In a move which has left some Baganda in shock, the Katikkiro of Buganda, Engineer JB Walusimbi has included a Munyarwanda in the team to negotiate with President Museveni over the disputed amendments to the Land Act of 1998. The Munyarwanda is Fred Higiro Semajege, who serves as the deputy speaker of the Buganda Lukiiko despite complaints by many Baganda who believe that he is an agent of the Rwanda government. In an email sent to Buganda Post, one former minister at Mmengo said: “We are shocked! In taking a Rwandese to negotiate with other Rwandese and Banyankore over the rights of Baganda, Walusimbi has made it so obvious that his loyalty lies with Rwandese and Banyankore, not with Buganda. In the process, he and his friends may create the basis for long term hatred of Banyarwanda and Banyankore in Buganda. It is as if everyone involved in this nonsense is totally incapable of seeing beyond their nose. How can they take such a huge risk on a government that is collasing under the weight of its corruption?”. Earlier this month Buganda Post reported that Baganda in Masaka and Kampala were troubled by Katikkiro Walusimbi’s special attention to Rwanda (see Baganda Question Katikkiro On Flowers For Rwanda Victims).

On Monday April 20, 2009, Katikkiro Walusimbi informed the Buganda Lukiiko that he had chosen a committee of 10 to represent Buganda in the negotiations with Mr. Museveni’s government. Owek. Walusimbi and Rwandese Mr. Semajege would lead the committee, with Apollo Makubuya and Charles Peter Mayiga, the two lawyers who, along with John Katende, previously advised former Katikkiro Mulwaanyamuli Semwogerere to accept the Regional Tier deal with Museveni. Later, at Ttabamiruka ‘07 in New Jersey Makubuya apologized to Baganda, saying: “I mistakenly participated in the negotiations because I sincerely believed that we were dealing with principled and honorable people on the Uganda government side”.

The team will also include Dr. Masagazi Masaazi who earlier named as one of Mr. Walusimbi’s representatives in numerous money related secret negotiations with Mr. Museveni over the past several months (see Uganda Government Names Katikkiro’s Co-conspirators). Another member of the team is Haji Abdul Nadduli, best known for being disqualified from running for Luweero district chairman after forging his academic qualifications which later lead to his imprisonment. Additional members of the committee are Mr. William Matovu, Naalinya Beatrice Namikka, Mrs. Joyce Mpanga and Retired Bishop Wilson Mutebi of Mityana.

People in all corners of Buganda have now heard of Kabaka Mutebi’s journey to Buluuli, to preside over Buganda’s 46th Independence cerebrations, and President Museveni’s decision to stop him (Kabaka) from reaching his destination. Baganda also now know that Kabaka Mutebi made the decision to travel to Nakasongola after getting fed up with the increasingly  dictatorial behavior being shown by President  Museveni and his men coupled with evidence that Katikkiro JB Walusimbi may be part of the problem.

Virtually all the 46 Baganda who this reporter spoke at Nabugabo, Katwe and Nakasero Market were very happy that, by going to Buluuli, bravely exposing Museveni’s true colors on Buganda and disassociating himself from JB Walusimbi, Kabaka Mutebi made the situation 100% clear to Baganda. The 37 out of 46 who claimed to be below 35 years in age declared their 100% support for Kabaka Mutebi and claimed that they are ready to risk anything to serve him in any way he orders them to. And 21 of those 37 claimed to be members of CBS Fans Club or Nkoba za Mbogo or Baana ba Kintu.

A 27 year old Muganda young woman who runs one of seven separate hardware businesses in a single shop, next to Nakasero market, told this reporter in Luganda, “Ba ffe atukakasizza mu ngeri ye eyamagezi nti Walusimbi bamumutega butezi. Ate natumanyisa nti musajja muzira kufa era amalako nnyo. Kati katulabe buno bunamawanga obutubba abaana n’abazukulu baabwo gyebanazza ebyaffe”  (“Our [husband] has wisely given us the signal that Walusimbi is a Trojan horse. And he has shown that he is a brave man who can see us through all. Now let’s wait and see where the children and grand children of these foreign thieves will take our things.”)

In a related development, Buganda’s Minister of Information, Charles Peter Mayiga, has announced that a special meeting of the Lukiiko (Buganda Kingdom Council) has been scheduled for October 27, 2008, to discuss, among other things, President Museveni’s decision to restrict Kabaka Mutebi’s movements in Buganda.

