Use your privileges to discover linkages not differences, President urges African queens

State House Uganda - News President Yoweri Museveni has called on cultural leaders in Africa to use their privileges to discover linkages among peoples instead of differences, saying focusing on differences is undoing his work of uniting Africans.

Speaking at the official opening of the African Queens and Women Cultural Leaders’ Network (AQWLN) conference at the Commonwealth Resort Hotel in Munyonyo, Kampala, the President urged cultural leaders to promote unity among their people saying Africans need unity to survive and secure their future.

“I was happy when I heard that you are meeting here and that is why I came, to tell you that our people are linked. When you find an African he is either similar to you or linked to you. If you can use your privileges to discover linkages instead of differences, we will survive. If you use them to discover differences, you are undoing my work of uniting the people. We need unity to survive in future. Lets unit our people,” he said.

The President said the Queens and other cultural leaders have a unique privilege and their role should be to look for their heritage where they have a niche.“Cultural institutions could do wonderful work if they can focus on our heritage. In order to galvanize our heritage, we must develop our own African language. We should engage the Swahili council and enrich it with indigenous African words,” he said.