President hails diaspora’s indomitable spirit and reveals reversal of Idi Amin’s actions Nimisha Madhvani, Lord David Hunt and Rajrajeshwar Guruji at the Indian Overseas Trust event

UGANDA’S president, Yoweri Museveni, has appealed to British Asians expelled by Idi Amin more than half a century ago to “build a living bridge between their newfound homes in the United Kingdom and the cherished homeland of their forefathers”. 

His emotional message was aimed at some 30,000 refugees – and their descendants – who have made a stunning success of their lives in Britain.

At the 19th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) that the president chaired in Kampala, Museveni also went of out his way to acknowledge the role of India in helping to rebuild Uganda’s shattered economy.

Held under the leadership of Uganda, the summit brought together more than 120 developing countries and world leaders, including the US secretary general António Guterres.

Museveni noted India had played a leading role in the formation and development of NAM.

The president has been consistent in trying to make amends for the damage done to Uganda, and especially its economy, by Amin since he came to power in 1986.

Museveni expressed regret for the harm Amin had inflicted, saying, “NAM countries also make mistakes like in Uganda. Then we had a man called Idi Amin. In a very short time, he expelled our Asians, especially (people from) India and Pakistan. You had a leader of a NAM country undermining his own economy.”He said pioneers from India had invested in sugar, hotels and steel production. After they were forced to leave the country, a large, prosperous community of Ugandan Asians found themselves scattered across the globe, many having abandoned businesses on which they had spent a lifetime.

Museveni’s government had taken steps to rectify the problems created by Amin. “When we came into government, we gave back the properties of our Asian citizens and non-citizens that Amin had taken from them,” he told the summit.

The vacuum left by Uganda Asians was filled in the 1980s and 1990s by businessmen from India. In fact, they had since become a pillar of the Ugandan economy. A handful of Uganda Asians had also been tempted back.

“I was asking people (in my government) how many factories have been built by our Indian returnees,” Museveni added. “They told me about the 900 factories they had built since they came back.”

India was represented at the summit last month by its foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. He met his opposite number in the Uganda government, General Odongo Jeje, and spoke in positive terms about the growing bilateral relationship.

“Assured India’s wholehearted support for Uganda’s Chairship (of NAM)”, he said on X.

“Noted the progress in our bilateral cooperation since my April 2023 visit. Direct flights, training & exchanges, and commencement of the NFSU (National Forensic Sciences University) campus are among notable developments.”

In the 52 years since the first refugee flights landed at Stansted, many of the first-generation refugees have died.

But Museveni’s hopes that their children and grandchildren could possibly help to rebuild the economy of “the pearl of Africa” (Sir Winston Churchill’s phrase) have been reinforced by Nimisha Madhvani, whom the Ugandan president specially chose as his high commissioner in London.

She spoke at a recent event in London to wind up the affairs of the India Overseas Trust, a charity set up “to promote, protect and support the interests of the British Indian diaspora”, especially from Uganda. Tributes were paid to its founding chairman, Praful RC Patel, who died last year aged 84. He was the only Asian member of the Uganda Resettlement Board.

Madhvani said she had hurried over from Kampala, where she attended the NAM summit.

She told a gathering of prominent Uganda Asians at the London event: “Uganda is your home, your roots. And I really, really want you to think of visiting Uganda.”

She pointed that in January, Uganda had hosted “five major international summits”, which had been attended by 5,800 guests and 120 official delegations at a “state-of-the-art convention centre” built to seat 3,800 people.

“There were no negative incidents, and that really shows you how safe we are,” she stressed. “Therefore, for those of you who haven’t been (to Uganda), it’s a country of vast opportunities.”

“Otherwise, just have a holiday,” she suggested.

The high commissioner repeated Museveni’s appeal to Ugandan Asians to renew their bond with their “motherland” by reading out a message from him that had been printed in a brochure.

Museveni, who is 79 and came to power in 1986, told the London event, “Dear fellow Ugandans and my overseas bazukulu (grandchildren), greetings.

“As we conclude the global events of the Non-Aligned Movement and the group of 77 countries (G77) summits currently taking place in Kampala, I am honoured to address you in the spirit of unity and remembrance of the traumatic events of August 1972 from which our country has recovered on account of our fights for freedom, equality and opportunity as resistance fighters of Uganda.

“It is with pleasure that I acknowledge the commendable work undertaken over the past two years by the India Overseas Trust in London to record and commemorate the Uganda exodus in 1972.

“We were young people at that time and we resolved to fight Idi Amin in those days, because of these evils he unleashed on one of the most enterprising communities that had led the small Uganda economy then – the Asian community, along with thousands of indigenous Ugandans.

“The events which saw the expulsion of our Asian brothers and sisters from their motherland, Uganda, serves as a testament to the resilience and fortitude of those who faced adversity and overcame it.

