One of the outcomes of the recent Buganda liberation meeting, in Boston, was the exposure of an NRM government slavery program against Baganda people in Uganda. The Boston meeting, which took place on January 23, 2010 triggered serious talk about the now open secret that the NRM government illegally imprisons unemployed Baganda young men for short periods, during which they hire them out as causal labor, at no pay, to wealthy NRM supporters.

The Chairman of Ggwangamujje Boston and the anchor of the Luganda Ekiba Kibe program on SMS based Free Buganda Radio strongly condemned Museveni’s Baganda slavery scam on January 25, 2009.

It is public knowledge in Buganda that the NRM government frequently arrests unemployed youths, charges them for being “idle and disorderly” and imprisons them for brief a few weeks and them releases them. What is disturbing to many Baganda in the USA is that Museveni’s police and prison service official are taking advantage of Uganda’s primitive laws to hire the short-term prison inmates to wealthy Banyankore, Bakiga, Rwandese, Indian and other business people (including some Baganda) as slave laborers at no pay. To avoid raising serious human rights concerns, the unfortunate Baganda youths are normally released as soon as family members start to pursue the case.

When asked for comment, a reputable New York based Muganda political analysts told: “Nothing can be put beyond Museveni and the NRM now. The law allowing prisons to hire inmates out as laborers have been on the books in Uganda since the 1970’s, but no Ugandan government has ever abused it to the point of creating a slavery ring. What is very unbelievable is that, as my contacts in Kampala have told me, the NRM police who arrest the young people actually screens out Baganda and let virtually all other ethnicities go.  I understand that at least 95% of the slave laborers are Baganda.”

Our analyst continued: “It is bad enough that Museveni and his cronies have turned young Baganda into modern day slaves. What is incredible is that, as I have reliably been told, high officials in the Buganda Government are probably aware. And at least one of them could be a beneficiary.”

To listen to Mr. Mayanja and Mr. Kabuye on the January 25, 2009 Ekiba Kibe program, click on Ekiba_Kibe25Jan10B.

A young Muganda woman who requested that her name not be revealed, has sent Buganda Post and email, admitting that she attended the party that was quickly arranged by the NRM government’s ambassador to the United Nations, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda.  According to Ekiba Kibe program on Free Buganda Radio, Rugunda and NRM’s brother Panus Bugembe quickly organized the party to subotage Baganda meetings in Boston and New York (see “Beti Kamya In Boston Baganda Meeting As Rugunda Bribes Youths With Free Beer“).

Below is the email that we received:

—–Original Message—–

From: XXXXXXXXX [mailto:XXXXXXX@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, January 24, 2010 9:16 PM
To: info@bugandapost.com
Cc: writers@bugandapost.com
Subject: Uganda house party
Importance: High

dear Buganda post,

I think it is unfair to say all of us who went to the Uganda house thing are M7 people. fact is I think that the man is a brut because i saw how he killed so many Baganda during Kayinga riots. When my friends told me and I read the story in Buganda post and listened to mr. kabuye Robert I saw that may be I have to be careful going to the Uganda house parties. They spend so much on booze and the like but the hospitals in UG have no beds for maternity.  I am so am sorry to Kabaka of Buganda for my bad judgment. Long live Kabaka!

thank you.

please don’t show my name or email address.

XXXXXXXXXX

Thanks to pressure from ordinary Baganda and politicians who are scared of losing votes in Buganda, Uganda’s life president Yoweri Museveni, would like to reopen Buganda’s CBS FM Radio now. However the prospects of this happening appear poor, given the growing number of power centers that oppose it and his own crude stubbornness.

Museveni erected the first hurdle when he decided to set what many observers consider unreasonable conditions, for rescinding the illegal closure of the most popular radio station in Uganda. The ridiculous conditions, even by the standards of donor governed Uganda, included firing all presenters who annoyed Ugandan president in the past, moving the radio station headquarters to a location more agreeable to the NRM government, only airing cultural programs and, most incredibly, dropping legal cases that CBS employees filed against government.

