Over the last two weeks, the chairman of president Museveni’s Uganda Broadcasting Council (UBC) has had a chats with virtually all major radio station owners and ordered them to adhere to certain “profession practices” or face closure like CBS FM Radio (Radio ya Ssabasajja). We have learnt that Mr. Mutabazi did not seek input several members of the broadcast council and mostly depended on talking points which he put together with assistance from Robert Kabushenga, Tamale Mirundi, Robert Sebunya and Moses Byaruhanga. His method of work angered some members of the UBC who feel abused and marginalized by state house. It is through these conditions that we received the information in Mutabazi’s talking points.
Our sources have also confirmed that president Museveni approved the measures and their ongoing implementation before he left for the UN general assembly in the USA. And after his encounter with Kabaka on Wednesday, he ordered that the measures be continued, a sign that the meeting with Kabaka did not change anything for him.
According to our sources, Godfrey Mutabazi obtained partial college education in North America before returning home in the early 1990’s to work in Museveni spy network. In 1998, he was appointed to the Uganda Broadcasting Council. He became the chairman around 2003 and started calling himself Engineer Mutabazi. He is highly secretive and ordered that information on UBC members, even names, be removed from the UBC website. Members terms are 3 years but he has been automatically reappointed 4 times.
Both Mutabazi, who implemented the closure of CBS FM Radio and General Kalyekezi Kayihura, the police commander who stopped Kabaka from going to Kayunga are Rwandese Tutsi who came to Uganda as refugees. This fact plus persistent but unconfirmed rumors that president Museveni’s unknown biological father was a Tutsi is feeding the growing belief among Baganda that their kingdom is under occupation by foreign mercenaries.
Uganda has 129 radio stations and 7 TV stations in different states of operation. The biggest broadcasting houses, of which CBS FM Radio has been the market leader for over 10 years, are mostly owned by Baganda. Their leadership significantly depended on their higher coverage of Buganda kingdom events and people, especially the Kabaka.
Besides Mutabazi, the other current UBC member are Tim Lwanga Mutekanga, George Omunyokol, Aggrey Kibenge, Kenneth Kazooba, Aga Sekalala, Kagole Kivumbi, Juliana Naumo, Godfrey Kibuuka, Patrick Mukiibi and Catherine Omaswa.
Below is an edited and reorganize version of Mutabazi’s talking points. Certain names, offices and other details have been removed or reworded to protect our sources.
UBC RULES OF THE ROAD TO BROADCASTERS
-TALKING POINTS -
(HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL)
Kabaka
1. Stop calling him “His Majesty”; instead use “His Highness” not to contradict the President and other NRM officials.
2. Use “Mr. Mutebi” instead of “Kabaka” as much as possible. Start slowly and build up.
3. Stop using the terms “Empologoma”, “Chuchu”, “Nyanja Temanyiirwa”, “Baffe”, “Namunswa” or other terms, which encourage Buganda sectarianism.
4. Avoid stories that portray him as a strong person who is influenced by moderates and NRM supporters.
5. Promote stories that portray him as a weak person who is under pressure from a few radical Baganda.
6. Promote stories and images that suggest that he has a friendly relationship with H.E. the VP.
Buganda
1. Stop playing the “Kitibwa kya Buganda” song or other nationalistic Buganda songs because they promote sectarianism.
2. Stop referring to Buganda as a kingdom. Instead, consistently use “Central Region” or, if clarity demands it, “Buganda Region”.
3. Stop referring to the old Buganda counties. Stick to district and constituency names (even if they include old county names in part).
4. Freely report all stories where the Katikkiro and members of his cabinet are promoting peace, hard work, friendly relations with other Ugandans and “fair treatment” from the H. E. the President.
5. Avoid stories that include strong pro-Buganda statements by religious leaders. Promote stories where religious leaders call for calm
6. Don’t use the words “genocide” or “occupation” or “torture” or “safe house” or similar words in connection with any arrests of Baganda for any reasons.
7. Refer to Banyala as an ethnic minority which is fighting to secede from Buganda. Stop mentioning the population of Banyala.