“What may have been perceived as Uganda’s loss in 1972 has undeniably become Britain and somehow, the world’s gain. The indomitable spirit of the Asian community has left an enduring legacy, shaping the cultural tapestry of both Uganda and the United Kingdom.”

The president recalled a landmark visit in London: “In 1997, I had the distinct honour of addressing a gathering of these resilient brothers and sisters at the BAPS Hindu mandir at Neasden in London.

“The event, organised by the late Manubhai Muljibhai Madhvani, was a reminder of the enduring connections that bind us across continents. During that event, I invited my brothers and sisters to come back to their motherland, and we have restored to the full what was lost in the difficult days of Uganda to them, although nothing replaces the cultural, social and emotional displacement of those who went through these difficult events.

“Many of these have become a strong base on which our growing industrial and agricultural growth is fast rising.

“Now, 25 years hence, I reiterate my invitation to the bazukulu of our Asian community and call upon them to build a living bridge between their newfound homes in the United Kingdom and the cherished homeland of their forefathers in Uganda.”

Museveni concluded: “I welcome you with open arms. Come visit and invest in Uganda, your home. May this brochure preserve an essential chapter in our shared history and foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of the events that unfolded during that critical time.

“May it stand as a testament to the enduring bonds that connect us all. By: Amit Roy, Eastern Eye

By MOSES MUTUA

Kibra is one the largest informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya, with a population estimate of five hundred thousand to one million people (500,000 – 1,000,000). Life in Kibra could be described as a merry go round with lots of challenges that are often associated with chaos, crime, and poverty.

Research and survey by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that the number of single mothers had increased in the last few years as from 2021 seating at 13.9 per cent from 13.5 per cent of 53.01 Million Kenyans. Emily Achieng is one of the single mothers living in Kibera and she agreed to share her experience. She lives with her four children, a son and three daughters at Mashimoni Ward, Kibra, Nairobi.

“Life has been has difficult of late since am not employed, before I was a labourer where I used to wash clothes and clean people’s houses and earn around Kshs 500 and still had a side hustle where I was cooking Doughnuts and earn KShs 400 a day, My spouse who had a job at least we could manage to cater for the family needs and share cost with him, but things have not been smooth after his demise.

I was forced to leave from where I used to stay due to rent arrears which had accumulated forcing the landlord to evict me. I have school fees to pay, hospital bills to pay and rent which is three thousand Kenya shillings. Life as a single parent has not been easy as there are days where I cannot afford to provide for my family three meals during the holidays but when they are in school, they are provided with breakfast and lunch. With the rise in the cost of living the people who used to give me job opted to washing the clothes themselves and doing the house chores since they are also affected with the rise in cost of living”

Emmaculate Atieno, her first born daughter at Shadrach Kimalel Primary School sat for her class eight exams, that is the Kenya Primary School Exams (KCPE) and managed to score 345 marks out of 500 and hopes to become a gynecologist when she completes her high school.

This year the Kenyan Government disbursed Kshs 6 billion for the National Government Constituency Development Fund which is to be divided to all the 210 constituencies. The fund helps in the construction of schools, helps the less privileged in the community by catering partially for their school fees etc.

“Through the help of National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) I managed to get bursary which has partially catered for her term one fees.” Said Emily. 

Natalia Adhiambo, her second born daughter who suffers from sickle cell anemia sat for her KCPE exams in Chemichemi Primary School last year and despite her sickness, she managed to score 320 marks out of 500. She was admitted to Dr. Kiano Secondary School in Murang’a County. Natalia has been under the Turning Point Scholarship which sponsored her primary school education and continues to do so. Despite having a scholarship Natalie has not yet been able to attend High School as Emily narrates.

“Natalia has not been able to join her colleagues in Secondary school due to lack of money to pay for her fees. Turning point scholarship caters for 50% of her secondary school education and as the parent I must raise the other percentage, but it has been hard since I only earn four hundred shillings a day. Natalia hopes to become a journalist after her education to help her siblings finish theirs too.’’ Says her mother, Emily.

Natalia is at home helping her mother with household chores as she waits to join her colleagues in high school. Esther Awino, Emily`s third born who is in Grade 5 at Chemichemi Primary School is also under the Turning Point Scholarship that supported Natalia and her last born is yet to join school hoping that they will complete their studies.

The Kenyan Government has put in measures to ensure that children are able to attend schools, through the Ministry of Education by releasing Kshs 67 Billion to public primary and secondary school learners.

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said that for the free Primary Education programme the Ministry has released Sh 7.9 billion for the nine million learners in public primary schools. “He further stated that under the junior school, the government has disbursed Kshs 14.7 billion for the one million learners since January this year while Kshs 44 billion has been spent as capitation for the 3.7 million learners enrolled under the free Day Secondary Education”.

 Emily keeps on with the struggle of being the breadwinner, but she really hopes to manoeuvre through the tough economic times to cater for her family needs and provide her children with Education so that they don’t have face the challenges she’s going through.