According to local press reports, the Buganda minister of information, Owek. Medard Lubega Ssegona, reacted swiftly, saying in Luganda: “Tetuyinza kuwaayo Bwakabaka  batuweemu leediyo. Obukwakkulizo bwa gavumenti bumenya Konsitityusoni n’amateeka amalala.” (“We cannot surrender our kingdom in exchange for a radio station. The [NRM] government’s demands are illegal.”). At the same time, a sources in Mmengo told us that Katikkiro Walusimbi and other businessmen in Buganda Government want to negotiate with Museveni on the conditions but are simply overwhelmed by the other forces.

The most formidable force against opening of CBS under Museveni’s arbitrary conditions is the Baganda masses and the Bataka (clan elders). This group, which also includes CBS Fans Club and the more nationalistic members of Buganda government, misses the radio station most and is putting most pressure on Museveni to re-open it. However, they are strongly opposed to the reopening if it will lead to changes in their radio station’s format or presenters. Although Kabaka Mutebi is quiet on the issue, word on the Baganda street is that he is fully with his subjects and the Bataka (as Ssabataka, Kabaka Mutebi is part of the Bataka).

Also strongly opposed for the reopening are Baganda members of the Ugandan opposition political parties, DP, FDC and UPC. Most of these political types would like CBS to remain closed until the 2011 elections to maximize Baganda anger and anti-NRM feelings. Joyce Nabbosa Sebugwaawo is a strong activist in the Bakiga/Banyankore led FDC and she quoted by the local press saying: “Gavumenti ekole ky’eyagala bwe baliyagala baligizzaako. Obukwakkulizo bwe batutaddeko tebujja kukola era tubugaanyi. Banaffe oba basazeewo kukola nga bannakyemalira, katubaleke bagende mu maaso.” (“Let the government do whatever they want. Whenever they decide they can reopen it. The conditions they have imposed are impractical and we rejected them. Our colleagues have chosen to be dictators, we will let them go ahead.”)

Others opposed to the CBS opening, but possibly working independently, are disgruntled NRMs who feel betrayed by Museveni. One example is Janat Mukwaya, who, according to state house sources, Museveni is anxious to drop. Mrs. Mukwaya reportedly knows this and she has already decided not to run for re-election in 2011. But she is privately afraid about her future, including the personal safety of her family because of the anti-Baganda crimes she has committed on behalf of  the Museveni who is now dumping her. Another one is Museveni’s vice president Gilbert Bukenya, who is seeing red over the not so subtle murder of his son followed by the the highly public ridicule by Museveni and Tamale Mirundi over the CHOGOM car scandal. These two and other disillusioned NRMs, reportedly now have individual “Ffena tufiirwe” (“If I lose everyone must lose”) agendas in connection with CBS Radio.  In general, they are pushing for CBS to remain closed so that hatred for Museveni and Banyankore in Buganda may increase. Short term agendas.

In his recent broadcasts of Ekiba Kibe program, Mr. Robert Kabuye of Boston has been use the abbreviation Bu in reference to the Buganda nation.  The same abbreviation was used for about 20 year, starting in the 1920s, by the Buganda independence movement called Abataka Bu.  It is not yet clear if the use of Bu on Ekiba Kibe program is in anyway related to efforts to resurrect the Abataka Bu party. However, Mr. Kabuye has frequently made it clear that goal (omulamwa) of the SMS based Freed Buganda Radio and its Ekiba Kibe program is Buganda liberation and independence.

To listen to the January 21, 2010 Ekiba Kibe program click on Ekiba_Kibe21Jan10A.

A Banyankore owned pornographic newspaper in Uganda has fired the first shot in the much awaited NRM campaign to undermine Kabaka Mutebi’s authority and influence among increasingly nationalistic Baganda, masses over the next 9 months. The Red Pepper, which was originally sponsored by Museveni’s brother Salim Saleh and run by Banyankore and Bakiga, claims that the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, signed a secret with Dr. Kizza Besigye over the future of Buganda.

