On Thursday February 26, Katikkiro JB Walusimbi stood up president Museveni of Uganda when he did not turn up for the much publicized land negotiations between Mmengo and Museveni. According to our sources, Walusimbi could not go because key members of his cabinet overruled him. They insisted that Mmengo must not negotiate with Museveni about giving up anything to him on his proposed Land (Amendment) Bill, 2008. They argued that it would be disobedience to Kabaka Mutebi who had publicly called it a bad bill and told all Baganda to oppose it. Equally important, they insisted that while talking to Museveni was alright, it must be about full restoration of all Buganda’s property and political rights – not begging.
The problem for Walusimbi is that he had already assured Museveni that he could bring Mmengo to the table to negotiate the contentious Land (Amendment) Bill, 2008. So when the loyal Baganda ministers put their feet down he was left in a fix. And he opted to simply hide from Museveni. One source close to Museveni’s state house told us that: “Museveni is very annoyed that Walusimbi failed to turn up. The president was made to look like a man who was promised some gold by Congolese con men and left holding a bag full of stones. He has been asking people near him, ‘What is wrong with Baganda?’ ”
It has been widely reported by the local Buganda press that Museveni and JB Walusimbi have been engaged in secret negotiations over Buganda issues since July 2008. What we can exclusively report from a highly reliable source very close to the Katikkiro is that the negotiations primarily focused on how to soften what Museveni, Walusimbi and other NRM big wigs think is Kabaka Mutebi’s excessive power today. Mr. Museveni and the Katikkiro had reportedly reached agreements the following key areas by January 28, 2009:
- Museveni had convinced JB Walusimbi that if Kabaka Mutebi continued to accumulate so much power over Baganda it could lead to a show down where Baganda like him (Walusimbi) were going to lose lives and their businesses. And the way to control the Kabaka’s escalating influence was to remove Nambooze, Mpanga and Ssegona from CBS Radio and give the Katikkiro more control over Mmengo.
- Walusimbi had convinced Museveni to pay off government rent arrears owed to Mmengo and authorize another 8 billion shillings to: (1) complete Bulange Plaza, (2) complete Twekobe, (3) pay some salary arrears for Bulange employees, (4) to facilitate (bribe) key Buganda officials and certain key Bataka (clan heads) for support, (5) to settle the debt that state house owed the Katikkiro’s Associated Consulting Engineers company, and (6) to buy support from Baganda peasants by giving them money through an NRM style program called Omumuli which Walusimbi designed with Gilbert Bukenya’s support.
- The two sides had agreed that to soften Kabaka Mutebi it was important to isolate him more from the Baganda youths who are getting more dangerous, starting with the removal of Betty Nambooze from CBS. Curiously, the two sides had also agreed that the removal of Nambooze could be made simpler if it was accompanied with the firing of highly unpopular Baganda like Tamale Mirundi or Minister Kinobe or even Nsibambi.
What Museveni and Katikkiro Walusimbi could not control are the leaks about their so called secret talks over the months. For example, rumors of Museveni’s willingness to fire Tamale Mirundi or even Nsibambi to appease Baganda first surfaced in early January 2009. Apparently the many leaks helped the intended victims to plan and execute necessary counter moves.
A New York based Muganda thought leader told this reporter that it is the leakages which probably led Museveni to panic and hold that bizarre press conference on February 10, 2009. He said: “I think that the leaks reached the intended victims at Mmengo Bulange and they fought back with rapid fire on CBS FM radio. Indeed, my contacts tell me that after getting an ISO briefing on the public response to the February 7th Mambo Baado presentation by Mpanga and Nambooze, Museveni decided to temporarily withdraw his Land (Amendment) Bill, 2008. In effect, ISO people told him that Nambooze and Mpanga had mobilized Baganda youth to a point where public violence was inevitable if the land bill was read in parliament. In fact, in a slip of the toungue, Museveni admitted the role Nambooze and Mpanga in his panicky decision when he told the press conference: ‘Don’t allow anyone to mislead you that we are withdrawing the bill because of the lies told by Nambooze and Mpanga on CBS radio’.”
March 9th, 2009 at 2:51 am
After listening to the song by that beautiful young lady and then reading this, I am convinced that it is time for Buganda to listen to Kyanjo and divorce our drunken and unfaithful mate Uganda!
Can you imagine? All serious Ugandan singer, actors, soccer players, businessmen, artists, UNAA organizers, FDC mobilizers, etc. are Baganda. Why must we spend our lives complaining about how these banotherners, banyankole and banyalwanda have squandered our own wealth, persecute us?
From now on nze tombulira Uganda nonsense. I don’t even want to be called a Ugandan anymore. By the way when and where will Ttabamiruka ‘09 be??? I am so annoyed with this nyarwanda so called leader and his bossom buddy walusimbi. Banange abe ffumbe babadde ki?
