ENTEBBE: President Museveni has supported calls for the the Indian Community in Uganda, to get constitutional recognition as one of the tribes in Uganda.
The President hosted the community at a dinner at State House Entebbe on Wednesday December 15, 2021 to celebrate Diwali, an Indian festival that symbolises the spiritual victory of light over darkness among Indian community faiths.
The President said: “Actually, sociologically speaking, the Indians already have a well-known tribe like the known groups Bazungu, Bahalabu, Chinese etc’’.
He added: “In my village of Ntungamo, when I would be walking to the school and you look inside the four Indian shops that were there, and see the picture of the Aga Khan, we would say ‘that is the king of Indians’, we thought the Aga Khan was the king of all of you fellows. So, sociologically, you already have a tribe here, all we need is to accept the reality and put it in the Constitution …”
Present at the celebrations was the Indian High Commissioner to Uganda, Shri Ajay Kumar, the Honorary Counsel for Nepal in Uganda, City tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia and the chairperson of the Indian Association in Uganda, Mohana Rao.
The top leaders indicated that through their umbrella organisation, they would sensitise all Indians to rally together with the government authorities about Covid-19 precautions, including vaccination.
Under their Umbrella Association, the Indian Community in Uganda have consistently asked to be included among the tribes in Uganda under the constitution, in a proposal first tabled to Parliament in 2014.
President Museveni’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), has always generated friendly policies for the Asians famously expelled from Uganda by President Amin in 1972, including returning their properties confiscated after the infamous expulsion.
The policies has seen a return of big Asian investors especially into the manufacturing sector.
On Wednesday, Mr. Museveni appealed to India community in Uganda to encourage more of their people with money to return and exploit the available investment opportunities in Uganda.
Mr Museveni said next year, government will support the Indian community when they are commemorating 100 years since they arrived in the country.
He congratulated the Indian community on the day of Diwali, saying it was worth being marked among the Indian race as a unifying factor in faith.