Since Museveni was forced to cancel his tour of Buganda, in late 2009, due to hostile questions about CBS Radio by peasants, there has been chatter in Kampala’s Balaalo political circles and from sources close to his state house that a new plan to neutralize Kabaka Mutebi in the works. Its objective is to minimize the influence of the the Lion of Buganda on 2011 elections. Key contributors and advisors to the plan include Museveni himself, one Mafabi, Tamale Mirundi, Robert Sebunya, Karoor Okurut, Joseph Kakooza, Sam Kuteesa, Salim Saleh, Haj. Katongole, Robert Kabushenga, Freddie Ruhindi, an unnamed Indian and others. At least two Mmengo officials, who cannot be named at this time, in order to protect our sources, have also contributed. All run businesses that heavily rely on Museveni’s government contracts.

A seasoned former Mmengo official with extensive contacts among closet Baganda nationalists in the NRM occupation government has told Buganda Post that the Red Pepper story had fingerprints of ISO and Museveni’s statehouse and seems to be the start of a campaign against the Kabaka. He explained: “These chaps are masters at throwing together loose facts and sprinkling a little speculation on them to fabricate fake anti-Buganda stories. And they do it with confidence that,  in the absence of an opposing response from Mmengo, Baganda will believe the lies over time. For example, it is an open secret that a large majority of Mmengo officials have bought into claims by Mayiga, Walusimbi, Makubuya, Jolly Lutaaya and retired Bishop Nkoyoyo, that Buganda’s future is at the mercy of Uganda politicians like Besigye and Museveni.

“It is also an open secret that the NRM, DP and FDC have infiltrated Mmengo. And most Buganda officials, including seemingly nationalist Nambooze, Lubega, Mpuuga and Mpanga frequently face a conflict between their personal or political ambitions and Buganda’s national interests. In fact is also an open secret that many of these Mmengo officials routinely lie to and mislead Kabaka Mutebi, simply to protect their personal interests. Other equally public information is that there are also high-profile Baganda political figures like Kyanjo and Nsubuga Nsambu, who have spine and publicly insist that the future of Baganda is up to Baganda.”

Our analyst explains that the Red Pepper story takes these pieces of common knowledge and uses them to create a fake story whose only goal is to make Kabaka Mutebi look like a coward who is putting the future of his kingdom in the hands of a Mukiga man whose political career is based on a long term fight with Museveni over a Mulaalo woman.  According to the analyst, Museveni’s people know that if this image of a weak and Besigye-worshiping Kabaka Mutebi becomes strong in the minds of young Baganda and those in the diaspora, his popularity will quickly fade. In their evil minds, Museveni’s team reason that if Baganda start to believe that their Kabaka is beholden to Besigye, then they will be so demoralized that they will abandon Buganda nationalist dreams.

The analyst asks: “If Kabaka Mutebi signed an agreement with Besigye, under what law did they sign it; Museveni’s law? Are all Baganda stupid enough that merely signing a piece of paper would stop Besigye from even abolishing kingdoms after becoming the new Uganda dictator? Museveni and NRM are using the Red Pepper to make the Kabaka of Buganda appear beholded to this Mukiga called Besigye.”

Below is the Red Pepper story that analysts believe was planted by the NRM occupation government to humiliate Baganda and their Kabaka:

Besigye, Kabaka Sign Secret Deal
(Red Pepper – January 18, 2010)

The Mengo establishment has secretly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with President Museveni’s leading political rival, Col. Dr Kizza Besigye. The development was a result of pressure from some Buganda clan leaders, advisors of the Kabaka, and opinion and religious leaders. Red Pepper has reliably learnt that the MoU was signed about a month ago. A decision was also taken to keep it top secret for fear that its leakage might annoy the Central government and further delay the reopening of CBS radio.

