According to the NRM’s local Luganda mouthpiece, Bukedde, the MP for Kampala Central, wants Tamale Mirundi to be expelled from the Nkima (monkey) Baganda clan. MP Erias Lukwago appealed to the head of the Nkima clan, whose title is Mugema, to disown Mirundi because of his anti-Buganda activities. Tamale Mirundi is one of president Museveni’s closest confidants, believed to be more important than vice president Bukenya is.  Lukwago, like Tamale, is a member of the Nkima clan.

If Mugema were to grant Lukwago’s request and expel Mirundi from the clan, it would mean that the presidential adviser would no longer be a Muganda. He and his children and grandchildren would have no clan, ssiga (sub-county) or mutuba. It would also mean that when Tamale dies, he would not be buried as a Muganda or have his last funeral rites (lumbe) authorized and officiated by Baganda clan officials.

The NRM’s Bukedde also reported that Tamale Mirundi dismissed Lukwago’s suggestion. He allegedly said that to him Baganda clans are like any other organization or association which brings people together. He compared clans to the Uganda Journalist Association (UJA) and similar organizations.

A New Jersey Muganda resident and United States citizen sent us an email on November 4, 2009, proposing a pledge of allegiance for Baganda all over world. The email says: “No question about it, the Kabaka and his subjects in Buganda are in captivity today. Buganda is in a constant state of emergency. Since we are under constant attack by the enemy, it is time for every loyal Muganda to openly declare their full allegiance to the Kabaka and our other institutions. And for those who have their allegiance elsewhere, like Nsibambi or Bukenya or Sekandi, to be officially exposed.”

The Muganda explained that:  “Having a simple pledge like this, which even school children and old people can recite every day shall help us to stay on focus until  our nation is rescued.”

Below is the text of proposed Buganda Pledge of Allegiance . The author admits that it is about 90% based on the United States pledge of allegiance . He also hopes that Buganda Post readers who know good Luganda can properly translate the pledge to Buganda’s national language and suggest changes.

BUGANDA PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

I pledge allegiance to the institution of Kabaka, the Baganda clans, and the Buganda Kingdom for which they stand, one nation, indivisible, under God, with liberty and justice for all.

[Editor: Please include any suggested changes or translations in comments under this story.]

A source close to Eng. JB Walusimbi has told us that the 65 year Katikkiro of Buganda has is losing interest in position and could be looking for ways get out of the 4-year contract with the kingdom. The source, who is a member of the Katikkiro’s Magunda sub clan (ssiga) of the Ffumbe (civet cat) clan, said: “Since even before the Kayunga riots, Engineer Walusimbi has been facing pressures to leave the office from all sides, even our clan elders, or show more that he is loyal to the Kabaka. Even we his own brothers and sisters have been pressuring him in our own ways because he is shaming our whole clan. By the way, when he was appointed Katikkiro, many of us who are insiders tried to oppose because we knew his background but we were not properly consulted.”

Our source told us that since the Kayunga riots, it appears that Engineer JB Walusimbi has been rethinking his part time job as Katikkiro. She says: “First,  it looks like JB realized during the riots that Baganda youth might one of these days kill him or some of his 6 children because of the image that he is on Museveni’s side. As a person, he wants to be Katikkiro but it is impossible for him when he is much closer  to Gilbert Bukenya and Museveni than he is to Kabaka Mutebi. And the way that Baganda youths are attacking him, is giving him high blood pressure. That is why he is really losing interest, because no one trusts him. Not even most of us members of his Magunda ssiga.”

Many Baganda were incensed with the statement that Katikkiro Walusimbi issued after the “gun on your head” Kabaka Mutebi was forced to have with Uganda warlord, Yoweri Museveni on September 30, 2009 (see “Katikkiro JB Walusimbi Praises Gunpoint Meeting Between Kabaka and Museveni“).  Since then, Katikkiro Walusimbi, has all but abandoned making pro-Buganda public statements or associating himself with the hundreds of Baganda who were murdered or continue to be arrested and tortured by the NRM government. The Katikkiro is even low key on the arrests and continuing harassment of Kabaka’s officials by Museveni’s security forces. He reportedly avoided assisting Kabaka’s official ,Betty Nambooze, with her medical problems, for fear of annoying Museveni who hates her.  According to local press reports, Kabaka Mutebi was forced to personally get involved in Nambooze’s case, working through other obedient ministers to provide her with much needed medical care.

