Kadaga Calls For Cultural Identity At UNAA Convention
Parliament Speaker Rebeca Kadaga
Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has urged Ugandans in the diaspora to identify a unique culture that can be used to promote the country.
Kadaga was speaking at a luncheon at the 26th Uganda North America Association (UNAA) convention in San Diego, California over the weekend.
The UNAA Convention, which is held annually in the United States, was this year held from 28th to 31st August under the theme ‘Unity through Cultural Diversity’.
Kadaga cited the Masai dress and the Scottish Kilt and said that there is need to identify one particular traditional item that can be promoted and identified with Uganda.
Citing the example of Kenya and how they have promoted the Masai Kadaga challenged Ugandans to consider marketing the Karimojong dress “or any other tribe’s attire.” She added that there are so many things that are unique to Uganda that can be branded and identified with the country.
Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, in his remarks wondered whether the various cultural groupings in the diaspora would not undermine national unity.
He however applauded the Ugandans in the diaspora for their role in poverty reduction through their remittances back home. He added that the remittances had grown from 165 million Dollars in 1998 to 910 million Dollars in 2012.
Mbabazi noted that the remittances have a direct impact on poverty reduction because they go straight to the households. He also urged the Ugandans living abroad to tap into the large investment opportunities now available in the East African Community.
Uganda’s Ambassador to the United States Oliver Wonekha encouraged the Ugandans to make use of the Embassy which is now fully functional especially with new equipment for printing new passports.
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Alleged cultural groupings in the diaspora feared to “undermine” national unity? What nation? “Unity” of what? “Unity” of whom? Let us start in Uganda since that is ground zero. What unity? Whose unity? Unity of purpose, may be? Whose purpose? How? Of course what we read here and what was actually said may prove, as is usually the case, to be different. Whatever the case, the contextual setting whatever that entailed, is worth thinking about!