Recall that at all its sittings last year, the Lukiiko (Buganda Kingdom Parliament) consistently urged the Kabaka to reciprocate NRM hostility by openly fraternising with its political rivals. The Lukiiko members advanced two reasons. The one was the fact that most NRM rivals had been active in defending the Kabaka against the Central government. The other was that openly fraternising with the opposition would increase Mengo’s relevance among anti-NRM Baganda. This was also seen as the only way to blackmail the NRM into giving in to Buganda’s demands.

DETAILS
NRM cadres have always dismissed Besigye’s promise of Federo to Mengo as mere political rhetoric, questioning why he doesn’t put it in writing. Red Pepper has learnt that to neutralise such criticism, Besigye has put a list of concessions to Mengo in writing.The concessions have been attached on the secret MoU. Some of them are: Unconditionally returning what Buganda perceives as their 9,000 square miles (mairo akenda), County headquarters (embuga z’amasaza), and all schools and institutions in the central region that once belonged to Buganda kingdom.

Other properties Besigye commits himself to returning include Butikkiro (Katikkiro’s residence) which is currently occupied by the Joint Clinical Research Centre, and all the titles for land (in government hands/use) that is owned by Buganda kingdom. The Supreme Court building in Mengo is another property whose return Buganda continues to demand.  Arguing that returning all these at once would paralyse government operations, the Central government has been dragging its feet and promising to pay rent to Mengo, in vain.
As we write, Mengo is demanding billions of shillings in rent arrears. In fact as of June 2009 (when Mengo read its 2009/10 budget), the arrears stood at about Shs9bn. Lukiiko members then directed Attorney General Apollo Makubuya to sue the government for court to force a pay-up or Government vacates the premises.

BESIGYE VS MAO
Our ever reliable sources revealed that Mengo ministers were initially divided on the Besigye/Kabaka MoU.
The Majority agreed that since he was likely to remain the second most popular Ugandan politician after Museveni for many years to come, Besigye was the best ally Mengo could have. Others preferred Democratic Party’s Norbert Mao. Saying DP was seen as a Baganda party more than the FDC, the pro-Mao Mengo ministers had argued that the secret MoU should be signed with him (Mao) instead.

This, however, failed for a number of reasons, including consideration that the Kabaka personally believes in Besigye more than in Mao.The other reason was that it would take years for Mao to obtain the size of political following Besigye currently enjoys nationally.The never-ending squabbles in DP also worked against Mao. The party was contrasted with Besigye’s FDC which appears to be relatively more organised, with a predictable future.

Some Mengo officials wanted none of the two parties, saying they were both not Baganda. They argued that Mengo should instead flock with Bidandi Ssali’s People’s Progressive Party, Kibirige Mayanja’s JEEMA or Dr Abed Bwanika’s PDP.All these were, however, rejected after a research confirmed that they had little chance to win even within Buganda region.

MENGO CONCESSIONS
To reciprocate Besigye’s big concessions, Mengo will ensure more FDC-friendly Baganda are given more visible roles both in its establishment and in organising the Kabaka’s mobilisation tours in future. In fact, sources revealed, since a good number of his ministers are eying parliamentary seats, the Kabaka will announce a new cabinet in the last 10 months to the next general elections. This reform will also be reflected in the Katikkiro’s department. Because Eng. J. B. Walusimbi’s four-year contract ends in 2012, his deputies will either be asked to become prolific in bashing the NRM, or be replaced with more militant names of the Dan Muliika brand.

In fact, Muliika might be recalled either as Deputy Katikkiro or to serve in a powerful ministerial position that will allow him do political mobilisation like he did in the run-up to 2006 elections and shortly after. The other concession will be reflected in Besigye and other opposition leaders being allowed to address crowds at public functions graced by the Kabaka this year. The optimism Mengo has in Besigye perhaps explains what we saw last week at Najjanankumbi when FDC nominations placed  Besigye against Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu.