8. Do not promote Baganda only events like clan football matches, cultural competitions, Nkoba za Mbogo, etc.
Buganda Radicals and Rioters
1. Stop reporting stories on the activities of Allan Waligo, Nambooze, Sseggona, Muliika, Nsubuga Nsambu, Mpanga, Nkoba za Mbogo, and other Baganda radicals. The exception is when the story suggests that they are becoming weak and trying to incite violence against non Baganda.
2. Keep reporting on police cases against Nambooze, Lukwago and other similar anti-government activists to a minimum.
3. Do not use the term “political prisoners” to refer to any of the rioters.
4. Avoid referring to the those who participated in the Kayunga related rioting as “Baganda” since some of them were not Baganda. The rioters were common criminals and a few anti-government elements who exploited the situation to loot.
5. When it make sense you can refer to the radicals who incite violence or those who engage in riots as “terrorists”
Mengo
1. Stop reporting stories on the activities of Waliggo, Nambooze, Sseggona, Muliika, Nsubuga Nsambu, Nkoba za Mbogo, and other Baganda radicals. The exception is when the story suggests that they are becoming weak and cannot incite Baganda sectarianism.
2. Keep reporting on police cases against Nambooze, Lukwago and other similar anti-government activists to a minimum.
3. Avoid using terms like “Buganda Government” or “Buganda Kingdom Government”.
4. Report positively on the Katikiro and other Mengo people who don’t make outwardly sectarian statement.
5. Report positively on health, agriculture, education and other developmental program by Mengo.
6. Avoid using the “Owekitibwa” title becuase it can cause misplaced feeling of importance.
October 4th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Banange,
We have to resist these mercenaries. I suggest that every Muganda with access to the Internet start reading about how other nations who at one time were under occupation fought it and came out of it. Examples include (i) Nazi occupation of France, (ii) Nazi occupation of the Danish kingdom, (iii) Soviet occupation of Lativia, Lithuania and Estonia, (iv) occupation of the kingdom of Norway by Denmark and Sweden between 1349 and 1905, and then by Nazi Germany in the 1940s.
Omunyarwanda oba asibye radio zafe we now need more advanced methods. And I personally believe that we don’t need guns. Anti ekiyita wagulu otega wansi (empungu telya bire).
Awangale Ssabasajja!
DK
October 5th, 2009 at 8:13 am
Mutabazi’s so-called “Talking Points” are not only laughable but also a waste of time. Their only usefulness is to further prove that inspite of the many years they have spent in Uganda as ex-rwandese refugees, they have still failed to appreciate the natural chemistry that exists between Baganda across board and their Kabaka.Looks like they either can’t historical records on this fact or they just have a short memory. Now, if you can read this Mr. Mutabazi, get if from me Nankindu Tara that the Kabaka is the Fountain of Identity and Honor to more than 99% of the Baganda. Anybody who tells us otherwise is nothing but a consumate liar. This how many of the NRM non-Baganda bushwar historicals found out several years after they had been in power that even Baganda children as young as 5 years, whether living in Uganda or in the Diaspora, are pretty conscious of not only the Kabaka’s existance but also of his elevated social standing and extreme reverence within the Baganda community anywhere in the world. To the Baganda, therefore, there is nothing or anybody that can be higher than their Kabaka.In words, the Kabaka is almost similar to a demi-god amongst my people, the Baganda. So to my friend Mutabazi, do not get a headache for something you are not going to change. The Baganda people have never, can nver and will never hate their Kabaka at the instigation of foreigners! Never, my dear brother! Whether you or anybody else who is behind this so-called “talking point program” likes it or not, nothing is gonna stop the majority of the Baganda from giving free love to their Kabaka! You can call him names and you can quitely tell scumbags like Tamale John Mirundi, Kintu Nyago, Moses Luutu, Buyondo Africa Ddamulira among others to insult our Kabaka but be sure that you will yet miserably fail in your endevors! By the way: When William Pike and his friend Quarcko pay heed to Mutabazi’s nosense without challenging him on the legality of his actions, they are ditching the grave of their own businesses in Uganda because sooner than later, Baganda business people will boycot them. And a question to Mutabazi: I understand that more than 100,000 people (apparently more than 90% of them being Baganda) attended Saturday’s Saza Cup between Gomba and Mawogola which was presided over by His Majesty Kabaka Mutebi, yet you switched off CBS and also talked to various FM stations not to give publicity to this event. How did those numbers manage to know that this event was to happen on Saturday, 10/03/09?? See what I am telling you? Boy, you are just wasting your time as well as Uganda’s resources in trying to prevent what is unpreventable!!!! Eyo Ennuggu yamwe mugizeyo ewamwe e Rwanda!
