At the beginning of last week president Museveni instructed the Uganda parliament to create 14 new districts. After the president’s wish was communicated to the national assembly by his minister for local government, Adolf Mwesigye, speaker Edward Sekandi acted swiftly and directed the parliamentary committee on local government to give the matter the highest level of priority. Passage by parliament without major problems is highly likely.

A source close to Mr. Museveni’s state house confidentially told this reporter that Uganda’s president created the new districts to further dilute the power of individual members of parliament (MPs) in case  removing army MPs becomes inevitable. The source said: “His excellency has been under too much pressure from donors to take the army out of parliament. If you knew him, then you would know that he cannot let the opposition have that relative advantage, especially with 2011 so close. He cannot take any chances and the 14 districts are his insurance. The donors can say whatever they want. And, believe me, the 14 or more MPs plus numerous in the new districts are guaranteed to be NRM conc.”

Uganda’s constitution, which was written on Mr. Museveni’s watch, empowers the national parliament to evaluate proposals for new districts and reject them if they provide no clear value or are not financially viable. Virtually Uganda’s districts are not economically viable and rely on hand outs from European donors to pay their bills. For that reason, the donor community has for several years opposed the creation of new districts, arguing that they are expensive, unproductive and hugely corrupt. However, as Mr. Museveni has said on a few occasions: “The donor community is impotent [bifeera] when it comes to telling Uganda what to do.”

For each of Mr. Museveni’s 14 new 2 MPs will be added to the national parliament, along with a resident district commissioners (RDC) with 2 deputy RDCs, a district police commander, a district internal security officer (DISO) with a deputy and at least 50 other administrative and political positions. The richest districts in Uganda include Kampala, Mukono, Mbarara, Mpigi South and Luweero. But even they cannot pay their bills and offer basic social services consistently despite large grants from donors.

The new entities, listed below, will bring the total number of districts in Uganda to 97, from 39 in 1995.

Reports from various corners of Buganda indicate that the overwhelming majority of  Kabaka’s subjects are upset with Katikkiro Walusimbi’s decision to accept a Shs 2 Billion (US$ 930,232) offer from President Museveni.  And within the Baganda youth movement there is talk of giving him the traditional punishment for treason. Katikkiro Walusimbi announced his unilateral decision to take Shs 350 Million (US$162,790), as the first payment of what he claimed to be an unconditional Uganda Government grant,  during an April 20, 2009 meeting of the Buganda Lukiiko (equivalent of a parliament). However, Owek. JB  Walusimbi promptly contradicted himself by adding that the funds came from Mr. Museveni’s NAADS program, which is funded by donors and is widely known to have many strings attached.

Reaction from nationalist members of the Lukiiko was swift. One member told Mr. Walusimbi that Mmengo must not take the  Shs 2 Billion because it was an attempt by Mr. Museveni’s government to introduce their corruption into Mmengo and have an excuse to bring Uganda Government into Bulange under the guise of checking accountability. Another pointed out that Mr. Museveni should pay the over Shs 8 Billion he owes to Buganda before Mmengo accepts a gift of Shs 350 Million. Owek Walusimbi only hit back. He literally quarreled with the opposing voices, telling them: “You need to understand who Walusimbi is. I have handled huge sums of money for many years and I cannot be bought by Shs 1 Billion. I don’t need it and I would not look at it even if you put it in front of me.” And in what appeared to be a veiled attack on the increasingly influential nationalistic Baganda in the Diaspora, Walusimbi said: “In 2009 Baganda should focus on hard work and not politics like the people who criticize me. Those who criticize me are people who can afford to eat sausages at breakfast time and go on to have lunch, evening tea and dinner with red wine.” And, in a move which  Baganda youths in the gallery called a “Museveni style bribe”, the Katikkiro gave each of the Lukiiko members present a “transport refund” of Shs 20,000.

By Tuesday evening, the resistance to the Walusimbi/Museveni Shs 350 Million transaction had spread beyond the Lukiiko. A leaflet titled “JB Walusimbi Atunze Obuganda” was circulating around Kampala. It pointed out that Walusimbi had sold each native of Buganda for Shs 430. It includes his image with the caption “Kayungirizi”, a term reserved for local land agents (see picture). Our investigations have revealed that the document was circulated by members of the Buganda youth movement, who enjoy full support from about 50% of Buganda cabinet and a huge majority of ordinary Baganda. A Buganda minister, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told this reporter that after seeing the leaflet, a combative Walusimbi threatened members of his cabinet that he knew who among them was fighting him and he would defeat them. Only a day later another message from still unknown Baganda was delivered to Walusimbi, warning him that if he continues on his current path, his head might get put on stakes at Bulange. Sources close to Walusimbi tell us that the Katikkiro has told President Museveni that his life is at risk. And he is now receiving protection from President Museveni’s Presidential Guard Brigade (PGB).