In a highly belligerent move on October 8, 2008, President Museveni of Uganda ordered his heavily armed anti-riot police ready, with teargas, to stop Kabaka Mutebi from visiting the Buluuli Ssaza (county) Headquarters in Nakasongola. The Kabaka of Buganda was on his way to open the ceremony celebrating  the 46th year since Buganda gained independence from the British. President Museveni’s operation was executed by his minister Ruhakana Rugunda, who claimed in a statement that it is Katikkiro JB Walusimbi who first brought up the idea that Kabaka shouldn’t travel to Buluuli.

Buluuli is one of Buganda’s 18 counties. However, since 2000, President Museveni has invested more than 2 million dollars on a project to weaken Buganda by creating his own anti-Kabaka “sub kingdom” in Buluuli,  headed by a “Sabaruli”. Museveni’s current Sabaruli is called Salongo Mwogezi Butamanya. Apparently, Museveni instructed Ruhakana Rugunda to stop Mutebi from reaching his intended destination after getting intelligence reports that the Kabaka had drawn huge crowds of Baganda and Baluuli on his stops in Kakooge and Migyera towns. It was emerging that the crowd would be even be much larger in Nakasongola, which would embarrass President Museveni, who October 9th Uganda celebrations keeps shrinking.

Buganda Post has learnt from a source in Buganda Government that recent kidnap victim Betty Nambooze will probably undergo an operation by the end of next week. According to the source, Nambooze was released from Lubaga Hospital on Wednesday with strict doctor’s instructions to rest and gain strength for an expected operation to repair the effects of post caesarean birth wound infection that she contracted during her captivity.

Three Kabaka’s officials Betty Nambooze (Buganda Civic Education Central Committee chairperson), Charles Peter Mayiga (Information and Cabinet Affairs) and Medard Lubega (State for Information) were kidnapped on July 18, 2008 by members of CMI and State House security. The kidnappings were on the orders of President Museveni.

Over a period of three days after capture Nambooze, who is breast feeding, and her colleagues were driven more than 700 miles up and down the western region for still unclear reasons. Over the same period they would be kept in unsanitary local police jails and safe houses. It is through this process that her still unhealed caesarean section wound got infected and ruptured.

BUGANDA EMERGENCY RESPONSE COMMITTEE
PRESS AND GENERAL BRIEF

23rd JULY 2008

This is an update on the unfolding situation of the detained Buganda Kingdom Officials.

The Current Situation:

As all are now aware, two Ministers of the Buganda Government and the Chairperson of Buganda’s Central Civic Education Committee were arrested by plain clothed security operatives on Friday July 18 th 2008. The arrested individuals are:

1. Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga (Minister of Information and Cabinet and Lukiiko Affairs, Buganda Government);
2. Owek. Medard Lubega (Minister of State for Information, Buganda Government); and
3. Omuk. Betty Nambooze Bakireke (CCEC, Buganda Government).

They were arrested on the day of the successful inaugural Buganda Conference. It is increasingly apparent that the Uganda Police Force, which is the arm of Government, lawfully vested with the powers of arrest and investigation had nothing to do with the clandestine and brutal operation of the 18th July 2008. The Police have only been brought in to provide cover for an operation being carried out by a more clandestine security organ. As we write, the officials have been detained for coming to 120 hours without being presented to any court of law. This is a blatant violation of Article 23(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, which directs that no person arrested upon reasonable suspicion of having committed a criminal offence under the laws of Uganda shall be detained for more than 48 hours from the time of his or her arrest.

The Detainees Physical Wellbeing and Welfare:

Instead of presenting the officials to a court of law, the Government has decided to take them around Western Uganda, moving them around Bundibugyo, Ibanda, Fort Portal, Kyenjojo, Ntoroko and Kagadi and other places unknown. The Uganda Human Rights Commission has come out and stated that these movements amount to physical and psychological torture which is contrary to Article 24 of the Constitution. It is also hindering the detained officials’ access to their next-of-kin, legal representatives and personal doctors in violation of Article 23(5) of the Constitution. The Uganda Human Rights Commission stated that two of the detained officials are in need of medical care. There is also a concern that the detained officials are suffering from the combined effects of dehydration, lack of nourishment (hunger) as well as sleep deprivation. Betty Nambooze is said to be suffering from mastitis (inflammation or infection of the breasts that causes swelling and fevers) owing to the fact that she has not breastfed her 1 year old child for over 5 days. She was allegedly detained in a car at Ntoroko for most of the day on the 21st July 2008 before being driven to Bundibugyo and dumped in the cells there. It has also been reported that Medard Lubega Ssegona collapsed during an “identification parade” in Kagadi, Kibaale District. The Kingdom of Buganda has despatched a team of Ministers to the places where the officials are being detained to investigate their wellbeing and to offer moral as well as physical support. But it must be reiterated that whilst Kingdom of Buganda and the families of the detainees will do their best to ensure that the detainees have access to food, clothing and medical care, it should not be in any doubt that responsibility for the physical wellbeing and welfare of the detainees rests squarely with the Government of Uganda and the individual actors responsible for the perpetration of these gross crimes.