If it is true that Engineer Walusimbi is losing interest his position as Katikkiro, there is evidence that he could be developing a new interest. Over the last two weeks, Katikkiro Walusimbi’s high profile engagements were closing the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) trade show and presiding over the Rotary Club announcement of free medical operations program for the poor. At the UMA event, Owek. Walusimbi surprised many in the audience when he promised that Buganda would never reclaim the 9,000 square miles from its illegal occupiers but only partner with them to generate income from the land. The subject of how the 9,000 miles would be administered has never been discussed by the Buganda Lukiiko. Many of Engineer Walusimbi’s critics are also upset that this “Kabaka ow’ebweeru” was giving attention to Rotary Club medical operations instead of putting priority on getting Betty Nambooze the urgent surgery she needs.

David Kasozi
USA and Buganda

Kyawedde dda! Ssabasajja  is cool with us radical Baganda.  Many of us are constantly accused of being “too radical” by fellow Baganda because we are not willing to compromise with NRM or anyone else who suggests that Uganda is more important than Buganda. Many Ugandans, including prominent Baganda both in Mmengo and outside have vilified us by calling us “tribalists”, “sectarian”, “unpatriotic”, “backward” or  ”too radical”. Even Kabaka’s representatives in Europe and America, serving their own personal interests, have made false reports to Mmengo and Kabaka about us. We have even been accused of being “anti Kabaka” and “anti Mengo” simply because we are not afraid of pointing out Buganda government officials who are in bed with the enemy.

Who are we? We are the millions of Baganda youths in Nkoba za Mbogo, Bana ba Kintu and other organizations, who pioneered the resistance against the marginalization of our Kabaka and our nation Buganda.  We are the Bazukulu ba Buganda, who a few corrupt Buganda government officials, cheating Kabaka, have harassed for years. We the radicals also include members of Ggwangamujje in Europe and America who have not been equivocal about putting Buganda and Kabaka first. We have organized Ttabamiruka conferences in America and Buganda, angering the NRM government, Uganda politicians and even some Buganda government officials. Oh, and we are also deep in Mmengo, fighting the NRM moles who betray our Kabaka and Buganda for a few pieces of silver. A few of us are even Baganda clan leaders, who would rather die poor than betray our Kabaka and our Bazukulu. Some of us radical have been kidnapped and molested, or otherwise harassed, but gone back to the our usual  behavior  of channels to telling the NRM dictators that we won’t quit!  It is us radicals who have also made the ultimate sacrifice for Buganda, getting shot dead by the NRM government’s police and soldiers.

The reason we are radical is simple. We whole heartedly embrace the saying, “Baganda nkoba za mbogo; zegya zoka mu bunya”.  And the plot to destroy Buganda, since 1990, is so thick that if we continue acting “nice and civilized” there might be no Buganda soon.  You will not hear us praising any Ugandan politician, Muganda or not, as the one will save Buganda;  because we know they cannot.  Nor do we get excited about promised from the NRM government because we do not accept the idea that anyone has a right to play “master” over Kabaka and Buganda.   All that talk about Federo is alright so long it is not “given” or “granted” to us. Only Baganda can and should determine how they are ruled, whether Federo or full independence. We do not owe Uganda  anything and cannot be forced to accept other people’s arrangements under duress, as it happened in 1960 and 1995.

We proudly claim that Ssabasajja  is now one of us radical Baganda because his historical actions in September 2009 leave no doubt that he has lost patience with the “Abasajja tubakwaate mpola” philosophy.  We are confident that he is tired of uncivilized, unkempt, Banamawanga telling him to shut up while they rape and pillage his kingdom. Look around him now and you see us, the radicals. We didn’t all start this way. So, it is OK if you are not yet a radical Muganda but we look forward to having you join us. It is such a liberating feeling!

