Uganda: 'Kisanja: Burn it or Embrace it?'

 
Uganda is preparing for parliamentary and presidential elections on February 18, 2011. More facts here.

I lived in Uganda ahead of the last election in 2006.

A friend of mine bought this painting which is now hanging in her house in rural Denmark. She bought it right after the elections in February 2006 (see CMI report here), where it was exhibited at the gallery 'Design Agenda' in central Kampala as part of an exhibition organised by Elizabeth Mbabazi.

The theme of the exhibition was ´Recording History – the Current Scene’ which according to the Ugandan newspaper ‘New Vision’ on February 24, 2006 was ‘an opened expression on the controversy and tensions around elections for which Mbabazi commissioned various artists to communicate their opinions with regards to the issues around the current political situation.’

The painting ‘Kisanja: Burn it or Embrace it?’ is painted by the artist: Ahimbisibwe Ronex in 2006, and according to New Vision ‘It depicts the sense of compulsion in the present political system. The piece is mainly characterized by two central figures; one burning and the other cuddling dried banana leaves, trademark and symbol of the National Resistance Movement.’

President Museveni is from the Banyankole tribe deriving from central Uganda, where green bananas grow in abundance. In the painting one person is burning the banana leaves, and is observed from behind by a yellow object. Yellow is also the colour of Museveni's National Resistance Movement. The other person embracing the banana leaves has a glory above him/her. (My friend adds that the fire in the painting used to be bigger, but due to the fact that the canvas wasn't well mounted on the frame, part of the painting was reduced). 

Kisanja is a lugandan word for 'presidential term’, which in the painting also is symbolized by the number 3 in the middle of the painting, referring to the fact that Museveni in 2006 was running for a 3rd term - a 3rd kisanja. In 2006 Uganda allowed multi-party system, however, Museveni was behind the change ahead of the elections allowing a president to run for more than the two terms which for instance both Kenya and Tanzania stick to.

I think this is an amazing piece of art, both in terms of texture, colour, composition, but also due to the rich symbolism, which really isn't that complex after all. The painting is also a very inspirational example of how artists can contribute to debate on democracy and politics. It is a reminder of the fact that the Ugandan art scene shouldn't be ignored!

Not the least, the painting is still relevant here four years later, and the question is no longer if Museveni runs for a 4th term, but what happens if he wins?

Look out for Uchaguzi Uganda.

Read the full article portraying the artist here.