The Buganda Kingdom attorney general, Owek.  Apollo Makubuya said in a press statement yesterday that the second Buganda conference would take place on Saturday December 17, 2009. Owek. Makubuya, who chairs the organizing committee explained that the  conference would clarify the differences between Federalism, Decentralization and Regional Tier.  The theme of the conference is to promote federalism as the best form of governance for Uganda.

Decentralization is an improvised form of government which Jaberi Bidandi Ssali and Uganda’s warlord president, Yoweri Museveni, implemented in 1995, with the help of Denmark, Norway and other western countries. It was brought in to derail Buganda’s demands for a federal system (Federo). Regional Tier is a highly unpopular (in Buganda) form government which was secretly negotiated between Museveni and Katikkiro Mulwaanyamuli Ssemwogerere, which would have allowed Museveni to take charge of the Buganda government and for non-Baganda to assume the cultural office of Katikkiro.

When announcing the 2009 Buganda Conference, Owek. Makubuya revealed that federalists from the USA, UK and Nigeria were expected to participate in the conference. Participants are also expected from Busoga, Bunyoro, Toro, the Diaspora and academia. Owek. Makubuya suggested that Buganda is politically isolated and promised to fix the problem by making it clear that Buganda is not demanding for Federo alone.”

Two weeks ago, a retired former Buganda Government official currently visiting in North America, told us that there are three camps at Mmengo on the issue of Buganda political situation. He said: “The situation is similar to administration of Katikkiro Michael Kintu in the early 1960’s. Kintu and his supporters pushed for Buganda independence, arguing that all our neighbors secretly hated or envied Buganda and could not be honest partners in the long run. They were accused of being ‘radicals’, not accommodating and even ‘uncivilized’. Today, it is Muzei Nsubuga Nsambu in the camp which is accused of the same because he insists that Buganda must not repeat past mistakes and the solution is secession.”

The elderly grandfather continued: “Opposite to Kintu’s camp, in 1960, was a larger camp which was ‘more educated’ and liberal camp, which promoted ‘Federo for all who want it’. Mayanja Nkangi, who now helps Museveni manipulate Buganda’s lands, was one of these young firebrands and ended up becoming Katikkiro. Even today the second camp are viewed as the more educated and modern and, like 45 year ago, they are  pushing hard for ‘Federo for all who want it’.  History is repeating itself 100% except that Museveni is more sinister and dishonest than the colonialists or Obote.

“The third camp, both in 1960 and now, are those who either do not have enough information or enough courage to push for one side or another. Thanks to Buganda’s democratic traditions, all camps are expected to have their say at the Buganda Conference in December. Also expected is heavy infiltration of occupation government agents, to intimidate people and influence events.”

For several days this week, a letter has been circulating on Baganda Internet discussion lists, allegedly written by Peter Sematimba, offering the NRM advice on how to weaken CBS FM Radio.  The alleged letter, which was supposed to be highly confidential, is addressed to the minister for Security in the NRM occupation government, Amama Mbabazi. It refers to a previous discussion on the subject with David Mafabi of Museveni’s state house.

Our state house sources most familiar with the activities of David Mafabi were not aware of any specific contacts between Sematimba and Mafabi. However, they confirmed that,  since the Kayunga civil disturbances, Mafabi has gotten more involved in activities to subdue Baganda. The source said: “Since the Kayunga riots, even Museveni now knows that Kabaka Mutebi could take him down, if he had enough bright and brave people in Mmengo to support him (Mutebi).  Because state house staff know that Museveni was shaken,  each one is trying to show that they have the best idea about how to isolate the Kabaka, scare the few bright and loyal Mmengo officials, strenghthen JB Walusimbi and disorganize the Baganda youth and Diaspora movements. In this environment, it would not be surprising if two money hungry people like Sematimba and Mafabi cooked up juicy deal along the lines of this letter. But I have no information to confirm it.”

On Sematimba’s part, he declined to reply to our email message, sent to the address he uses for business, info@superfmstation.com, inquiring if he could confirm or deny the letter. Calls to his radio station numbers 041- 272777 / 0782-222885 also got a “Boss is not in office” response.

On reading the anti-Buganda letter, a leading Buganda analysts based in New York,  claimed that serious Baganda should only be happy when Buganda’s enemies are exposed like this. He explained: “Many so called intelligent Baganda are still subconsciously slaves to the belief that a foreigner like Museveni or Besigye will save them. Others are equally delusional by thinking that some fast talking Muganda president of Uganda, like Abedi Bwanika or Samuel Lubega or Frank Musisi will help. Such Baganda are either ignorant or afraid to face the fact that Museveni and his Banyankore and Rwandese kin have ransacked the Uganda experiment. It  is a failed state! So, what does Uganda have to offer to Buganda anymore?”

The analyst continued: “What would stop Bwanika or Musisi from becoming a Sematimba once he gets power? The more intelligent Baganda know that a Muganda president of Uganda will have to go anti-Buganda, in order to maintain support from the other groups, who are uniformly anti-Buganda. This letter by Sematimba, is good for demonstrating that, Mulondo, Nsibambi, Bukenya, Mulwaanyamuli, Katende, Sekandi and Tamale Mirundi were not the last to betray Buganda. More like Bwanika, Musisi and Lubega are coming, only they might even be worse than Muwanga. The only way out is independence for the Buganda Kingdom. Fortunately, the younger Baganda who are the majority seem to instinctively understand it and that is why they are 100% behind Kabaka Mutebi.”

