ABOUT

THE PROMOTING PLURALISM PROGRAMME IN UGANDA

Diversity in Uganda is a given. As a whole, the country has lived relatively peaceful over the last two decades. However, Uganda is considered a divided society where ethnicity, gender, religion, social class and political affiliation influence people's reasoning, attitude and decision making. Politics and power are seen as based on regionalism and ethnicity. A debate on 'what it means to be Ugandan' is lacking. Fears are high that lacking spaces to 'be different' and unequal opportunities might lead to conflicts in the near future.

Managing diversity in other African countries
Uganda shares the challenges of diversity with many other African countries. They voluntarily assess their own policies and practices through the NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa's Development) Peer Review Mechanism. Diversity is managed - with varied degrees of success - through e.g. laws and regulations, affirmative action, press freedom, education, recognition of traditional rulers and traditional forms of reconcilitation. According to the author of the mapping study on this topic, Uganda should focus on a better distribution of the 'national cake' and the rights of ethnic minorities.

National identity - lessons from Tanzania
A common identity on a national level can help overcome and prevent ethnic clashes. This lesson should be drawn from the development of a national identity in Tanzania and the stability and shared moral values in the country. The mapping study of the differences regarding national identity between Uganda and Tanzania concludes that Uganda should invenst more in education, especially a common language. Yet what does it mean to be Ugandan? How to expand people's imagination about culture, tradition and modernity, about the role of the state, communities and individuals?

Patronage
The access to jobs, government services and power in Uganda is organised through a system of patronage. Public goods are treated as 'favours' which are distributed to individuals and groups in return for political support. Yet patronage is not limited to a political dimension. Favouring certain groups for mutual support is deeply embedded in Uganda's social network. To a certain degree it is an accepted form of social protection. Is there a 'positive patronage' that can be an alternative to the role of the state? How to build on this form of social organisation yet limit the negative impact, i.e. exclusion of 'the unlucky' and perception of politics as 'the way to get rich quickly'?

Role of the Pluralism Knowledge Programme
Having analysed these and other issues related to diversity and pluralism, the regional team in Uganda now develops a focussed approach to the following broad themes:

• absence of a national identity, predominance of ethnic identities
• in relation to shrinking political space to express dissent
• relationship culture/community – human rights