send South Sudanese to their country?

Realistically, Ugandans are sometimes behaving like kids of 5-10 years. They don’t acknowledge what is good for them. Most of Ugandans who were poor and poor since the originality of Uganda have become billionaires and they have built very big houses or buildings due to the good relationship between the governments of South Sudan and Uganda.

The author is Independent Journalist and Columnist live in Kampala Uganda; you can contact him through [email protected]

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