The head of one of the largest and most powerful Baganda clans, Mmamba (lung fish), passed away on January 20, 2009 after an extended period of poor health. Gabunga Yosiya Kasozi died in Mulago Hospital. Gabunga was  86 years old (Not 90 as we reported earlier in Gabunga Yosiya Kasozi of Mmamba Clan Is Very Sick).  He has been in bad general health for over a year. In his condolence message to members of the Mmamba clan, Ssabasajja Kabaka Mutebi II expressed deep sorrow at the loss of the Mmamba patriarch.

According to sources, the deceased Mmamba patriarch included in his last will and testament a strong statement warning Kabaka’s subjects that Mmengo [under the leadership of Katikkiro JB Walusimbi] is actively contributing to the weakening of clans and their leaders which could undermine the Kingdom. His statement reminds Baganda that their clan system is the foundation of the Kingdom, pointing out that when Kabaka Mutebi took rein in 1993 Baganda were still one unity and many more than when Milton Obote exile Ssekabaka Muteesa II in 1966 because the clan system still worked.

A few years ago Kabaka Mutebi authorized members of the Nankere sub clan (ssiga) within  Mmamba to break off and become an autonomous clan, named Mmamba Enkerekere. This development put Gabunga Kasozi under a lot of stress but there appears no evidence that it contributed to his health problems.  On the contrary, according to Mmamba sources, Yosiya Kasozi has been fiercely loyal to Kabaka Mutebi and very concerned about the corruption and disrespect for Kabaka which have become common place in Mmengo.

The first Gabunga of the Mmamba clan was Mubiru who is estimated to have been alive around the year 1250. Yosiya Kasozi was the 36th Gabunga and reined for over 49 years. He ascended to the position of Gabunga in 1959, when he succeeded his late father Semyoni Galiwango Gabunga. His mother was the late Kulisitiina Noola Ndwaddewazibwa of the Nsenene clan.

Two independent sources with connections to the Uganda President’s state house have sent emails to this writer revealing Mr. Museveni’s plan to use the current confusion around the Kyabazinga elections and create 11 separate  minor kingdoms out of Busoga. According to the more detailed source, Mr. Museveni decided to personally interfere with the Kyabazinga  elections to make sure that the Basoga clans do not agree on a single clan head to lead Busoga.

“Mr. Museveni cannot allow a strong Kyabazinga to emerge in Busoga at this time since it would create the risk of Basoga developing nationalistic tendencies and maybe even starting thinking in a block like Baganda. That is why he intends to give a new car to  each of the warring clan leaders who declares his county a separate kingdom. Like his Sabanyala and Sabaluuli in Buganda each minor king would also get a monthly payment of 5 million shillings ($2,610).

The strategy is to create 11 weak minor kingdoms in Busoga who owe their survival to Mr. Museveni. Then connect them to Sabanyala and Sabaluuli to more effectively fight Buganda nationalism in the long term. In the short term, it would also disorganize DP and  FDC and other opposition structures in a  Busoga that is no more.”

According to the sources, Mr. Museveni was visibly happy over the weekend after he met Basoga clan leaders for the second time in less than two months. The meeting is supposed to have agreed to hold a re-run of the  Kyabazinga elections which took place on October 31, 2008. However, Mr. Museveni is reportedly very confident that the Basoga will never agree and that is why he is preparing to help each of them create his own kingdom, making today’s Busoga history.

The Busoga monarchy was created by British colonialists in 1906 out of  a collection of small municipalities, each with its own hereditary ruler. The throne to the resulting Busoga kingdom is supposed to be held by a descendant of one of the municipalities on a rotating basis. The sitting Busoga king is called the Isebantu Kyabazinga. The first ruler of a united Busoga was a Muganda called Semei Kakungulu, of Mmamba clan. Kakungulu’s regime lasted from July 1906 to January 1914 when he handed over to a Musoga, Isebantu Kyabazinga OBODHA.

The last Kyabazinga of Busoga, Henry Wako Muloki, died on September 1, 2008 at the age of  87. On October 31, six clan leaders  elected Edward Columbus Wambuzi Muloki to replace his late father, Henry Wako Muloki. The remaining 5 boycotted the elections, calling them illegal under Basoga culture. It is this conflict which gave Mr. Museveni the opening to interfere even though, according to his own Uganda constitution, as a politician, he is not supposed to interfere with cultural issues such as the election of a Kyabazinga.

