The SMS we got from out agent in Mubende town,  Buwekula county, where Sabasajja Kabaka chose to celebrate Buganda’s 14th independence observance was simple but very inspiring: “Empologoma ya Buganda ebogodde buto!” (”The lion of Buganda has roared yet again!”). In his first public statements since he was forced to go to Museveni’s statehouse and then tricked into appearing to be negotiating with a commoner, Kabaka Mutebi made it very clear that the current occupation conditions in Buganda are not acceptable.  The SMS from our reporter came seconds after Ssabasajja Kabaka told the mammoth crowd at Buganda independence day ceremonies, “The 47 years of independence which we are observing today have  been wasted by senseless conflicts and governance problems. As a result of this, our development has been paralyzed. Thinking in terms of constant conflicts must stop.”

According to our reporter, the lion of Buganda went on to give as example, leaders who practice decisive politics in an effort to divide Buganda into artificial chiefdoms. Warning that, “we must not tolerate what such leaders are doing.”

In the presence of his wife, Nnabagereka Nnaginda, the Kabaka promised that his kingdom nation will never promote constant ethnic conflicts because, “we value unity and not divisions in Buganda”.

Last week Kabaka Mutebi reluctantly went to Museveni’s state house after the Ugandan warlord threatened that if Ssabasajja did not meet him, he would introduce laws to abolish kingdoms and probably arrest  His Majesty. Our sources tell us that Kabaka Mutebi was not too concerned by Museveni’s empty talk but Katikkiro Walusimbi, other old Baganda and CBS Radio shareholders convinced him that Museveni was willing to entertain most of Buganda’s demands if the Kabaka spoke to him.  Although, Museveni dressed up properly to meet Kabaka Mutebi, including putting on dress shoes and walking his painful feet straight, he broke his promise to Walusimbi within minutes after the Buganda delegation arrived. Museveni took everyone by surprise when he told them to wait he spoke to Kabaka Mutebi for some minutes. The minutes turned into a full hour, after which Museveni’s state house and Katikkiro both started spinning that the private talks between were “ground breaking”.  Nothing on the original agenda took place because of the Museveni scam (kavuyo).

Surprisingly, next day, Katikkiro Walusimbi issued a statement claiming that, the meeting between Ssabasajja and the Ugandan warlord had removed all tensions between Buganda and her NRM occupiers (see “Katikkiro JB Walusimbi Praises Gunpoint Meeting Between Kabaka and Museveni“). Then Deputy Katikkiro Ssendaula wrote to all Kabaka’s representatives outside Buganda  asking them to tell Diaspora Baganda to be “very calm” while Mmengo talks to the occupying forces. Owek. Ssendaula’s letter angered some Baganda because it seems to focus only on  “not upsetting Museveni” and says nothing about the plight of Kabaka Mutebi and many of his loyal subjects who were murdered or are under torture in the NRM governments prisons and safe houses (see “Deputy Katikkiro and Kabaka’s Representative Anger UK Baganda“).

The consensus among all the 4 Baganda analysts who we have contacted is that Kabaka Mutebi made the strong statements in Buwekula to clearly and publicly disown the appeasing, apologetic and sometimes cowardly tone of the statements which his Katikkiro and his Deputy have been making.  One analyst named David Kasozi said: “Once a Muganda radical, always a Muganda radical. And Ssabasajja joined us Baganda radicals a long time ago. We, under Kabaka Mutebi’s leadership,  are not quitting until Buganda is ruled on her own terms, probably as an independent monarchy.”

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.

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.