We have learnt from highly reliable sources in  President Museveni state house apparatus that the Ugandan strongman may soon disown the brutal actions of Uganda police against Baganda youths in Kayunga.  According to an email message sent through an intermediary, the source says: “Ugandans are going to be surprised when Mr. Museveni will claim that he only learnt about the problems in Kayunga  on Tuesday or Wednesday. He also intends to attack people who claim that he has anything to do with the threatening letter that his minister Kirunda Kivejinja wrote, warning Kabaka not to go to Kayunga, in Bugerere county.”

Our source could not confirm when Mr. Museveni will make the public statements but speculated that he (Museveni) might do it when he meets MPs who come from Buganda on Thursday or Friday.  As for why Museveni plans to do this the source said: “Museveni has no choice this time. He fully understands that  he underestimated the Kabaka and Baganda on this issue of Bugerere. He also knows that he overestimated the influence that Katikkiro Walusimbi and his supporters still have on Kabaka Mutebi’s decisions. The only option he has, as a military man, is a tactical withdraw. And, based on his past behavior he may blame everything on  Kirunda and [Rwandese police commander]  Kale Kayihura.” The MPs are expected to ask Museveni to explain which his government is blocking Kabaka Mutebi from freely moving in Buganda simply because 22 people demonstrated with sigs that they don’t want him to visit without first consulting their leader, who happens to be an active member of the Uganda army.

In May 2009, the Aga Khan’s The Monitor newspaper printed a Uganda government sponsored story claiming that  Kabaka Mutebi postponed his planned  tour of Kayunga, in Bugerere county, due to fear that Banyala residents might demonstrate against him (see “Kabaka Will Visit Bugerere When Youths Are Home “).  This writer established at the time that the true reason was because Kabaka was traveling to Europe on official duties.  Due to conflict with another tour of Buvuma in July/August, the Bugerere trip was finally rescheduled to start on September 12, 2009.

Since Monday, the Uganda police, under the command of Rwandese refugee Kale Kayihura, has obstructed Baganda youth trying to prepare the site for Kabaka’s main ceremonies at Kayunga. They even fired teargas canisters into the car of  Mengo officials who had gone to Kayunga to oversee  the preparations. The Police also kidnapped Baganda youths who were erecting stalls and held them incommunicado for a day. Earlier, a Musoga minister in Museveni’s government, Kirunda Kivejinja wrote to Mmengo, warning that the Kabaka should not go to Bugerere without the agreement of one Baker Kimeze, the Museveni appointed first king “Bunyala”. Museveni created the pseudo kingdoms of Buruli and Bunyala within Buganda, in direct contradiction of his own Uganda constitution, which does not recognize ‘subkingdoms’ within Buganda.

Despite Museveni’s threats and brutal police actions, Kabaka Mutebi instructed his trusted officials like, David Mpanga, Lubega Ssegona, Betty Nabooze, Kabuuza Mukasa and several others, especially in Nkoba za Mbogo, to spearhead “Operation See You in  Kayunga”.   Through these ‘warriors” Kabaka Mutebi informed his subjects that he was determined to go to Kayunga and not allow a repeat of what happened in Buruli.  According to information from the operational command post, headed by Betty Nambooze,  tens of thousands of Baganda are expected to descend on Kayunga on Saturday, based on contacts with Gombolola and Miruka chiefs across Buganda. President Museveni’s internal security organization has informed their boss of these facts. The main reason why Museveni is backing down is because he has no confidence that his police can handle the situation if they try to stop the Baganda.

Kampala Mayor and convicted money launderer, Nasser Sebaggala, has declared  “war” on Betty Nambooze, for what he claimed to be her disrespectful behavior towards him. Nambooze was the moderator of a Democratic Party leadership meeting that sat at Christ the King church conference hall. Problems started when, before the first item on the agenda was touched,  Sebaggala demanded that Nambooze give him the microphone to address the meeting because he had to rush to another meeting.  Nambooze resisted what was apparent indiscipline on the part of Mayor Sebaggala, explaining that the conference should follow the agenda and all speakers should contribute in the pre-determined order, to maintain  a sense or organization.

In a move that did not surprise those familiar with the current state of in the DP, President General Ssebaana Kizito and Secretary General Mathias Nsubuga openly disagreed with Nambooze’s call for discipline and order behavior. Indeed the added to the chaos when Nsubuga, with cheering from Ssebaana Kizito, grabbed the microphone from the speaker who had the floor and gave it to Sebaggala.

