It was a major public relations score when the Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese, Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga spoke in support of his (Walusimbi’s) omumuli program, which is supposed to be funded by grants from Mr. Museveni. And more of the embattled Katikkiro’s prayers were answered when Ssabasajja Kabaka, Muwenda Mutebi II went to a previously scheduled visit to Busujju county, which Mmengo dubbed “the launching of omumuli”. In what some might intepret as support for Katikkiro Walusimbi’s money deal with President Museveni, Kabaka Mutebi called on Baganda to spend less time listening to radio talk shows and more on working hard.
Mr. Museveni’s government is indirectly assisting the Katikkiro’s public relations campaign, with the government New Vision and Bukedde mouthpieces, along with Aga Khan’s The Monitor putting a spin on what the Kabaka and the Archbishop said to magnify the support Walusimbi enjoys from these very important figures.
The quick succession of Mr. Walusimbi’s two public relations triumphs has left many Baganda political analysts, including his strongest critics, admitting that the Katikkiro, and his political advisor, VP Bukenya, can show impressive political skills.
However, according to one youthful Buganda government official, Katikkiro Walusimbi’s publica relations success may be short lived because they are based bending the truth and on the belief that president Museveni can keep promises. The official who requested that his name not be revealed for fear of being persecuted told us: “The Katikkiro keeps telling us Catholics that the ‘‘Bapoto’ [protestants] and Basiramu [Moslems] are not against the money but only want to bring him down. Obviously, many of us, especially the youth know that he is not telling the truth. The corrupt people here in Mmengo are from all religions. And the champions of Buganda political and human rights like Nambooze, Ssengona, Mpanga, Kyanjo and so on also come from all religions. It is like the Katikkiro is saying that any Catholic who says that our kingdom must not be manipulated with Shs 350 Million is stupid and being misled by non-Catholics. Money which cannot even buy 3 acreas in Kololo!”
The official went on to predict that Katikkiro Walusimbi’s claim that the Baganda opposition to Museveni’s money is an anti Catholic conspiracy is what may bring him down. He explained: “The most predictable thing about Museveni is that he never keeps a promise. Soon or later he will either refuse to deliver all the Shs 1 Billion or he will introduce some strange conditions like pushing for some Banyankore from the Auditor General office to look into Mmengo accounts. Or, because weak accountability systems Mumuli is borrowing from Mr. Museveni’s corrupt NAADS, most of the money will end up misused. The looming disaster for Walusimbi is that, since nothing which depends on Museveni’s promises works, the Katikkiro will end up hugely embarrassing both the Kabaka Mutebi and Archbishop Lwanga when his Mumuli delivers nothing but more corruption. It may be worse than Regional Tier because this time Museveni will be able to arrogantly say, ‘Nabawa bu miliyooni 350 nebubalema!; kati Federo mugisobola mutya?’ ['You have failed to manage a mere Shs 350 Million; how can you deal with the federal system you demand?']”
On April 20, Katikkiro Walusimbi announced to the Buganda Lukiiko that he had already accepted Shs 350 Million (US$162,790), as the first payment of what he claimed to be an unconditional grant of Shs 2 Billion (US$ 930,232) offer from President Museveni to fund the mumuli program. A large section of the Buganda population were angered by Katikkiro Walusimbi, with many in the Buganda youth movement accusing him of selling Buganda, at Shs 430 per person. Some have even threatened Mr. Walusimbi with death (see Katikkiro Walusimbi Takes Museveni’s Money, Puts His Life At Risk).
On March 9, 2009 Buganda Post exclusively reported that Katikkiro Walusimbi had convinced Mr. Museveni to pay that 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 Museveni’s vice president Gilbert Bukenya. (See “Katikkiro Walusimbi Dodges Talks, Leaves Museveni Holding A Bag Of Stones“). According to our State House sources, the Shs 350 Million that Mr. Walusimbi accepted is art of this agreement.
