Uganda’s minority ethnic groups rallied to fight for their rights

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Frank Gashumba, the chairperson of the Council of Abavandimwe, has rallied Uganda's minority ethnic groups to stand up for their rights, condemning systemic discrimination and exclusion.

“This is not about one tribe or one region. This is about every Ugandan who has been pushed to the edge of society simply because they belong to a minority," he said on Thursday (April 3).

"If you do not fight for your rights, no one else will. If you remain silent, your children will be next. You must be your own voice."

Gashumba was speaking at a meeting organized by the Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER) at Golden Tulip in Kampala.

He said fighting for rights is not an act of rebellion but a constitutional duty.

“The Constitution of Uganda guarantees equality and dignity for every citizen. It is not a favour; it is a right," he said, urging communities to demand recognition, access to services, and fair treatment.

The Council of Abavandimwe is a body dedicated to supporting and protecting the rights of Banyarwanda-Uganda citizens.

Some members of minority groups say they felt the need to register under false identities

Uganda's constitution recognizes the Banyarwanda as one of the tribes in the country. But some reportedly face discrimination, particularly in securing citizenship and travel documents.

'We must wake up'

Thursday's meeting in Uganda's capital brought together representatives from different minority groups such as the Maragoli and the Benet. 

The meeting was aimed at highlighting the plight of stateless individuals.

In the Ugandan context, stateless people are those born and live in Uganda but are denied national identification documents, passports and basic social services.

According to Gashumba, Uganda’s institutions often fail to accommodate those who do not fit into mainstream ethnic categories.

“When you are a minority, whether ethnically, religiously, or otherwise, you face obstacles from the moment you try to register for school, access healthcare, or apply for a job,” he said.

He cited cases of people who are unable to acquire national identity cards because their tribes are not recognized among the official 65 listed in government records.

Beyond identity issues, Gashumba was also critical of the culture of silence and fear that has left many Ugandans unwilling to challenge injustice.

He urged Ugandans to be more politically conscious, warning that passivity only empowers those in power to continue exploiting citizens.

“Uganda’s problems will not be solved by silence. We need to prioritize truth, justice, and accountability over fear and complacency. We must wake up. Our future depends on it."

'False identity'

Gashumba's call resonated with several affected individuals who shared stories of frustration and alienation.

One of them is David Ndooli, the coordinator for the Maragoli community. He said many Maragoli individuals have been forced to register under different tribes to survive.

“I myself had to register as a Munyoro, despite my true identity as a Maragoli, in order to secure employment as a district sports officer," said Ndooli.

"It pains me to live under a false identity. But without it, I would be unable to access a salary or be part of the payroll system."

Ndooli also revealed that many Maragoli refuse to register under false identities and instead wait for official government recognition. However, this comes at a cost.

“Many of our people are denied passports simply because they are Maragoli. I experienced this struggle personally when I had to travel to Nairobi by road for three days because I could not obtain a passport, while my colleagues travelled by air.

"Even our children, who are products of intermarriage with other tribes, face difficulties obtaining passports and other essential services."

According to Ndooli, an estimated 10,000 Maragoli people remain stateless in Uganda.

'Labelled as rebels'

Chebet Mungech, a member of the Benet community from Kapchorwa, detailed the immense challenges the Benet face in obtaining national identification.

“When registering for national IDs, we are required to provide information about our place of birth. However, due to historical displacement, the Benet people do not have officially recognized places of origin, nor is our tribe acknowledged in government records,” he said.

He claimed that when some Benets refused to register under different tribes, they were arrested and labeled as rebels.

"When we tried boycotting the issue, we were arrested. We were labelled as rebels attempting to overthrow the government in Mt Elgon," said Mungech.

To obtain identification, many Benets have been forced to register as Sabiny, the dominant tribe in the region. Speaking their native language in public also invites hostility.

“If we dared to speak in our language, they would arrest us. Many Benet elders refuse to be assimilated into the Sabiny identity out of fear that their tribe will go extinct,” added Mungech.

Even access to basic education has been a struggle. 

Mungech said his brother had to rely on a Sabiny neighbour to falsely claim paternity so that his child could be enrolled in school, as he lacked a national identification number (NIN).

Executive order

Following persistent outcries from minority communities, President Yoweri Museveni issued an executive order on January 24 this year aimed at addressing concerns over citizenship rights.

The order instructed immigration officials to ensure that all Ugandan citizens, including the Banyarwanda, are not unfairly denied passports or national IDs.

Museveni emphasized that citizenship is clearly defined under Chapter 3 of the 1995 Constitution, and that administrative inefficiencies, not legal gaps, were the root of the issue.

The presidential directive mandates that:

▪️ Citizenship by birth must be recognized without unnecessary proof beyond what the law prescribes.

▪️ Passport applications should be processed based on National Identification Numbers (NIN) without additional bureaucratic hurdles.

▪️ No national ID should be confiscated or canceled without due legal process.

▪️ Legal amendments should be made to ensure that children of citizens by birth and naturalization automatically acquire citizenship

While the President's executive order is a step forward, Gashumba and other activists argue that it must be followed by concrete action to dismantle long-standing discrimination against Uganda’s minority ethnic groups.