Curious Justification of the Government’s Actions:

Senior Government officials have come out with a curious justification for the detention of the Kingdom’s officials well beyond the lawful time limit and subjecting them to physical and psychological torture, which should be of concern to all Ugandans. Appearing on the WBS TV programme “Issues At Hand” on the 22nd July 2005, the Minister of State for Internal Affairs, Hon. Matia Kasaijja, said that the provisions of Article 23 of the Constitution, requiring suspects to be produced before a court of law within 48 hours of arrest, are a “bad law” and do not bind Government. The Minister of Defence, Hon. Dr. Crispus Kiyonga, appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Defence also said that even though 48 hours had elapsed, Government would only produce the detained officials before a court at its own convenience and give an explanation later. This statement echoes that of Hon. Kasaijja, insofar as it implies that the provisions of the Constitution do not bind Government. Worse still, the Co-ordinator of National Intelligence, General David Munungu Tinyefuza, was quoted in the Daily Monitor as saying that under some circumstances, which he did not specify, “some laws can even be suspended”. This can only have been a reference to the provisions of Article 23 of the Constitution. These statements, which come on the back of blatant violations of the provisions of the Constitution, are very alarming. It is also worth quoting Article 3(2) of the Constitution here, so as to highlight the grave implications of the statements of the those high ranking Government officials and the actions of Government:

“Any person who, singly or in concert with others, by any violent or other unlawful means, suspends, overthrows, abrogates, or amends this Constitution or any part of it or attempts to do any such act, commits the offence of treason and shall be punished according to law.”

[Emphasis ours] For ease of reference, the punishment for treason, under the laws of Uganda is death.

Difficult Negotiations:

As previously stated, the Katikiro has been engaged negotiations with high ranking Government officials, trying to secure the release of the detained Buganda officials. It must be made clear that this situation has been forced upon the Katikiro. He is not seeking special favours but is acting in good faith and out of concern for the physical wellbeing of the detained officials. The Katikiro is also thoroughly convinced of the innocence of all of the detained officials and is trying to ensure that they are swiftly restored to liberty and re-united with their families. However, with every passing day, the situation deteriorates and it increasingly appears as if the detained officials are being held as hostages in order to compel the Katikiro and the Kingdom of Buganda to make various concessions regarding the conduct of Buganda’s affairs. However, the Katikiro has the interests of the people and the Kingdom of Buganda at heart and will not make any concessions.

Call to Action:

We continue to call upon all Ugandans, Religious Bodies as well as human rights and civil society organisations to join the Kingdom of Buganda in denouncing this heavy-handed and illegal action and to engage the Government of Uganda to abide by the Constitution and to cease and desist from the needless persecution of people who are engaged in lawful and democratic debate. The Kingdom of Buganda would like to thank the Uganda Human Rights Commission, the Acholi Parliamentary Group, the Foundation For Human Rights Initiative and all others who have come out with timely statements of support and assistance.

BUGANDA EMERGENCY RESPONSE COMMITTEE

BUGANDA EMERGENCY RESPONSE COMMITTEE
PRESS RELEASE

July 20th, 2008

The Kingdom of Buganda has set up the Buganda Emergency Response Committee to provide a reference point on matters regarding the arrest of members and an official of the Buganda Government.

As an interim measure pending an emergency Cabinet Meeting tomorrow, the following are designated as spokespersons for the Kingdom of Buganda:

1. Owek. Daudi Mpanga, Minister of State for Research Tel: 0772 700660
2. Owek. Mathias Mpuuga, Minister of State for Youth Tel: 0772 418504

The Current Situation:

Two Ministers of the Buganda Government and the Chairperson of Buganda’s Central Civic Education Committee were arrested by plain clothed security operatives on Friday July 18th 2008. The individuals are:

1. Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga (Minister of Information and Cabinet and Lukiiko Affairs, Buganda Government);
2. Owek. Medard Lubega (Minister of State for Information, Buganda Government); and
3. Omuk. Betty Nambooze Bakireke (CCEC, Buganda Government).