Sources in DP have told this reporter that the events at Christ the King are only symptoms of the high tension in the party between the “Buganda” wing and the “Uganda” wing. People like Nambooze and Lukwago are in the Buganda wing and they are highly suspected to be putting Buganda first and the party second.  For example when Nambooze gained freedom from captivity after Mr. Museveni ordered his kidnap, chose to suspend her DP activities for a couple of months but kept speaking for Buganda even while in the hospital.  Nambooze also works closely with other Buganda champions from other parties, like Daudi Mpanga (Independent), Beti Kamya (FDC), Hussein Kyanjo (Jeema), Lubega Sseggona (Independent), Kaddu Mukasa (Independent), etc. Overall, these people are not corrupt and are highly popular in Buganda.

According to the sources, the DP old-guard like Ssebaana and Sebaggala are scared that the focus that young Baganda in DP are putting on Mmengo and Buganda, is making them irrelevant.  To them, the popularity that Nambooze, Lukwago their colleagues enjoy  in Kampala and Buganda is undermining DP in other areas.

The mistreatment of Nambooze by Sebaggala and Ssebaana comes at a time when Kiiza Besigye’s Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) is also in a miserable campaign to discredit Lubaga North MP, Beti Kamya, apparently for committing the same crime as Nambooze – putting Buganda first. Beti has already publicly declared her intention to make respect for Buganda’s interests the litmus test for any politician who wants to engage the new generation of Baganda.  Conventional wisdom in Buganda is that FDC is all but dead in Buganda because, at this time, Besigye and his team are still holding on to the illusion that they are the future saviors of Kabaka Mutebi’s people.

The host and live audience of last Saturday’s Mambo Baado, the popular town-hall style radio program on CBS Radio were quite embarrassed when rebuked by Betty Nambooze for discussing European football during a time of crisis in Buganda. Nambooze, who claimed to be coming straight from a hospital bed put the host, Ssozi Kaddu Mukasa, and his live audience to task to why they were pre-occupied with football scores at a time when Ssabasajja Kabaka Mutebi’s movements in his kingdom were being restricted by Mr. Museveni.

Nambooze, who looked both unwell and sad, told the listeners in Luganda, “Fellow Baganda, I am sick and I was in a hostpital bed, on IV drip, when I decided to switch on and listen to Mambo Baado. Obviously I expected the discussion to be about serious issues affecting Buganda such as the crisis that was created by those who barred Kabaka Mutebi from visiting his people in Buluuli, which is part of his kingdom. When I heard sports, I could not stay in bed.”

“How could you have chosen to make sports more important than the siege that Buganda and Kabaka are under?” Nambooze pointedly asked Kaddu Mukasa. The host claimed that it is the producers who chose the topic but many in the audience, who were now cheering Nambooze, seemed unconvinced. After Nambooze told the crowd that she was disappointed by the poor leadership shown on the Buluuli crisis but was returning to the hospital to have the drip reattached, the audience started to leave. It was not possible to establish by the time of this posting if the management of CBS could have intentionally chosen the topic of sport to appease Mr. Museveni.

In a related development, Katikkiro JB Walusimbi, spent the weekend conducting Rotary Club business. During the same time when Nambooze left a hospital bed to go and guide Buganda on the seriousness of Mr. Museveni’s decision to restrict Kabaka Mutebi’s freedom of movement in Buganda, Katikkiro Walusimbi was in Wobulenzi, Bulemeezi County, to open a new Rotary Club branch. At the ceremony, Katikkiro Walusimbi called upon the branch members to work very hard for the success of their organization and to promote volunteerism. He did discuss Mr. Museveni’s restrictions on Kabaka Mutebi’s on traveling to Nakasongola, less than 50 miles away from the ceremony venue.

Rotary Club International is a volunteer organization that is headquartered in the United States. Its popularity among both and the corrupt citizens of Uganda is largely due the opportunities it provides for local clubs to attract funds from wealth foreign clubs in Eu. Prominent members of Rotary in Uganda include former minister of health in Mr. Museveni’s government, Jim Muhwezi, who is infamous for misapprorating millions of dollars in public funds.

