Am I Racist?

One of Dr. Martin Luther Kings’ most famous speech was the ‘I have a dream’ speech in which, he envisioned a world free of racism and one where all colours would one day be able to walk down the street together as one. Though he made the speech in 1960s, the new world order today is perhaps more undivided than it was then because to the colour issue has been added other items like religion, veils and beards.

Today walking down the streets of New York, London or Paris and with a beard similar to that of Osama Bin Laden will illicit uncomfortable stares. If you are a Muslim man or a Muslim woman at that and who is hidden behind a black veil that too, is bound to raise questions even though not all Muslims have rogue tendencies.

When I was still living in England, I really didn’t experience any racism even though I lived in areas that were predominantly white. The closest I saw of racism was when on a visit to a small town called Fife in Scotland that a young girl – probably five or six years old was walking down the street with her mother when she saw me. She clutched her mother’s hand that much tighter, started to cry and literally wanted to leap into the flower bed that ran alongside the pavement. But she can be forgiven for in the 80’s, not a single black person lived in Fife.

Back to Uganda. It is said that racism does exist here though it is swept under the carpet. Racism here as far as most people understand it is, Asians vs. Ugandan’s and the whites especially the South Africans vs. Ugandan’s. What they really don’t know is that the issue is far bigger than that. There is Indians hating Pakistanis, Sir Lankans hating Indians, Bengalis hating Pakistanis from East Pakistan and so on.

A few weeks ago I was at Bubbles O’Leary on Acacia Avenue. Bubbles O’Leary is a predominantly expatriate hangout though it is open to all races and all colours. As we lined up, a young black lady was having an argument that went along the lines of: “Why did the two white men who jumped the queue not pay while we blacks have to pay?” she angrily asked. While the man at the gate tried to explain to her that they were members, she was not having any of it. “You are racist!” she screamed out. As I walked past leaving her to argue at the door I was waved through because of the membership status.

Two hours later and as we left, I found her milling in the car park and from the look on her face, a hot exchange of words between us was brewing. This is how the conversation unfolded.

Aggrieved Girl: “You Bukumunhe, I know you! Now you are a racist!”

TB: “Excuse me!?”

Aggrieved Girl: “You are racist. You don’t like Ugandans because you are like the bazungu who don’t pay or line up to get into O’ Leary’s! Your racist! You are racist like the people of O’Leary’s against us blacks!”

TB: “What the fuck!”

Did I miss something here? Looking down at myself, I was still black – but that is not to say that there are some black people I don’t like - like you so I told her.

Later on that evening, it was off to Club Silk. As we walked down the corridor to the pay booth, there was Aggrieved Girl - yet again. She was in the queue but being a member I skipped the queue and was waved in without having to pay. When she eventually got in, she made it her mission to track me down and the bizarre conversation went along these lines.

Aggrieved Girl: “You are racist! You are racist because even in Club Silk you didn’t line up or pay to get in. Just who do you think you are?”

TB: “I think I am Timothy Bukumunhe.”

Aggrieved Girl (at the top of her lungs): “Racist! You are racist. Even the people of Club Silk are racist!”

TB: “What the fuck!”

This is an odd situation to be in. First I get accused of being a racist for walking into O’Leary’s – a white dominated pub without paying then I also get accused of walking into a black dominated pub and still get accused of being racist.

Going back even further, we were in Just Kicking, in Kisimenti when this happened. Just Kicking is a self service bar and as we stood at the bar, a young black couple were making their order but taking their sweet time. The man literally asked for all the prices. How much is Bell, how much is Club or how much is Uganda Waragi?” he asked.

Exasperated, the barman turned to me for my order. “One Bell, four Clubs and a tot of Black Label” I blurted out. Ignoring the dithering couple he went ahead and served me. Then turning back to them he asked if they were ready to order. But alas they were still dithering so he turned to the white lady next to them and served her seeing she knew what she wanted.

As we sat on the terrace having our drinks, Dithering Man at the bar comes up to me and had this to say in Luganda: “Gwe just because you have an accent don’t think you are a muzungu. We were at the bar first but he (the barman) served you and the muzungu first. Oba you don’t think you are black and racist against blacks?”

I put it down to people getting their knickers in a twist. There are white people who are members at Club Silk like there are black people who are members at O’Leary’s. I am not racist and as far as I do know, the people who own Club Silk are not racist nor are the people who own Bubbles O’Leary. And not all Asians or white South African’s are racist just like not all Muslim men with long beards have Osama Bin Laden written all over them.