The arrests came on the day of the successful inaugural Buganda Conference, held at Hotel Africana.

The Buganda Government has not yet been officially informed of the charges being preferred against the detainees but according to a statement attributed to the Inspector General of Police, Major General Kale Kayihura, the charges are:

1. Promoting sectarianism;
2. Inciting violence;
3. Sedition; and
4. Terrorism.

We have reliable information that the detainees have been transferred to Bundibugyo, Ibanda and Kyenjojo, respectively. The reason given for this unusually cruel and degrading action is to purportedly charge the individuals in the area where the crimes were allegedly committed. However it is clear that the true intention must be to continue to deny the detainees their rights to bail, access to next of kin, and access to legal representation.

We wish to state unequivocally that the charges are a complete fabrication and point directly to a hidden agenda of intimidation and humiliation of the people of Buganda. These people are being charged for no reason other than that they are Baganda who are speaking out on the issues that are of concern to the people of Buganda. They are therefore nothing more than Prisoners of Conscience, detained because of their unwavering promotion of the culture, cultural institutions, language and traditions of the Baganda.

Baganda and the people of Uganda will recall that our history of political and constitutional instability as well as confrontation with forces of tyranny, oppression and exploitation began with unnecessarily heavy-handed and illegal actions taken by the Central Government against the Kingdom of Buganda. The escalation we see today brings back unhappy memories of times when people were sent into internal exile or simply disappeared because of their cultural identity or their political beliefs.

Immediate Actions:

1. The Katikiro Owekitibwa John Baptist Walusimbi has been and is actively engaged in negotiations with senior members of Government and the security services to try and secure the release of the detainees and is keeping the Ssabassajja Kabaka fully informed;
2. An emergency Cabinet meeting has been called for 9:00am 21st July 2008 to discuss the situation and resolve on the way forward;
3. A co-ordination desk will be established at Bulange, Mengo, to provide timely and accurate information as the situation unfolds however, in the interim co-ordination and information shall be provided by the above named designated spokespersons; and
4. Legal representation is being arranged for the detainees by the Kingdom in conjunction with the Uganda Law Society.

The Detainees Physical Wellbeing and Welfare:

The Kingdom of Buganda and the families of the detainees will do their best to ensure that the detainees have access to food, clothing and medical care, it should not be in any doubt that responsibility for the physical wellbeing and welfare of the detainees rests squarely with the Government of Uganda.

Call to Action:

We call upon all Ugandans, Religious Bodies as well as human rights and civil society organizations to join the Kingdom of Buganda in denouncing this heavy-handed and illegal action and to engage the Government of Uganda to abide by the Constitution and to cease and desist from the needless persecution of people who are engaged in lawful and democratic debate.

OWEK. APOLLO MAKUBUYA
Attorney General and Minister for Research/
Chairperson Buganda Emergency Response Committee

BUGANDA EMERGENCY RESPONSE COMMITTEE
EKIWANDIIKO EKY’AMAWULIRE

20 July 2008

Obwakabaka bwa Buganda butaddewo akakiiko, Buganda Emergency Response Committee, akanalondoola era n’okwanaganya ensoga ezikwatagana nokusibwa kwa ba minisita ba Gavumenti ya Ssabasajja ababiri awamu n’omukungu wa kakiiko akasomesa ebyettaka.

Embeera kaakano:

Baminisita: Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga, owebyamawulire, n’omumyukawe Owek. Medard Lubega Ssegona Akalya Amagwa n’omukungu Omuky. Betty Nambooze Bakireke bakatibwa kulwokutaano, nga 18 July 2008 olunaku Buganda lweyatuuza olukiiko (conference) tabamiruka okuteesa kunsonga eziruma Obuganda.

Akakiiko kano kateredwawo okutuusa olukiiko lwenkya (Monday 21st July 2008) saawa satu ez’okumakya Akakiiko Akafuzi (Cabinet) lwekanatuula e Bulange Mengo.