Betty Bakireke Nambooze has promised her listeners that the fight by her Civil Education Committee for Buganda’s land and human rights will soon be stepped up. She explained that the relative quiet that followed the illegal kidnap and captivity of herself, Lubega Sseggona and Peter Mayiga was only a tactical withdraw. The Civic Education Committee was appointed by Ssabasajja Kabaka, Muwenda Mutebi, with Nambooze as its chairman.

Nambooze made the remarks last Tuesday on the weekly CBS Radio FM talk show program Kiriza oba Gaana (Agree or Disagree). Earlier this week Buganda Post carried an exclusive report about the financial challenges the Nambooze and her committee were facing in continuing their work. During Kiriza oba Gaana, Nambooze said that they had made the tactical withdraw to give the Government campaign to sell the Land Act amendments fail by itself. She said (our translation), “We have given the other side a chance to sell their story but most people can see, no one is buying. So we are coming back soon to bring the truth to you again, and teach you what it really going on.”

Nambooze’s statements came only days after similar declarations by another Buganda official who was kidnapped and kept in captivity in August, 2008, Medard Lubega Sseggona (Lubega Sseggona Vows To Keep Fighting for Buganda). It is still not clear if there is any connection between the statements by the two popular Buganda rights advocates and the evidence that CBS Radio management is taking its orders from President Museveni’s government.

About a month earlier CBS Radio management and Katikkiro Walusimbi tried to discontinue Betty Nambooze’s programs, only to be stopped by Ssabasajja Kabaka himself. More recently, CBS management caved to the demands of Museveni’s minister, Amama Mbabazi, and refused to air live a program where his political opponents Jim Muhweezi and Kahinda Otafiire were to appear on September 28, 2008. Katikkiro Walusimbi has even appointed a special “internal censor” of CBS programs, Cambridge University trained Haj. Mustafa Mutyaba, to make sure that Mr. Museveni’s expectations are generally met by what is broadcast.

On August 6, 2008 Mr. Museveni’s government kidnapped Nambooze, together with Peter Mayiga, Buganda Minister of Information and Lubega Sseggona, Buganda Deputy Minister of Information. The three were illegally held for nearly a week until a judge ruled the detention to be illegal captivity. Originally the government claimed that the trio, together with others, had plotted to prosecute war against Uganda but when take to court, they were only charged with sedition.

Buganda Post has learnt that the United States Embassy in Uganda was not responsible for Betty Nambooze’s failure to travel to the USA and participate in Ttabamiruka ’08 on August 28, 2008. Nambooze and the USA Embassy visa officials were apparently victims of the visa scam which was setup by Mmengo officials, Ahmed Bamweyana and Kaddu. Buganda Post first broke the story of Bamweyana’s US visa scam on September 6, 2008 (see “Visa Scam Brewing at Mmengo”). Betty Nambooze is the chairman of Kabaka Mutebi’s Central Civic Committee, responsible for educating Baganda about thier land and civil rights.

A source very close to Betty Nambooze explained the situation to Buganda Post as follows, “Once certain Mmengo officials confirmed that Ttabamiruka would take place in 2008, they spread the word around that Mr. Bamweyana and Mr. Kaddu were responsible for helping people to get USA visa to the conference. The emphasis was obviously on the visa, for which they charged 3,000 or more dollars. In the case of Nambooze, they went to her in Namirembe hospital, shortly after release from Government captivity, and volunteered to complete and submit a visa application on her behalf. The unsuspecting Nambooze quickly agreed because she thought that Bamweyana was one the Buganda government officials who were close to the Kabaka. And both Bamweyana and Kaddu assured her that they were working in coordination with the Ttabamiruka organizers.

Nambooze did not find out that there was no connection between Bamweyana and Ttabamiruka until around August 15, 2008, when the conference organizers told her that they could not understand why she was involved with Bamweyana and Kaddu at all. She quickly confronted Bamweyana and Kaddu, who admitted that they were not representing Ttabamiruka but just helping. They informed Nambooze that she could go for a special visa interview on Monday the 18th. Bamweyana and Kaddu took Nambooze to the USA embassy for the interview as promised but they also brought along about 13 other people who had paid their US $3,000. What happened at the embassy was pure confusion, as the embassy officials seemed to be clearly unprepared for the big number of people, with so many stories.  It is not clear why and how but it seemed that Bamweyana and Kaddu somehow had some control on how things took place. And in the end, Nambooze, who was the expected major speaker at Ttabamiruka ’08, was denied a visa. Yet, some phony applicants, claiming to be presenters, etc., got visa but never even went to the Ttabamiruka conference.”