We have verified information from young members of the Mmamba clan at Makerere University  that the head of the (lung fish) clan,   “Jajja” Yosiya Kasozi is quite sick. Gabunga Kasozi  who is over 90 years old, has been in bad general health for about a year and even having trouble to talk to his grandchildren, all the Mmamba clan members.

The first Gabunga of the Mmamba clan was Mubiru who is estimated to have been alive around the year 1250. Yosiya Kasozi is the 36th Gabunga. He ascended to the position of Gabunga in 1959, when he succeeded his late father Semyoni Galiwango Gabunga. His mother was the late Kulisitiina Noola Ndwaddewazibwa of the Nsenene clan.

A few years ago Kabaka Mutebi authorized members of the Nankere sub clan (ssiga) within  Mmamba to break off and become an autonomous clan, named Mmamba Enkerekere. This development put Gabunga Kasozi under a lot of stress but there appears no evidence that it had anything to do with his health problems. Most observers believe that his biggest problem is old age.
Those who wish to send their get well messages or other support to Omutaka Gabunga can contact the Katikkiro of their clan, Dr. Kimala Nsubuga through the head of the Buganda Certificate office at Mengo Bulange. The email is joynamutebi@yahoo.co.uk.

Under Baganda culture, a person is a Muganda if his or her father is a Muganda. Each Muganda belongs to one of the 54 Baganda clans. Over the centuries, Baganda have allowed a few exceptions to this general rule. Large populations of people who wish to join or were conquered by Buganda could be admitted as a new clan. The new clan would integrate into Buganda by pledging their loyalty to Kabaka and adopting  Baganda customs such as barring intra clan marriage. Baganda clans grew from fewer than 20 to over 50 in this way.

The second major historical path has been when large populations of non-Baganda join Buganda after a war or treaty and get absorbed into different Baganda clans by being given Masiga and Mituba (subclan groups). This is how many people originally from Buluuli, Kooki, Buvuma, Bugerere and Bukunja became solid Baganda.  A third but less formal path is one where foreigners have adopted Baganda cultural practices and names and sought sponsorship from prominent Baganda families to get their children recruited into a given clan. However, the acceptance is normally at Lujja or Mutuba level but never at Kasolya level. Ordinarily the foreigner does this to ‘earn’ his or children and grandchildren the honor of becoming Baganda.
If you have an important story about your clan which can be easily verified, submit it to info@bugandapost.com  and we will seriously consider publishing it.

A source in the Uganda Media Centre, has told this reporter that one of the best known Baganda clan leaders is the main author of Namwatulira, a pro-Museveni propaganda column in a government owned newspaper. The same clan leader is reported to have been on Museveni’s payroll, on and off, for many years. The Namwatulira column is specifically designed to send subconscious level messages to Baganda to always be moderate and patient when dealing with Mr. Museveni. From time to time it pretends to speak against government decisions on Buganda while also consistently painting Mmengo as unreasonable. Indeed, over the past several months it has been softly promoting negotiations and reconciliation between President Museveni and Kabaka Mutebi.

According to the source, “This elder has a long history in the journalism field. The problem is that he is permanently faced with major financial problems due his show-off lifestyle. President Museveni noted these weaknesses in the early 1990s and recruited the gentleman elder to spy on Mmengo and Banda and to quietly push for government’s position on things like Butikiro and Regional Tier. His busiest and most profitable time was when Muliika was the Katikkiro. Because he is much discredited among ordinary Baganda, especially since Katikkiro Ssemwogerere left, writing Namwatulira is now his primary way to earn his state house income, via the government paper.”

According to investigations by this reporter , the head of the Baganda Mmamba clan never accepted a Mulugwaala into his clan as reported by a Uganda’s government newspaper.  A mutaka (elder) in the Mmamba clan told this reporter that, although he did not want to publically attack the Mmamba clan administration, he had to clear the name of “Jajja” Yosiya Kasozi on this matter.  Gabunga is the title of the head of the Mmamba (lung fish) clan, one the most prominent among the 54 Baganda clans. A report in the Uganda government owned Bukedde news paper shocked many Baganda by its suggestion that that one Peter Onziye, a Lugbara, went to Gabunga, asked for and was granted membership in the Mmamba clan.

