By Basajja Charles
These errors, which misrepresented population figures for several ethnic groups, are more than just mistakes—they are a symptom of a much larger problem rooted in President Museveni’s patronage system.
For almost four decades Mr Museveni has exploited ethnic divisions to maintain power, a strategy inherited from the British colonialists’ “divide and rule” machine. This patronage system, where corruption is rampant, undermines service delivery and fuels ethnic tensions and it is fair to say that he is “patient zero” in this corrupt epidemic.
The real impact of this erroneous census is firstly on the ethnic groups which are being affected. It has deepened ethnic cleavages, making them feel marginalized and underrepresented.
This isn’t just about numbers—it’s about identity and recognition. Denying Indigenous groups their rightful place is akin to a sinister immigration policy that elevates foreigners over citizens.
And that is not only it, there is also the economic burden and digital divide; it cost about 340 billion UGX, and now there’s a proposal to redo it for over 600 billion UGX, this is a heavy burden on taxpayers.
Moreover, the lack of a robust internet backbone, a deliberate policy by Museveni, hampers accurate data collection and fair democratic processes.
All these issues affect the urgent need to restore public trust, and to do this, there must be accountability. The Executive Director of UBOS should step down, just as the KCCA ED did after the Kiteezi landslides. We need transparency and inclusive governance to ensure fair representation for all ethnic groups.
And then you wonder why Museveni asked how many Ugandans we are, where do we stay, how do we live, what do we have/own, and how do we access services, that is if there are any?
Clearly, all those questions missed the mark by not addressing the issue of the missing tribes and accurate representation.
Therefore, 2024 census errors have only shed light on the core issues within Uganda’s governance system which needs a complete overhaul to bring about meaningful change in order to rebuild our nation.
The writer is a founding member of National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED) Party
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