One of them is to face off as a party flag bearer with President Museveni in 2011. All known FDC officials with linkages at Mengo openly embraced Besigye against Muntu. These included Ibrahim Semujju Nganda, Joyce Sebugwawo, Sam Njuba (Kabaka’s personal friend) and Prof. Bwogi Kanyerezi (brother to Joyce who mothers Daudi Mpanga and Kabaka’s Principal Private Secretary Peter Mpanga).

The Baganda nationalist group, Abazzukulu ba Buganda, insists that the Kingdom of Buganda has no legal or political obligation to Uganda.  A statement that was issued to Baganda communities around the world on January 6, 2010 by Abazzukulu says that in 1962 the an independent Buganda nation entered into a legal agreement with 14 other territories to form one country called Uganda. The statement goes on to explain that in 1966, the then legal government of Uganda unilaterally violated and abrogated the 1962 contract. This violation of the Uganda national contract both expelled Buganda from Uganda and made the presence of the Uganda government on Buganda territory illegal.

Abazzukulu ba Buganda argue, therefore, that Buganda has no legal obligation to have a political relationship with Uganda, or any other party, and Buganda is free to declared herself a free and independent country. The statement, which was signed by the chairman of Abazzukulu, Mr. Junju Kamulari, concludes that: “What is called the ‘Uganda Government’ exists illegally. And for Buganda to be free and independent, she does not need to secede from Uganda; she just needs to recognize and make her 1966 expulsion from Uganda official.”

The original statement, in Luganda, is reproduced below:

DDEMBE LYA BUGANDA OKWEFUGA YOKKA

Mu 1962, Buganda yatuula n’amawanga amalala 14 e London nebakola endagaano eyali ettondawo ensi entongole Uganda eyawamu ne Gavumenti y’ayo. Endagaano eyo n’eteeka amawanga 15 agaagikola wansi w’obufuge bwa Gavumenti ya Uganda.Era omwo Buganda mweyapangisiza  Gavumenti ya Uganda ettaka ly’eKampala n’eNtebe ekolereko emirimo gyayo. Okufanana amawanga amalala 14, Buganda endagaano yagiteekako omukono ng’eGgwanga ettongole.

Mu 1966 eyali gavumenti ya Uganda entuufu endagaano eyali egitondawo ng’egiwa ebbeetu okufuga Buganda yagimenyawo. Kino kyali kitegeeza era kikyategeeza

nti Buganda yagobwa mu Uganda mu 1966. Era nti Gavumenti ya Uganda yeegoba yokka ku ttaka lye’Kampala ne Ntebe.

Kino kitegeeza nti kati Buganda terina ndagaano ya Bufuge na muntu yenna era nti kati Buganda erina ebbeetu OKWEFUGA YOKKA.  Kitegeeza nti kati tewateekwa kubeerawo, kiyitibwa oba kyeyita “Gavumenti ya Uganda”. Kitegeeza nti kati ekyeyita oba ekiyitibwa “ Gavumenti ya Uganda” kiriwo mu bumenya bw’amateeka.Kitegeeza nti kati Buganda okwefuga tekigyeetaagisa kwekutulako ku Uganda, wabula kigyetaagisa kukkiriza bukkiriza kugobwa kwaayo mu Uganda.

M. Junju Kamulari  (Ssentebe)

Olukiiko lw’Abazzukulu ba Buganda

We Are Heading For A Civil War, Kyanjo’s Words May Be Prophetic

By Seezi Sewagaba

The situation as it stands at the moment, with the impending general elections in about a year’s time, with all signs showing that it is going to be rigged, then all ingredients [that] are necessary to spark off a civil are in place. People are so fed up of the NRM, that picking up arms as honourable Hussein Kyanjo hinted is the only viable alternative. Museveni has underestimated the people of Uganda as his predecessor Milton Obote did. He has put his trust in the gun and even armed his tribesmen to the brink. This is going to be his undoing. In this coming civil war, three tribes are going to be more involved than the rest, namely Baganda, Banyankole and Bakiga. The remaining tribes will as usual side with the winning side. All pleas to Museveni have fallen on deaf ears. He has great confidence in the ability of his armed forces to uphold and sustain his regime. He might not be as lucky as Robert Mugabe and Muamar Qadaffi whose regimes have lasted longest in Africa’s political history.