Awangaale Ayi Cucu,Mpologoma, Beene, Maggulunnyondo, Lukomwanantawetwa, Musota, Baffe Ssabasajja Kabaka! Long Live your Majesty Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi II!!!
October 5th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Tara,
I entirely agree with you! The likes of Mutabazi and his cohorts (including Hon. Tim Lwanga Mutekanga?????!!!!! Banange tufudde nze!!!!)are simply wasting time on this. The only soultion, well if you can call it that, is to kill off all Baganda within and without Buganda. And if they can succeed to do that, well, they can then rest assured that their interahamwe-like schemes will work in Buganda. Short of this, however, they can as well lick ash (i.e. banuune kuvvu!). Incidentally, they sound extremly ignorant with some of their suggestions:
(1) By using the title “Mr.” while referring to the Kabaka, does Mr. Mutabazi hope to be taken seriously? Nope!! He instead sounds extremely ignorant!
(2) Is Mr. Mutabazi aware that by mooting these criminal Nazi-like/Intarehamwe-like and inciteful proposals to FMs in Uganda, he is as a matter of fact alienating many Baganda who subscribe to NRM-O but are die-hard Kabaka supporters?
(3)When the NRM government refused the Buganda Government to use the name RADIO BUGANDA for its FM at the time of its inception, did that stop CBS from being the most popular Luganda FM when it finally began its operations?
(4)If you stop Luganda FMs from promoting pro-Buganda Kingdom “content” on air, are you aware that you are inadvertently killing these people’s businesses (notably ala Aga Sekalala and Mariah …)on account of the fact that many Baganda will view them as agents of Buganda-haters if they went ahead to implement these hopeless Intarehamwe-like rules??
(5)Are these Intarehamwe-like rules against Buganda Kingdom, the Kabaka and the Baganda reached after a consesus with your fellow members on Board or are they a product of a unilateral decision?
(6) Is Mutabazi aware of the serious socio-cultural/socio-political danger he has created for Baganda folks on Board such as Hon. Tim Lwanga Mutekanga and Aga Sekalala? These two individuals are indeed in trouble with their core Buganda constituency!!!!!
Anyhow Tara, it is pretty sad that Uganda rulers never learn from the mistakes of their predecessors. That is how Mulondo messed up himself thinking that it would be business as usual after betraying the Kabaka and the Buganda cause! Everywhere he goes, he first has to explain himself for an abominable act he committed more than decade ago. I gather that even his own ildren and grandchildren are not having it easy either in and outside Uganda. It is like a curse following them up!
Wangaala nyo Ayi Nyanjatemanyiirwa, Nantakubibwakubibwamasiimu, Kaasa, Omuteregga, Omutanda, Namunswa, Ssabasajja Kabaka!
October 6th, 2009 at 7:44 am
I think it would be foolish for the two prominent Baganda, i.e. Aga Sekala and Tim Lwanga to be used and just keep quite about it, unless of course they are party to this anti-Buganda/anti-Kabaka campaign by Mutabazi and his sponsor (s). And like Busagwa has pointed out, there is no doubt that the two gentlemen’s reputations amongst the Baganda are on line because of their complicity in the whole saga! Mr. Sekala’s radio business, including his regular Nakivubo-staged Ebbigunda, is going to suffer tremendously! Let them come clean if both of them are not party to what is evidently being seen as an anti-Buganda/ant-Kabaka campaigns, which though are bound to fail miserably!
Awangaale ayi Baffe Maggulunnyondo Cucu!
October 6th, 2009 at 8:27 am
Amos,
I suggest that once the Aga Sekalala and Tim Lwanga fail to come out and disassociates itself from the Mutabazi madness, we can encourage all our folks back home to begin boycotting all businesses related to the duo. How is that? We can even think of more stringent measures against any Muganda with or without business empires within Buganda who willingly renders support to any effort by foreigners now ocupying Buganda nd Uganda!
Long Live His Majesty Muwenda Mutebi II!