There has been a lot of throwing the 'L' word back and forth lately. Museveni first claiming all Baganda are really Luo.

The Baganda became so incensed that anyone dared suggest they are anything other than Bantu. The original Bantu at that, fathers to the 'first man on earth': Kintu, his wife Nambi and the infamous Walumbe. Oh, how those plays used to leave me shaking like a leaf in my primary school days!

Then someone came up and shot that down and said actually it is the Bahima and Basoga who are Luo and not Baganda, bla bla bla... By the time I lost that debate, I wasn't sure who the 'experts' were lumping me with. Nilohamites?

Well listen; right now, I need someone to come up and prove that I am Luo. Turns out, it is quite hip to be that. What with a son of the soilo becoming president of the world! Barack Obama has certainly raised the stakes of the Luo.

I like the brain of anyone who thinks thus: "Okay, so you feel we are not good enough to be president of Kenya? Let's try the United States of America where circumcision is a democratic thing..." And they won.

I like such people and wouldn't mind being 'accused' of being Luo right now!

My Jap friend has ruled out any such possibility as she woke up last week to inform me proudly that her Omin is in the White House.

I kindly pointed out, it is actually our Omin. We, the East Africans and she shot back, "No way! You have to be Dinka, Acholi, Langi, Alur, Japadhola or Jaluo to claim any relationship to Obama."

Eh! I didn't know we were in a race to associate with the president. As closely as possible, at that.

So I need someone to revive that debate that makes the Baganda relatives to Obama. I sat at a hospital reception on Wednesday morning and fought back tears of pride as I watched Obama's victory speech. Don't you think it was the Luo genes in me that were reaching out...huh?

And I have never seen Africans so eager to pronounce a mixed-race person 'theirs'! I have not heard anyone use the offensive word mulatto, or kyotara, or even the more acceptable half-caste when it comes to Obama.

No, he is simply African. Black. Even Japadhola, as my friend decodes it. Sigh!

Well, for now I agree Mr Museveni; I am Luo. Just like Obama.