On March 9, 2009 Buganda Post exclusively reported that Katikkiro Walusimbi had Mr. Museveni to pay that  to pay off government rent arrears owed to Mmengo and authorize another 8 billion shillings to: (1) complete Bulange Plaza, (2) complete Twekobe, (3) pay some salary arrears for Bulange employees, (4) to facilitate (bribe) key Buganda officials and certain key Bataka (clan heads) for support, (5) to settle the debt that state house owed the Katikkiro’s Associated Consulting Engineers company, and (6) to buy support from Baganda peasants by giving them money through an NRM style program called Omumuli which Walusimbi designed with Museveni’s vice president Gilbert Bukenya. (See “Katikkiro Walusimbi Dodges Talks, Leaves Museveni Holding A Bag Of Stones“). According to our State House sources, the Shs 350 Million that Mr. Walusimbi accepted is art of this agreement. And the lunch allowances he gave to Lukiiko members appears to be the first step towards getting Mr. Museveni’s money into the Buganda Lukiiko.

This is my last column on Buganda Post for the foreseeable future and it is dedicated to one of the few Baganda politicians who have the capacity to see beyond the “village chief” political system that President Museveni created in Uganda.  It  is Beti Namisango Kamya, the woman who threw a spanner in the Banyankore/Bakiga/Banyarwanda conspiracy to marginalize Baganda and make Kabaka and his subjects beggars in their own homeland. More on Beti later.

Why I am leaving and what it next for Buganda Post

It is always very difficult to say goodbye to the ones you love.  Even more so when the reasons for leaving a totally out of your control.  It is against that background that this columnist must tell you that this will be her last posting for the foreseeable future. The main reason for my leaving is financial. Our original sponsor, God bless his soul, is not able to continue funding me in this severe economic recession and I need to improve my income security urgently.  Maybe in future, when the financial situation is better, I may contribute again in some capacity.

In the meantime, I have recommended to the sponsor that we get other people whose commitment to Buganda and Ssabasajja Kabaka is unquestionable to take over Buganda Post and operate it on a more business like footing.  We have been offering everything for free, including advertising for Ttabamiruka, Red Cross, Human Rights Watch and other worthy causes.  However, I think Buganda Post has potential to sustain itself financially with several contributors and paid advertising. If you have any interest or suggestions you can contact the sponsor (Sam) on info@BugandaPost.com.

Now back to Beti Namisango Kamya

To understand the importance of what Beti has achieved since September 2008, you must first understand that Mr. Museveni, Dr. Kiiza Besigye and the rest of the Banyankore/Bakiga/Banyarwanda clique who now control all aspects of our lives were confident that they could carry on all their personal and political fights in Buganda while the Baganda were doing the water carrying for them.  In the NRM, Mr. Museveni was comfortable with his Baganda political henchmen like Apollo Nsibambi , Gilbert Bukenya and Sekandi. And, in FDC,  Dr. Besigye was hoping to match Museveni’s Baganda henchmen with Sam Njuba , Beti Kamya and (curiously) Yusuf Nsibambi.

Then, out of the blue, the soldier’s daughter saw the light! Besigye had manipulated the FDC constitution in Museveni style to bar Kamya from competing top the late Dr. Sulaiman Kiggundu as party president.  Yet Kamya had done all the heavy lifting to consolidate FDC while Besigye was hiding in South Africa. Confusion, anger and personal doubt must have followed for Beti. But it is clear that the urge to go home and serve her Kabaka in these tough times won Beti over. Around August/September 2008  Beti started her “Buganda first” message and connected with the Ttabamiruka people in America.  That  is the spanner Beti threw in the Museveni/Besigye exclusive political sports league in Uganda.  It is a “game changer”.

Beti understands what Dr. Martin Luther King was talking about

In his famous  “I Have a Dream” speech, Dr. King said:  “We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.”

I believe that my sister Beti Namisango Kamya is telling us that Buganda cannot afford the “luxury of cooling off” periods to negotiate, which Katikkiro JB Walusimbi and Mr. Museveni are forcing on us. Nor can Buganda  afford the tranquilizing drug of gradualism (“nyama ntono, okayana eri mu nkwaawa”) , the signature tactic Katikkiro Mulwanyamuli Ssemwogerere  and Museveni used to lead Baganda  into the Regional Tier abyss.

Omuzaana Beti Kamya is also addressing the “dark and desolate valley” of desperation where Buganda  has been forced by the Banyankore/Bakiga/Banyarwanda conspiracy.  A valley where foreigners can even stop Kabaka from visiting his subject in Buluuli. And I think that Beti  is telling us that, now is the time to lift our nation Buganda from the “quicksands of racial injustices” that we have suffered from Uganda party politics and will which will continue if we trust Ugandan political parties.

This columnist does not know if Beti Kamya has ever even listened to or read Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. But it is clear that she and her advisors understand what  Martin Luther King was talking about. For that I salute Beti Kamya and all other Baganda who are intelligent enough and brave enough to realize that our salvation will come from being and behaving like “Baganda first” – Uganda is now nothing but a looting spree! We must stand shoulder to shoulder with Beti Kamya, Mpanga, Nambooze, Kyanjo and all other loyal Baganda to build a internation buganda freedom movement to resist the looting of Buganda.

Ssabasajja Kabaka Awangaale.

Omulongo Nakato