By George Bukenya
Outspoken socialite Frank Gashumba, who is also the ‘Bavandimwe’ attacks Robert Kyagulanyi a.k.a Bobi Wine and MP for Mukono Municipality Betty Nambooze and Lutamaguzi Semakula of Nakaseke for what he called discriminatory and hateful utterances on the Banyarwada who hail from Buganda Region.
Gashumba said that real Baganda are well known for their Characteristics and that those who discriminate Banyarwanda are not Baganda. He said that he has evidence relating to the origins of Nambooze and Kyagulanyi, both he referred to as Barundi.
The ‘Bavandimwe’ chairperson attacked while addressing his member students from various Universities in the country who gathered at the Speke Hotel in Kampala to announce as a group that they will vote for President Museveni come the 2026 general elections.
“ As Banyarwada of Ugandan descent participated in the 1980-1986 war that led to the liberation of Uganda and also went to Rwanda later, therefore, we are not joking subject,’’ Gashumba sounded assertively.
“ One cannot separate Banyarwanda from Baganda because historically, when our great grandparents emigrated from Rwanda in the 1920s because of the war they were accepted by the Baganda since then there have been intermarriages between the two ethnic groupings. In fact Kyagulanyi’s wife is Ithungo, is our daughter, he said.
He further said, “Banyarwanda are like salt that is required at every meal because they help make a proper balanced diet, therefore it’s inevitable to ignore salt in any meal. There’s no single home in Buganda where you don’t find a Munyarwanda now.
Buchanan Namakula, also a strong advocate for the Ugandan Banyarwanda, also reiterated Gashumba’s attack on Kyagulanyi, alleging that she also has evidence indicating that Kyagulanyi and Nambooze are both from Burundi and are not original Baganda. If their parents’ origins are to be traced properly, that is why they discriminate against the Banyarwanda.
Gashumba also cautioned his members to abide by the law but told them to fight vigorously against anyone who tries to undermine their nationality here. He urged the Banyarwanda students to vote for President Museveni as a reward for his efforts, as he had helped the Banyarwanda of Ugandan descent regularize their citizenship in the country.
Lutamaguzi Semakula, the MP for Nakaseke South County, when contacted via mobile phone, wondered why Gashumba and Buchana are the only Banyarwanda complaining about his comments.
“If a child grows up in the family of his/her paternal uncle, it doesn’t mean that she/he belongs to that clan or tribe,” Lutamaguzi reasoned.
“ Gashumba is a state operative who is paid to attack and tarnish the image of outspoken opposition MPs and other strong politicians who don’t subscribe to the ruling party’s ideologies.”