Ambiguous Borders: the Case of Rwenzori

The chapter focuses on the Rwenzori massif that separates Uganda from Democratic Republic of Congo. This border, established in colonial times, has been at the core of continuous tensions between and within the two states. The author considers the last decade when the Rwenzori has been the operative zone of the NALU rebels (National Army for the Liberation of Uganda), and nowdays of the ADF (Alliance of Democratic Forces). Both movements are opposed to the central government in Kampala. At the same time, historically, the Rwenzori has been a strategic area for the organization of numerous rebellion in Congo. The analysis of this particular political space aims at better understanding the dynamics of state formation and desegregation in post-colonial Africa by showing that frontiers are spaces characterized by political ambiguity and continous processes of identity negotiations rather than definite and insurmontable barriers.