On Nambooze’s part, she confirmed by telephone that the story about her and the USA embassy being coned is true in its facts. However, she clarified that she was not asked for $3,000 or other money herself, a sign that the con artists probably had mixed interests. She also indicated that she was not in any way involved in writing letters to American senators, if such letters were ever written.

Currently available information suggests that the USA embassy did not knowingly participate in the $3,000 per visa scam and the improper denial of Nambooze’s visa application. If anything, they were probably victims of the scam themselves since it could embarass them. Buganda Post was informed that after learning of Nambooze’s visa denial, the Ttabamiruka organizers spoke to their New Jersey senator, who wrote a letter the USA Ambassador to Uganda, Steven Browning (shown in picture), requesting assistance for Nambooze. It appears though that the senator’s letter might have arrived too late to help. Ahmed Bamweyana and Kaddu seem to have successfully stopped Nambooze’s trip, fooled the US Embassy, pleased the Mr. Museveni’s State House and made at least $30,000 in the process.

Many Baganda at Ttabamiruka ‘08, including MP for Makindye West, Hussein Kyanjo openly cried when they viewed a 40 minute video of Betty Nambooze, narrating her experience during her recent kidnap and captivity by Mr. Museveni’s government. Nambooze’s video was projected on a giant screen during the “Sunday royal dinner”, causing a few people to lose both apatite and tempers.

Betty Nambooze is the Chairman of Kabaka Mutebi’s Central Civic Committee. In the video, Nambooze told how her car was severely damaged at the time when she was grabbed by thugs who apparently work under Major Kakooza Mutale, President Museveni’s confidant and security advisor. Many in audience were dumfounded when they heard that Nambooze’s captors left her in a locked car, deep in the lion occupied Queen Elizabeth National Park  for 6 hours, in an effort to psychologically break her down. Gasps were let out when Betty spoke of being locked up in a closet size room with two other women where they has to stay standing up all the time in order to fit.

Former Buganda Katikkiro, Dan Muliika, and Rubaga North MP, Betty Kamya were among the visibly angered Baganda. One woman delegate who claimed to be a lawyer, was sobbing and wiping tears when she told this reporter, “This video is potentially credible evidence that President Museveni is engaging in crimes against humanity.”

President Museveni’s deputy minister of state for defense, Ruth Nankabirwa, was in the hall when the video was displayed. She left shortly after the video ended and without finishing her dinner, not to return. Mr. Museveni’s press secretary, Tamale Mirundi, and promoter of the Museveni  4th Term promoter, MP Kakooza of Kabula did not come to the dinner at all.

The organizers of Ttabamiruka ’08 did not tell the audience from where and how they obtained the video, which appeared to have been put together by highly professional individuals.

On Wednesday August 27, 2008, former Katikkiro of Buganda, Owek. Daniel Muliika arrived in New Jersey to attend Ttabamiruka ‘08. At the airport, the former Katikkiro was met by the Chairman of Ggwangamujje NY/NJ, Mr. Sullyman Bunkeddeko, Kabaka’s representative in the NY/NJ/PA/CT “ssaza”, Mr. Wycliffe Lule-Musoke, the Chairman of the Ttabamiruka ‘08 organizing committee, Mr. Edward Semambya and many other Baganda. In a videotaped moment, a young lady, one of the several youths present, gave Owek. Muliika a bouquet of flowers.

The conference organizing committee has confirmed that Hon. Hussein Kyanjo and Hon. Beti Kamya will arrive today, Friday. Several Baganda are expected to meet the two popular Baganda politicians on their arrival. Final details about the participation of Owek. David Mpanga and Omuzaana Betty Nambooze have not been released.

Most delegates are expected to arrive today. Those have registered to attend include Baganda, Bajjwa (people whose mothers are Baganda), other Ugandans and friends of Buganda. And they will come from United States, Europe, North Africa and Uganda.

More details on Ttabamiruka ‘08 are available at the conference website: www.ttabamiruka.com.

The official video clip for this press release is available at Muliika Arrives at Ttabamiruka

Ttabamiruka ‘08 Publicity Committee
August 29, 2008

According to reports reaching Buganda Post from New York, former Buganda Katikkiro, Daniel Muliika and Makindye MP, have arrived in New Jersey for the conference.  Owek. Muliika’s plane is reported to have arrived in Newark International airport at around 6:00 PM. Additional details could not be obtained by the time of this posting.