The mutaka who did not want his name revealed due to the sensitivity of the issue of fake Baganda said in Luganda: “I can assure you that Jajja Gabunga who is 90 years now, has been seriously sick for months and can even hardly talk to us his grandchildren; he could not have been involved in what was reported.  And like other clan heads, Gabunga is very concerned about the issue of foreigners impersonating Baganda for temporary convenience and, later on, doing things that are anti-Baganda.  Without naming names, I must remind people that some of the most dangerous projects against Buganda, like trying to sell the Lubiri, were first introduced by the so called Buganda think-tank  which is loaded by greedy people who are not genuine Baganda.”

The mutaka went on to explain Baganda identity as follows:  “Under Baganda culture, a person is a Muganda if his or her father is a Muganda. Each Muganda belongs to one of the 50 plus Baganda clans. Over the centuries, Baganda have allowed a few exceptions to this general rule. Large populations of people who wish to join or were conquered by Buganda could be admitted as a new clan. The new clan would integrate into Buganda by pledging their loyalty to Kabaka and adopting  Baganda customs such as barring intra clan marriage. Baganda clans grew from less than 20 to over 50 in this way.

“The second major historical path has been when large populations of non-Baganda join Buganda after a war or treaty and get absorbed into different Baganda clans by being given Masiga and Mituba (subclan groups). This is how many people originally from Buluuli, Kooki, Buvuma, Bugerere and Bukunja became solid Baganda.  A third but less formal path is one where foreigners have adopted Baganda cultural practices and names and sought sponsorship from prominent Baganda families to get their children recruited into a given clan. However, the acceptance is normally at Lujja or Mutuba level but never at Kasolya level. Ordinarily the foreigner does this to ‘earn’ his or children and grandchildren the honor of becoming . As you can see, being a Muganda is a really tough thing. The problem is that now there are a few corrupt clan officials who think that it is alright to have someone like Onziye walk off the street, give you 50,000 and you make him a Muganda.”

The elder encouraged all Bazzukulu ba Gabunga (Mmamba clan members) to directly tell the Katikkiro of their clan, Dr. Kimala Nsubuga,  that whatever happened with Onziye must not happen again. And to tell Haj. Aga Sekalala that allowing his Radio Simba to call Onziye the name Nsubuga would be a sign of disrespect to the Baganda in general, and Mmamba clansmen in particular. For Onziye, the mutaka had a veiled warning: “I hope Mr. Onziye realizes that, at this point in time, it is not good for him to become famous for bribing clan officials to become a Muganda and ridicule Baganda customs so publicly.”

Nationalistic Baganda in Boston are threatening to report, directly to Ssabasajja Kabaka, NRM activists in the USA who have allegedly accepted money from Kampala to sabotage the next Ttabamiruka conference.  In an email received on Tuesday September 23, 2008, the sender, who signs simply as Musisi, accuses the leaders of Ggwanga Mujje in Boston of being corrupt Museveni agents.

According to Musisi, the Boston leaders went to the 2008 Ttabamiruka in New Jersey and successfully bid to host the 2009 conference.  However, it was all a trick because their goal is to change the date from the best holiday of Labor Day to some date in May or July, and intentionally make the Boston one a disaster. He adds that this plot to permanently kill Ttabamiruka in 2009 was hatched by a network of UNAA officials, Baganda collaborators and Uganda government agents in New York, New Jersey, and Washington DC.  He further alleges that one financially hard-up gentleman who has built a reputation in Boston as a “conc. Muganda” is now in Uganda to market the deal to State House and to unsuspecting prominent Baganda.

Musisi names several key players in the plot. He also claims that his team are still building more evidence that they will use to report the people, whom he calls “insecure Nsibambi types”, directly to Kabaka Mutebi and to their clan leaders. And to ask the clan leaders to investigate if these people are really Baganda or are mere infiltrators.

Musisi names several UNAA officials, Kabaka’s representatives to North America and other Baganda who have either taken money from Kampala or anti-Kabaka or simply unwilling to see Baganda have their own conference. This writer has withheld the names mentioned pending confirmation of the allegations through sources in Mengo, Uganda government and elsewhere in Buganda.  However, we have independently confirmed that one of the named individuals, who Musisi claims to be in Kampala, is indeed in Kampala and has made contact with one of the power centers mentioned by Musisi.