Abogeezi abatongole aba Buganda abikiseera bebano

1. Owekitiibwa Daudi Mpanga (minisita omubeezi w’okunonyereza)
2. Owekitibwa Mathias Mpuuga (omumyuka wa minisita wabavubuka)

Gavumenti ya Ssabasajja tenategezeebwa nsonga eyakwasiza abakungu bano mubutongole. Naye ekiwandiko ekigambibwa nti kyafulumizidwa omukulu wa Polisi Kale Kayihura kigamba nti abakungu bano bagenda kuvunanibwa emisango jino wamanga:

1. Okusosola mumawanga (Promoting Sectarianism);
2. Okukuma mubantu ogutaaka (Inciting Violence);
3. Okutyoboola omukulembeze w’egwanga (Sedition);
4. Okukolagana n’ebibiina by’abayeekera (Concealment of treason); ne
5. Obutujju (Terrorism).

Ensonda ezesigika zitutegezezza nti abantu baffe bano bajuludwa mu ttumbi budde n’ebatwalibwa ebunaayira. Betty Nambooze ateberezebwa okuba nga ali Kyenjojo mu Toro, Medard Ssegona nga ali Ibanda mu Ankore ate ye Charles Peter Mayiga nga ali kunsalo Uganda ne Congo e Bundibugyo.

Ensonga eyatwazizza abantu bano ebunayiira mumbeera embi ennyo, mbu kugezaako kubavunanira mubitundu gyebadiza emisango gino newankubadde nga mubitundu bino tukimanyi nti tebalinyangayo. Ekyo kiraga nti ekigendererwa kwekubatulugunya nga babaremesa okw’ogera ne bannamateeka ba’bwe wamu nabenganda zaabwe ekintu ekimenya amateeka.

Twagala okutegeeza egwanga lyonna nti ebisango ebiteredwa kubantu baffe bijingirere ebiraga nti waliwo entekateeka enekusifu eyokujolonga era n’okufebya era nokulinyirira Ababaganda. Bantu baffe bano balangwa kw’ogera kunsoga eziruma Abaganda. Kino kiraga nti bano basibe abemyeyo (prisoner of conscience) abalangwa olulimi lwebogera, ebyobuwangwa byabwe nensi yabwe Buganda.

Abantu ba Ssabasajja nebanaUganda ffenna tujukira bulungi nti ebiseera ebya kazigizigi mu gwanga lyaffe byatandikibwawo ebikolwa ebyekizigu ebyokulumba Obuganda ebyakolebwa abaali mu gavumenti eyawakati.

Ekutulugunya abakungu ba Ssabasajja kitujukiza mbeera eno eyenyiike banaUganda bwebawangangusibwa nga mugwanga munda nga batwalibwa ebunayiira nga e Karamoja oba okubuzibwawo olwensibuko oba enzikiriza yabwe.

Ebikoredwa:

1. Owekitibwa Katikkiro John Baptist Walusimbi ali munteseganya nabakungu ba gavumenti eyawakati okulaba nga abantu baffe bano bayimbulwa era Ssabasajja bulimbeera eriwo emutegezebwa;
2. Akakiiko akafuzi aka Buganda (Cabinet) kayitidwa bunambiro okutuula enkya ku Monday ssawa satu ez’okumakya kakubaganye birowoozo kunsonga eno ennene;
3. Wajja kutekebwawo ofiisi ekwanaganya ensonga zino e Bulange Mengo okuva olunaku lwenkya. Eno no ye ofiisi enetunulira ere nebateegeza embeera nga bwenetambula;
4. Ba puliida (lawyers) abanaawolereza abasibe bamaze okuyungurwa gavumenti ya Ssabasajja wamu ne kitongole kyabanamateeka mu gwanga (Uganda Law Society).

Embeera y’abantu ba Ssabasajja:

Gavumenti ya Ssabasajja n’oBuganda bwonna saako nabomumaka gabasibe bajja kola ekisoboka okutwalira abasibe emmere, engoye n’obujanjabi. Naye ababasibye tebeyibala kubanga obuvunanyizibwa nabuli kalonda akwatagana kubulamu bwabantu baffe ali mumikono gyabwe. Era tubatunuulide n’eriiso ejjogi.

Tukubiriza banna Uganda mwenna, abakulu bamadiini, abalwanirizi be dembe okutwegatakko mukuvumirira embeera eno eyobumenyi bwamateeka nobusibira mubbwa. Era ffena wamu tuteekwa okujukiza gavumenti yawakati nti etekwa okugondera ssemateeka era nokukomya mbagirawo okutuntuza abantu bonna mugwanga abakubaganya ebirowoozo kunsonga yonna.

Owekitibwa Apollo Makubuya
Ssabawolereza wa Gavumenti ya Buganda era akulira okunonyereza
Ssentebe Buganda Emergency Response Committee