March 9th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Hardly a few days after the so-called press conference upon which M7 claimed that Mengo wanted to “negotiate” with him over his (M7’s) devilish schemes into the contentious Land Amend Bill, M7 started on his trademark shameless political lies of preaching to the gullible Ugandan peasants on the subject of “patriotism”. As if to tell his naïve and gullible friend JB Walusimbi off his face that he (M7) was indeed a consummate liar and an equally devilish ruler, M7 began telling Ugandans in the Eastern part of the country that those who were “agitating” for Federo were “sectarian”, “backward”, etcetera., and that he would never allow Federo in Uganda. Dig this?? Is this really the man who had earlier on said that he would negotiate with Mengo?? Is this man an honest person with whom JB Walusimbi hopes to negotiate? Couldn’t JB Walusimbi realize that M7 Tibuhaburwa is an equally evil schemer like his political god-father Kawenkene Milton Obote Opeto?? This man is just looking for an opportunity to embarrass the Mengo negotiating team the more and also to find the much – needed popular justification for passing his most unpopular and bogus legislation. Any serious individual should be able to see that if M7 was seriously looking for an honest negotiation exercise with Mengo, he would not continue to insult the Kabaka and his subjects on what they hold dear in their lives. His lumpens ala presidential advisers such Joseph Mirundi Tamale, Nyombi-Thembo, Byandala, etectra are also taking M7’s cue, and cannot be by any iota of mistake!
In last week’s Weekly Observer, Ssemujju Nganda wrote this story below and it goes further to exonerate some of us who are skeptical about the so-called M7-Mengo negotiations. Just in case you missed it, please read on to see what is on M7’s mental sleeves vi-a-vis the Buganda question.
President Yoweri Museveni has said that he blocked the Kabaka of Buganda from visiting Nakasongola last year because “he would disturb my Baluuli.” It is the first time the President has admitted that his government prevented Kabaka Ronald Mutebi’s visit to Nakasongola in October last year.
The President revealed this in a closed meeting with NRM political leaders from Buganda.
A source that attended the meeting quoted the President saying that Police move against the Kabaka because he (Mutebi) had refused to speak to him. Museveni said he called the Katikkiro of Buganda, Eng. JB Walusimbi, and asked him to tell the Kabaka not to go to Nakasongola but he (Mutebi) insisted.
Museveni further said he rang the palace requesting to speak to the Kabaka on phone, but the latter refused to talk to the former.
“Since he is an investor, we left him to go and open a branch (CBS listeners’ club) at Mijeera,” Museveni said.
The Kabaka, Ronald Mutebi, was scheduled to travel to Nakasongola District Grounds to officiate during Buganda’s independence celebration on October 8. His itinerary also included lunch with his subjects at a Catholic church near the district headquarters.
He neither ate the lunch nor attended the independence anniversary because the road to the venue was blocked by Police.
It was the first time Mutebi had been confronted by the state since the restoration of his kingdom in 1993 and the move provoked widespread anger in Buganda.
It followed disagreement between the NRM and Buganda over the Land (Amendment) Bill 2007 that Mengo says is intended to legitimise land grabbing. Museveni on the other insists the Bill is to protect peasants from evictions.
The Bill was tabled in Parliament late 2007, but last week the President said he had ordered for its suspension in order to allow more consultations with Mengo.
To explain his new, more conciliatory tone on the Land Bill, the President called MPs, ministers, LC-V chairpersons from Buganda, as well as NRM district chairpersons, for a briefing at State House Nakasero, Saturday February 21.
The Vice President, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya and Prime Minister, Prof. Apolo Nsibambi, attended.
Keen not to appear as if he had been forced to soften his stand, Museveni said that the deal was initiated by Mengo. “… For us we were ready to move,” he said.
He added that Mengo approached him saying it is tired of confrontation, “and we said okay.” He also said that he accepted to end confrontation with Mengo because “NRM listens to people.”
Museveni told the meeting that it is always easy for him to communicate with JB Walusimbi because “he is ours.” Walusimbi is one of the people who helped the NRA/M fighters when he was working in Nairobi, Museveni said.
He confirmed that he had indeed promised the Katikkiro Shs 2 billion for his social-economic programme, omumuli.
The Weekly Observer reported last week that the money would be skimmed from the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) budget.
The media
Commenting on the media, Museveni said that he was now ready to crackdown on critical radio stations such as CBS. He said he didn’t move against CBS earlier because former Commonwealth Secretary, Donald Mackinnon, had advised him against muzzling the free press at a time Uganda was preparing to host CHOGM in November 2007. Now that CHOGM is over, he said, he will “sort out” the media.
One of district chairpersons however, advised him to engage the media rather than confronting it. “Your Excellency, they [media] can change. If you listened to Mengo minister Charles Peter Mayiga yesterday [February 20 on CBS], he has changed after you talked to them,” he said.
Museveni Vs Kabaka
Responding to Museveni’s address, Lyantonde LC-V Chairman, Fred Nayebale Kyamuzigita, in a veiled call on the President to tread carefully on issues concerning the Kabaka, said that Baganda love their Kabaka too much the same way they like him.
“It is like telling a Muganda to choose between white ants (enswa) and meat (enyama) or to choose between mother and father,” Kyamuzigita said.