It is not clear where or when Hon. Kyanjo entered the United States but Buganda Post was reliably informed that he is already in the United States, “resting and preparing to do the needful”. The organizers of Ttabamiruka ’08 have not posted any new information about the speakers on their website over the past 3 days.

Ttabamiruka ’08 is an international Baganda conference that is set for August 29 – September 1, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA. According to the conference website, the objective I, “Consolidating Ttabamiruka ’07 achievements and confronting Buganda’s escalating challenges.”  The announced speakers include Owek. Muliika, Omuk. Betty Nambooze, Hon. Kyanjo and  Hon. Beti Olive Kamya. The conference program also states that Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi II will open the conference on Saturday.

Military strongman and Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura has created a special police unit to protect bibanja-holders (tenants) from alleged unlawful evictions by landlords. The unit will be under the police’s legal department and based at Central Police Station (CPS). According to the Major General, who has no training in police work, “When we get information that people somewhere are threatened with eviction, we go there to protect them. We have prevented several evictions in various parts of the country.”

The bibanja-holders protection unit has been created in the wake of an apparent failure by President Museveni to create a movement of bibanja-holders’ associations around the country. On July 12, 2008 Mr. Museveni launched the Jagala Kavule Bibanja Holders (Tenants) Association in. However, thanks to a furious education campaign by Betty Nambooze, Mr. Museveni’s effort failed to take off. Since a majority of evictions are known to be carried out by senior Uganda government officials, high ranking army officers, and so called balalo (pastoralists) it is not clear what the new unit’s primary function will be.

“Madamu Tica” Betty Nambooze returned to CBS Radio in what most Baganda saw as a clear sign that Kabaka Mutebi has lost confidence in Katikkiro Walusimbi’s judgment and commitment. She is the Chairperson of Kabaka’s Civic Education Central Committee and widely credited for discrediting and causing the embarrassing failure of Mr. Museveni’s Bibanja (land tenant) Owners Association in Buganda. Nambooze was suspended from CBS Radio after she was freed from more than a week of captivity in the hands of Uganda Statehouse operatives. Her return was marked by participation, Wednesday night, in the program “Kiriza oba Gaana” (Agree or Disagree), which was moderated by Meddie Nsereko Sebuliba. Back in her usual form Nambooze assured listeners that she and her committee will continue in their work and emphasized that their job is more important now than ever.

Nambooze was kidnapped together with Buganda ministers Charles Mayiga and Medard Lubega Ssegona and kept in captivity for about one week on allegations of, among other things, treason.  Later, Mr. Museveni’s government charged Nambooze and Lubega of committing sedition before releasing all the three Buganda government officials. Many Baganda were shocked to find out that instead of publically declaring support for his officials and demanding for their release, Katikkiro JB Walusimbi chose to enter secret negotiations with President Museveni and his security operatives. The shock turned into anger when Katikkiro Walusimbi caved in to Mr. Museveni’s pressure and, in turn, ordered the management of CBS Radio to suspend Nambooze.

Katikkiro Walusimbi, who has been in office for over six month, seems to have underestimated the determination of Kabaka Mutebi to eradicate duplicity and award patriotism at Mmengo. All reports indicate that Katikkiro Walusimbi either forced or blessed Betty Nambooze’s suspension by MD Kaaya Kavuma of CBS Radio, bowing to pressure from Mr. Museveni. In an unprecedented move Kabaka Mutebi is reported to have intervened and ordered that Nambooze’s program continue on CBS Radio without interruption. Observers see Mutebi’s decision as a clear sign that he has lost confidence in Walusimbi’s judgment and ability to put Buganda’s interests before his business and personal relationships with President Museveni and Vice President Bukenya.

In a related development, Betty Nambooze has announced that she will temporarily suspend her work as Spokesperson for the Democratic Party and concentrate on Ssabasajja Kabaka’s work and her family. Nambooze’s decision comes at a time when opposition political parties seem to be falling apart due to steadily increasing discrimination against Baganda by other nationalities. Only 20 days ago, Beti Kamya resigned from the leadership of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) citing dictatorial tendencies on the part of Dr. Besigye, its president, and wide spread discrimination against Baganda in the party.