Kansuneko

Background to Kansuneko, the poem

Kansuneko!   When I was young, Kansuneko was a common word.  A fellow kid would see another having a piece of bread and would beg with all in them to break and share a small piece- Kansuneko.  It was about sharing.  However the same word was used whenever people appropriated for themselves other people’s belongings wrongfully.   Growing up in Uganda I have been exposed to many ‘Kansuneko’ scenarios.  Kansuneko means pinching which is corruption.  Ugandans are so smart that this ‘kansuneko’ has been dressed up so beautifully that today it is accepted as a way of life, which is very unfortunate.  Sadly, those who have so much keep pinching more and more until the poor end up with crumbs or nothing. The appetite for more seems to be insatiable.  Today as we talk about Sustainable Development Goal 1- end poverty in its forms, it appears like we are in dream land. It might be near to impossible to unless we address the problem of corruption.

Kansuneko the poem: as I queued in the bank in June 2020, my mind ran to the stories that were circulating on how the procurement process for the food for distribution during the lockdown had gone wrong. Earlier I had interacted with mothers of children with Nodding Disease Syndrome who had been waiting for promised relief and it was nowhere and my heart sunk. Looking at the profiles of those who were allegedly responsible for the dirty games, I felt that was wicked.  How could people who have so much and can access the whole world fail the basic integrity test? This ruined my moment of pride as a Ugandan having seen how we had responded to the president’s call to support our own so that they too survive the lockdown.  People gave and gave and I felt proud that we too had become big donors to our own. Then the procurement process revealed our weakness- Kansuneko!

Uganda for years has been among countries with high corruption cases and ranks high among the most corrupt of the world.  This deters development form many angles that unless we punish and commit to sweep out this vice, the realization of Sustainable Development Goal will remain as beautiful target on paper.  The poor have united and embraced the various poverty eradication programmes . However, most of what is meant for them develops legs as it were, and takes another path while the rightful recipients get crumbs. It is unfortunate that corruption starts from home when parents fail to explain how they amass wealth given the nature of their jobs and other circumstances around them.  Unknowingly they groom men and women who become worse than them. We can save tomorrow if we teach our children to be integral and thus lay a new foundation then will the Pearl of Africa will be able to restore her true glory as a Pearl.

Kansuneko lyrics

Nali muto, kati nkuze, naye obwavu buluma, ha! bulinga akaddaliddali. Akuwonya obwavu oyo aba muzira, naye ekikusiba mu bwavu, kitundulwe mavunza. Ffe ba na-Uganda, twakyawa obunaku, olutalo lw’obwavu tulukutte mavumbavumba. Twegatte, twekembe, tweyambe, y’engombo y’abasinga. Ko abandi nti ‘katunigiine, anti agali awamu, galuma nnyama, ho,nga tosanze kavinundundu nga kekiise mu kkubo. Kavinundunundu ka kansuneko ne banywanyi baako kankuwoozeeko, Kankukube bbusu, n’oluusi okunyakula, nkonge nnene. Omwavu naasigala nga yeyaguza lujjo. Atunuulira abagaaya nga ye amalusu amira muganda. Kansuneko tumunogere eddagala, akatono ketulina kayambe bangi, Uganda ekulakulane, Agenda 2030 tugikube budinda.

Endwadde ya  kansuneko, esaanamu ensonyi, esaanamu okuswala,Ddala nga okutte ekiyingila mu nkwawa, eno olidde obwegedde, N’akafi ka munno k’olina omuwa nti ka kansuneko anti kaliko essavu elyoku kafumito limpomeera.ddala ddala ng’oli mu Nalubaale owugira engege ne zisabulenya-nti ggwe akayambako kojje mu kidiba kampeko akira nketaaga. Ku Kiyira ekulukutira mu njuyo, nti ggwe ku lwendo lw’amazzi go mpoozaako omumiro. Ayi gwe eyasikira essaza eddamba, n’ekalaayi y’etaaka lya munno n’ogiwooza? Tuswaleko, kansuneko awolerwe eggwanga, akatono ketulina kayambe bangi, Uganda ekulakulane, Agenda 2030 tugikube budinda

Kansuneko ono ava ku ngozi, omwana bwatunula ati  mu bitabo bya mukadde we, nga one plus one equals five, nga ne tick kweli, bwatakula obwongo nga ekiggatawo, Kansuneko! Ko ye nti nange ka mbaze! Bwabba ati, nti aaa, sibye, ntodde butoozi. Bwakuba busu- nti oyo musumagiza, Bwanyakula, nti ndi sharp, smartness nagiyonkera ku mabeere, wuwi akaliba akendo. Omuzadde, yatwalanga kifi, omwana ente namba gyakuliita nayo. Abaana tubalage, bayige obwerufu,tuzimbe omusingi omugya, tukulakulane Pearl ebe Pearl, Uganda Ekula lya Africa