How We Can Benefit from the Lessons of Barack Obama's Victorious Campaign and Election

Barack Obama and Agents of Intolerance in Uganda: A View From America

I write to strongly object to the scurrilous characterizations of the Sserulanda Spiritual Fraternal Order that have been made by enemies of economic development (particularly when it is not their personal initiative), and by some religious bigots with hidden agendas to discredit and destroy anything that differs. I also object to slanted presentations by some newspaper journalists who seem to intentionally provide a negative, bizarre, and extreme picture of Sserulanda and our humanitarian economic development plan, the Sseesamirembe Eco-City Lake Victoria Free Trade Zone. Millions of people will benefit from this massive development of 200 square miles with Africa’s first solar airport, lake port, educational facilities, hospital services, and commercial centers that will rival Dubai. Such people seem to want to sensationalize intolerance and fear and omit presenting the opinions of those who know and support Sserulanda – non-members and members alike. Articles are written and are imbalanced to enhance suspicions and sell newspapers yet the commission of inquiry was established to determine if the organization has or has not engaged in activities which benefited the people of Rakai. The labels “cult” “scary” “weird” incorrectly placed upon this organization are not the findings of the commission (since the investigation’s findings have not yet been made). Unproven personal opinions and statements of negativity, religious intolerance, and bias are being issued and printed with little concern for balance. There is little attention to also print the positive supportive views and statements from the silent masses in Rakai or the factual track record of accomplishments and beneficial humanitarian activities that have taken place over the past thirty years.

It seems that some are going out of their way to depict Sserulanda as a weird and strange group to be frightened of. Should people view the honored universal, cross-cultural, cross-religious, ancient, global practice of respectfully honoring the dead by placing their preserved bodies in tombs and mausoleums as weird, frightening, or bizarre? Our House of the Embalmed is such a private mausoleum, a tomb for those we deem to be worthy of great respect and honor, as are all those who depart from physical life. Have the prejudices of people gotten to be so blinding that they have lost the ancient decent manners of remembering to respect those who pass from this life, leaving their bodies behind? Those in ancient Egypt and in other places around the world knew. The august leaders of kingdoms, whether enshrined in tombs, shrines and mausoleums as practiced by the venerable kings of Buganda in the Kasube Tombs or the kings and queens of England who lie in Westminster Abby are all to be respected. The enshrined bodies lying in tombs in the ancient city of Jerusalem, whether Christian, Jewish, or Muslim are worthy of great respect as well. The bodies of great Saints and Popes laying in honored shrines and mausoleums in the Vatican are they scary and strange? When a wealthy family erects a private mausoleum – a house-like structure seen in many cemeteries – to place their family members in, is that strange and suspicious? When a human body is cremated and the ashes are kept in a beautiful urn in a respected place of veneration, is that diabolical or indicative of negative magic. Practices of burial, cremation, embalming, and funeral rites differ all over the world. Is one better or worse than another… and who decides? They are simply different. None are better or worse but all are expressions of respect for life and respect for the transitioning of the immortal soul from life to afterlife. They are neither weird, scary, nor bizarre, yet the blind prejudice of some who write about the Sserulanda mausoleum, which is a private entombed shrine, want to portray us over and over again in a negative light – always with a negative sensational headline.

What are the differences? Is it because we respect the sanctity of life as the living energy of the Supreme Lord so much that as practicing vegetarians, we refuse to kill to eat? Is that weird? Is that sorcery? Is it that we recognize the divinity of all souls regardless of tribe, religion, nationality, or color? Is that negative or un-Godly? Or, is it that some people only accept those who see the world, religion, service, ethnicity or herbal medicine as only having value if it corresponds to their own beliefs and practices – and that if anything or anyone differs, they are to be automatically demonized, called bizarre and painted as negative. That is bigotry! That is ignorance and that is what the next President of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama fought against and won in order to bring people to a higher consciousness of non-judgmental respect for diversity.

Now, it is Uganda’s time to win that battle against prejudice and negative judgments based upon, unfounded rumor, ignorance, and biased thinking that is encouraged by sensationalized slanted and biased “cult” reporting and other unfounded labels. Barack Obama was no more a terrorist or one who associated with terrorist because of his middle name than HIG Bambi Baaba Baabuwee is a sorcerer because of a lifetime of seeking to end poverty for ALL Ugandans irrespective of religion and tribe. He is one who believes in the natural healing power of herbal medicines, a power that originates from the Divine Source, which infused life saving benefit in plant life in service to benefit human beings. All across the world respect for the value of human life, planet life, and sacred service to all is increasing. Why is such praiseworthy merit portrayed with suspicious negative unbalanced reporting? Let it not be forgotten that a lifetime of service by an unassuming humble native son of Uganda is responsible for 1.5 BILLION dollars being invested in Raiki District within the next few months through a joint venture partnership between Chinese investors and Kagera Eco-Cities Ltd. (a company established by two members of Sserulanda). It is happening because of the efforts of Sserulanda’s founder, a Ugandan Born Saint, HIG Bambi Baaba Baabuwee and those who join him with belief in universal selfless service and sharing as a key to the elimination of poverty.

As an African American who is among many who are aware of the unbreakable connections to the land of our ancestor’s birth and to our obligations to work toward development on our ancestral continent, we have made irrevocable commitments to join with others to work toward creating positive change in the world. The bodies of the children of Africa who were born in Uganda, in America, and in the Caribbean lay in rest within their final resting place inside Sserulanda’s mausoleum. Do you reject our return? Do you reject our service? Do you not understand that we return to bring back the energy of our ancestors and to serve Africa? We see a son of Africa, one born in America, poised to enter the office of the President of America. America has changed and Africa too must change. We can no longer be caught up in narrow-minded prejudiced suspicions and name calling because of evangelical religious crusades, ethnic, political or racial differences whether we live in Uganda or the USA.

The spiritual fraternal order of Sserulanda Nsulo Yobulamu believes in the fundamental universality of all spiritual belief whether that is Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, or others. We support each person’s right to worship, as they desire and we do not force or promote anyone to believe as we do. Belief in the goodness within humanity and the supreme universal goodness of the Divine Source is not limited to one location, group, or creed. We value “selfless service to humanity” as a core principle, a fundamental truth that our ancient Ugandan ancestors practiced as "Kyenkola bannange saagala bakinkole, nga kibi.” “Do Unto Others As You Would Have Others Do Unto You.” We do not believe in devaluing anyone because they practice something different than ourselves. Yet, Ugandan newspapers continue to highlight inflammatory sentiments frightening people about “cults” or “strange” burial practices rather than highlight the principles, practices and precepts of Sserulanda that are like any others that honor the departed, preach selfless service, encourage economic development to address poverty, and practice total non-violence and peace – which is what Sseesamirembe means.

President-elect Barack Obama has taught America to remember the principles of tolerance and respect for differences among those who may be different, look different or practice love of the All-Good, All Mighty and Supreme Lord in different ways. They tried to paint him as “different” therefore unsafe and treacherous. However, he has taught us to remember that “different” does not automatically mean dangerous, diabolical, or devalued. That is something that Uganda’s newspapers and some who support religious persecution should re-visit concerning the work and intensions of Sserulanda and the Sseesamirembe Eco-City economic development plan.

Ensikire K. Nemigero Fairfax, VA November 7, 2008