A prominent Muganda business and political strategists in the USA believes that the relentless bashing of Beti Kamya by Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) top brass has been what he called a “power windfall” for Beti Kamya. What is not clear is whether she realizes it and can turn it into a ‘game changer’, at least in Buganda. The analyst told this reporter by email that Besigye, Musumba and Ogutu totally misread the current psyche of Baganda when they adopted a strategy to isolate, demonize and then discard Beti Kamya. Baganda, both at home and overseas are upset that Besigye and his cabal have copied Museveni in taking Buganda for granted, abusing their leaders. And, there is a huge opportunity for Beti Kamya and friends to “leverage” the situation and change the face of politics in Buganda forever.
For more than three months Beti Kamya has been locked in a public battle with Besigye and other FDC leaders over her resignation from the party’s leadership. Besigye, Ogutu, Anne Mugisha, Salam Musumba and even Sam Njuba have used their influence in the Aga Khan owned newspaper to plant scores of negative stories about Kamya. The government owned New Vision has taken advantage of the situation to publish stories that, in their thinking, weaken both Kamya and the FDC. For the time being, Kamya has the upper hand though, since, due her popularity among Baganda, the FDC has even failed to organize branch elections in Buganda – no one is willing to stand for office.
The Muganda strategist says: “Conscious Baganda in the disapora are quite upset with FDC because many of them believe that, with Beti’s commitment to the kingdom, solid political support in Buganda and overseas, maturity and industry experience, she is a top contender for the position of Katikkiro. Most of the Baganda here in the USA in fact don’t know or care about Musumba and Ogutu. However in the USA, Canada and Europe, Beti is a star, especially after her stellar performance at Ttabamiruka ’08. In fact many of Beti’s supporters are very frustrated that she is still publicly arguing with Besigye over the FDC carcass. As that keeps her down there in the gutters of Uganda politics with Besigye, which makes her difficult to approach.
“A serious problem I see is that, like Nambooze, Kyanjo and Ssegona, Beti is unable to capitalize on the enormous amount of moral and material support available overseas. It appears that they are always too busy arguing with gutter people like Kayihura, Besigye or their top boss to maintain steady relationships with their supporters in London or Boston. They should take a page from the Ugandan Balokole pastors who smartly divide their time between local preaching and packaging themselves to meet the expectations of Christians and potential donor in London or California. I don’t know why they think that we ‘understand’ the situation in Buganda and so they don’t need to market themselves to us in the language and style we understand. Yet Museveni is marketing himself daily in his New vision and Bukedde and Besigye and Oguttu are doing the same with Monitor.”
Beti Kamya was one of the main speakers at Ttabamiruka ‘08, the Baganda annual conference, which was held in New Jersey, USA at the end of August 2008. Along with Hussein Kyanjo and Katikkiro Muliika, Beti’s paper on Baganda’s political and civil rights was very well received. However, Beti got the strongest reaction from the Baganda youths aged 10 – 30 years, for whom she conducted a special 4 hour seminar on Buganda political and human rights.
October 29th, 2008 at 2:40 am
Well done, Chris for this article!
Abaganda tugamba nti eryokanga n’etonya [netulaba ensiisira bwezenkana emyoyo]. So while Beti’s problems with FDC are regrettable, it is good they happened at this time when uganda and the Baganda are right in the eye of storm [M7's dictatorship]. We are now able to see with clarity which politician is genuinely for Buganda and which is against Buganda. From their own words and actions, Dr. Besigye’s FDC is certainly not for Buganda. They also just wanted to use Buganda and Baganda for their selfish ends just like M7 has all along done. As a matter of fact, there is increasingly no difference discernible between M7 and Besigye when it comes to democracy and Buganda. They are both dictators and Baganda-haters. That is why I give Beti more kudos for helping us Baganda see better the similarity between these two men and their policies.
In a similar breath, I also need to caution the Baganda DP supporters with their so-called “Obama” in the name of Mao. Baganda in the DP party should be very cautious in their support for Mao. He also has a very reactionary attitude towards Buganda and Baganda. Just read his recent interview in the Sunday Monitor [I guess last Sunday!] and you will see what trouble awaits Buganda if we allow these very miserable politicians to ride to power on our backs! Let us Baganda pay heed to Beti’s advice that we must never ever again support any politician, be it a Muganda or not, who does not genuinely support the Buganda cause, of course including His Majesty the Kabaka. They would rather rig elections and kill people on their path to State House but not with our tacit or covert support! And we must begin having written and duly signed agreements with all these politicians on the fundamental issue of the Buganda cause before we can support them. Let us avoid repeating these careless mistakes of helping one dictator and Buganda/Baganda-hater replace the other!
Kamya Beti is indeed one of those heroines for Buganda.Let us all support her cause!
Long live Hon. Betty Kamya!
Long live Omuk.Betty Nambooze!
Long live Hon. Kyanjo Hussein!
Long live Oweek. Merdard Sseggona!
long live Ibrahim Ssemujju – Nganda!
Long live Mukiibi – Sserunjoji!
Long live our motherland Buganda!
Long live Buganda nationalism!
Long live the Queen of Buganda Nagginda-Luswata!
Long live the Buganda King, His Majesty Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi II!!!!
October 29th, 2008 at 4:09 am
twabagamba dda nti buli omu adde ku nkondo ye. eyo mu NRM ne FDC bakyakolayo ki?
October 30th, 2008 at 3:40 am
I flat out do also agree that whichever politician from Uganda and Buganda does not support the cardinal interests of the Buganda Kingdom and/or those of the Kabaka does not deserve both my support and vote. And I guess that what happened and continues to happen to Hon. Betty Kamya in her FDC party should be a strong wake up call to all Baganda cherishing the spirit of Buganda nationalism to the effect that enough is enough!! We need to open up a new page for Buganda and the Baganda in the political organization of Uganda
By the way Busagwa, can you or any other person in the know help us with a full list of all the Baganda heroes and heroines, both dead and living, so we can have an opportunity to eternally recognize them one way or the other? I will be most obliged, Ssebo!!!