Indians living in Uganda cannot be made an indigenous tribe because their origin cannot be traced as is the case with other communities and ethnicities in the country, the State Minister for Gender, Ms Peace Mutuuzo, has said.
The Indian Community in Uganda recently reiterated to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni their request to be recognized as one of the tribes in Uganda, since they make a considerable percentage of the population.
Mutuuzo said this is not possible because Indians have no ‘ensubuko’ or biological origin in Uganda.
She said “They can only get citizenship status as they’ve been but can’t become one of the tribes in Uganda.” Mutuuzo said this while facing a parliamentary committee on equal opportunities early this week.
The minister made the statement while appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Equal Opportunities yesterday.
However, her position contradicts President Museveni’s view on the issue early this month after he hinted on Indians becoming a tribe in Uganda.
“Since we already have many tribes in Uganda I see no problem in adding another tribe of Indians in the Constitution. We shall add the Indians in the Constitution,” Museveni said during the Diwali dinner at State House, Entebbe a few says ago.
Reports indicate that there are about 25,000 Indians living in Uganda, most of whom having returned to the country in the 1990s since the mass expulsion in 1972 by then president Idi Amin.
During the visit of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Uganda in July last year, the Indian Community advocated for their recognition as a tribe as it has been done in neighbouring Kenya.
However, Ms Mutuuzo insists the Indians can become Ugandans through dual citizenship and marriage, and continue with the current levels of partnerships with indigenous communities in building the nation.