Baganda are traditionally known to like white ants as much as meat.
But Museveni protested being equated to the Kabaka. He blasted the NRM politicians from Buganda, accusing them of being fearful of Mengo.
“Don’t compare me with Mengo, for them they are engaged in falsehoods. A grown up child should be able to point out mistakes the mother has committed and not to keep quiet,” he said, interrupting Kyamuzigita’s contribution.
The President was further angered when some of his guests chorused, “Kabaka tasobya,” meaning the king does not err.
Kyamuzigita said relations between Mengo and Museveni were being spoilt by people like Betty Nambooze, the chairperson of Buganda’s civic education committee.
“That is why we chased her when she came to [hold a rally] in Lyantonde,” he said. The LC-V chairman nevertheless explained that by chasing Nambooze, it didn’t mean that Lyantonde didn’t like Kabaka.
Cabinet posts
Rakai LC-V Chairman, Vincent Ssemakula Ssetuba, asked Museveni why he had given Buganda few Cabinet slots in the recent reshuffle yet he said he aimed at rewarding areas that voted for him overwhelmingly.
Museveni said he had taken note of regional distribution of his ministerial appointments but would look at it again.
He told the meeting that Buganda may have got fewer posts but had been given top jobs, throwing glances at Bukenya and Nsibambi.
Nakasongola LC-V Chairman, James Wandera, complained that his area overwhelmingly votes for Museveni but gets no appointments. Museveni said he is aware Nakasongola supports him and would consider that another time.
Kinobe cries
Sacked Minister of State for Youth, Maj. James Kinobe, said he was grateful to the President for giving him an opportunity to serve as a minister. He however wondered what would happen to people like him who confronted Mengo over the Land Bill now that the President had clinched a deal with Mengo.
Kinobe, spokesperson of a cabinet sub-committee that confronted Mengo, spoke against being deployed to fight causes only to be abandoned in the battle field.
He said the President’s Press Secretary, Tamale Mirundi, had called him a thief when he alleged that Kinobe stole Shs 500 million meant to mobilisation against Mengo on the Land Bill.
Kinobe pleaded that he only got Shs1 million that he spent on fuel, adding that the money was handled by the Ministry of Lands.
In response, the President instructed the Prime Minister, Prof. Apolo Nsibambi, to convene a meeting during which Mirundi would apologise to Kinobe.
Land Bill
On the controversial Land (Amendment) Bill 2007, the subject matter of the meeting, Museveni said the Katikkiro had submitted a memorandum to him outlining Mengo’s objections. This appeared to contradict the Katikkiro who last week asked his colleagues in Mengo to draft a comprehensive position to be presented to the President.
He said Mengo had only three weeks, from the time he last met the Katikkiro, to make its positions clear before he instructs Parliament to resume consideration of the Bill.
Mawokota MP, John Bosco Lubyayi Sseguya, told Museveni that the move to stop the Kabaka from evicting encroachers on his 350sq miles of land would impoverish the monarchy.
He suggested that the Kabaka’s, like missionary land, should not be affected by the Bill. He was supported by Masaka LC-V Chairman, Vincent Ssempijja. Museveni promised to look into the issue.
But the Deputy Attorney General, Fred Ruhindi, warned that other royals would also demand to be exempted.
Ruhindi reminded Museveni that even his promise to Mengo that county headquarters and their land would not be touched might be difficult to enforce. Museveni had earlier informed the meeting that he had instructed the district administrations to stop leasing out Buganda’s 9,000square miles of land.
Mbabazi booed
Common in NRM meetings attended by party Secretary General, Amama Mbabazi; MPs booed him when he was put to task to explain why district offices are closed.
District party chairpersons complained that their offices had been closed for non-payment of rent. Mbabazi explained that the party now had money to re-open all the district offices.
Sebaggala bounced
The most dramatic episode however was the unexpected arrival of Kampala Mayor, Nasser Ntege Sebaggala, who had not been invited to the meeting. Sebaggala arrived at around mid-day but was asked by State House protocol to stay away from the meeting because it was an NRM affair. Sebaggala is the only district chairperson in Buganda who is not a member of the NRM.
ssemujju@observer.ug
Well, well, JB Walusmbi can be fooled by his friend/blood-sucking buddy all the time but not all Baganda, me Busagwa inclusive, will be fooled all the time.
Katonda kuuuma Baffe Kabaka Muwend Mutebi II ne Nyaffe Buganda.
Wangaala nnyo ayi Ssabasajja Kabaka!
March 14th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Aisha and Bijugo, I was scared when Omulongo Nakato left because she did a very good job starting this site. But after seeing that you have followed her standard so strictly I must say thank you very much. I hope you solve your money problems soon, we need you.
A relative in one of M7’s agencies tells me that Mayiga is now working with new vision and bukedde people to promote the “new” talks because during the “bribe negotiations” Amelia and Bamweyana ageed that M7 will send money to Mengo depending on “public” talks progressing. And greedy Mayiga and JB are desparate for the money to start flowing.