As I said in [an earlier] article a few months ago, a civil strike can definitely cripple Museveni’s regime. Museveni’s military machine is just a paper tiger, behind which the coward Museveni hides. A determined civil disobedience or strife, sustained over a period of one month can definitely bring Museveni’s ramshackle regime down. All we need is determination and the willingness to sacrifice a few lives. All I know is that we have got a lot of allies in the armed forces and the police who are tired of this regime with its tribalism and corruption. What is needed is to set off the spark and the whole edifice will burn down.  Museveni will get more and more dictatorial and paranoid as his regime lasts in power. We have seen nothing yet about this dictatorship.

Every year parliament looks helplessly as billions of taxpayers’ money is allocated to the State House to be used by members of one tribe namely the Banyankole. Almost every weekend, lavish weddings are held by Museveni’s close tribesmen and women marrying off their daughters using taxpayer’s money. A lot of money is dubiously allocated without any rules to be followed.

People close to the President have built mansions which don’t match their incomes. The finance department of the UPDF at Mbuya is all manned by Banyankole. Even a mere clerk working there, eats daily at the most expensive restaurant in Bugolobi, a high income Kampala suburb, where a meal costs 4000 shillings. The workers in this finance department drive very expensive cars which don’t match their incomes. By comparison, the police personnel live in dilapidated houses at Naguru. Some live nine people in a room. They only survive because of taking bribes from civilians. This shows how Museveni and his tribe’s people are so selfish. I cannot see how the police personnel and many non- Banyankole soldiers in the army can fight to defend Museveni’s regime if Museveni cannot see the pathetic conditions under which they live.

People like David Jamwa who embezzled peoples’ pension funds and even went to the extent of gambling using that money in an American Casino is still at large plus Patrick Mbabazi who helped himself to ten billion of it and escaped scot-free. Museveni’s call to fight corruption is a two edged sword. This is because corruption starts with Museveni himself, before it spreads to the rest of the country. He cannot accuse others of corruption without them accusing him of the same thing. That is why Mbabazi got away with it. If we are not careful, then I am afraid that one tribe might disappear from the map of Uganda. We saw it in Rwanda, and the same scenario can be replicated in Uganda.

The killing of thirty Baganda by the security forces following the riots which took place after the Kabaka was refused entry into Kayunga, was just a dress rehearsal of the misery to come. These people though branded thugs by Museveni, did not die in vain. Museveni thinks that Baganda are expendable creatures, that is why he sacrificed many Baganda lives in Luweero in order to come to power. That is why 80 Baganda Moslems were slaughtered in Mbarara, his tribal town. The next civil war is going to be fought hand with hand. Neighbour turning against neighbour. This time the guns will not matter much. Everybody with a grudge against another person will take advantage of the chaos and lawlessness to fulfill his revenge.

All this can be averted if Museveni steps down lawfully and allows the Constitution and Parliament to steer the country into the future. Like Saddam Hussein, Museveni will not have the time to escape should his regime fall through violence. The more he stays in power, the more he endangers the lives of his tribesmen the Banyankole. During Obote’s regime, the Baganda were the hate symbol. Now the Westerners especially Banyankole are hated more than Baganda were hated during Obote’s regime. I read about a story of an Itetso girl who saw her father shot dead by a Munyankole soldier simply because he was trying to help his friend who had been wounded. The Banyankole have repeated the same mistakes Obote and his troops made.

Seezi Sewagaba.

sewagaba@hotmail.com