The controversial letter is reproduced in full below:

TO: The Minister for Security

Cc; David Mafabi O/P

Date: 2^nd/October/09

 RE: INPUT ON THE IMPACT OF THE CLOSURE OF FMs AND THE WAY FORWARD.

     Honorable minister, we discussed with Mr David Mafabi (office of the president) regarding the closed Radio stations, and i raised several issues with him which I present to you and may as well share with the powers that be at an appropriate time.

 First, I wish to express my reservations for the Broadcasting council for not doing enough to forestall the mess in the electronic media especially the fm stations more so in view of what befell the country .

  As much as we have endeavored to set standards at Super fm, we have been let down by our competitors who either out of fear for positive competition or deliberately for failing fulfill the requisites of professional broadcasting.

 With regard to the three closed stations, its my belief that the major protagonists are CBS and AKABOOZI while SUUBI FM is a nonentity in this jigsaw. It’s my conviction that you critically focus with CBS and AKABOOZI given their burgeoning presence in the FM industry.

Both FMs are a sister act especially with regard to violating the ethical code of conduct as per the press and journalist act 1995 and electronic media statute 1996 as well as the broadcasting council guidelines put in place for the electronic media to adhere to.

 We at Super FM can use this time of relative normalcy before the closed FM stations  are re-opened to fix the situation both on behalf of Government and the party as well as check on the activities of the broadcasting council on their part.

  Action Plan

I request that through your office you create a special desk where you can identify NRM cadres who can ably articulate party/ Gov’t issues on the air waves.

If this is implemented, am ready to offer a weekly program preferably during the day in fulfillment of this mission.  This will help us mobilize.

 Honorable, we are aware of the imposing status of these two stations and the expected new sense of belonging upon re-opening I think that there is a need to covertly reduce their influence in the industry.

 The stations will re-open with a bang and every listener will naturally want to associate with them after all this time in suspension. Its against this that if  no advance counter measures are put in place the bubble will bust  and you might not achieve the goal of their closure.

  For instance you can do this by demanding that they unconditionally shuffle various presenters in unfamiliar programs, i.e. from presenters to newscasters and vice versa.

  By so doing, you can institute an “independent” survey to rate FM stations and am positive that  the programs will be rating low after some time or/ and even most of the presenters will be disenchanted by the new set up  and may end up thinking twice.

Through this scheme, we can make amends by promoting those stations that are on the same page with the system

(e.g Super FM) and by the time they re-organize it will be after months when we have steadily set off.

  Alternatively, like we discussed with Mr. Mafabi, we can sweet talk a couple of presenters and draw them to the realization of not risking their careers and instead switch to the operating radio such as Super FM.

Personally am targeting two from CBS FM and two from AKABOOZI. For the fact I know that the management of both stations cannot agree to sack their prized presenters for the sake of re-opening them because they form the basis of their popularity.

 But I can assure you that if we cunningly implement snatching them away, it cannot take long before these presenters are beaten into line with what we want.

We has suggested with Mr. Mafabi and Tamale Mirundi that I make a presentation on the above issues so that I can give you a more practical picture on the way forward on this matter for the continuity.

Sincerely

Peter Sematimba

According to an email  we received from someone who claims to have attended  the Ggwangamujje meeting held in New Jersey on Saturday, the attendees agreed to declare Buganda to be under captivity.  “Everyone agreed that there is no question that Kabaka has done a wonderful job in these tough times. Also that the Baganda who are resisting Museveni’s dictatorship are real heros. We also agreed that Kabaka Mutebi made the right decision to call off the visit because he was totally surrounded by Museveni’s poorly trained forces and his subjects were at risk. In the end we declared Kabaka and Buganda to be in captivity.”

The email promised that an official statement is supposed to be issued by Ggwangamujje officials and it will most certainly say that Buganda is in captivity. And that those Baganda who agree must from today on work for one thing, the freedom of their Kabaka and country, Buganda, from the captivity (buwambe).  They  are confident that as time passes Baganda masses will understand this and stop discussing any  politics except for the withdraw occupying forces. They have no plans to waste time taking Museveni to his own courts or worrying about Uganda elections while Buganda is captivity.

In a related story, evidence continues to mount that President Museveni is becoming more panicky every passing day after his forces massacred young unarmed Baganda last week. On Saturday and Sunday, after closing down Baganda owned radio stations, he launched a press campaign in his New Vision and Aga Khan’s The Monitor claiming that he was to meet Kabaka Mutebi this week. But our sources tell us that Katikkiro Walusimbi and Regional Tier advocates (Mulwaanyamuli clique, Mmengo based businessmen and  Uganda politicians eager to personally gain from Regional Tier) are secretly working with NRM officials to force the Kabaka  to talk to Museveni. And Museveni, panicking after the scare of last Thursday, is so obsessed with talking to Ssabasajja  that, on Wednesday, he publically complained to the Uganda parliament that, since Saturday he has been the Kabaka without success.

On June 27, 2009, Katikkiro JB Walusimbi appeared visibly confused and angry when the London Baganda he was trying to address confidently heckled him. The place was East London University, thousands of miles away from his more familiar Kampala. The Katikkiro, together with his two predecessors, Mulwaanyamuli Ssemwogerere and Emmanuel Ssendaula were the guests of honors at a function organized by a Baganda group called Saagala Agalamidde – led by Enock Kiyaga and Nkata Masembe. The current and former Katikkiros were accompanied by Mmengo deputy minister for youth, Mathias Mpuuga who, until a few months ago, was a key player in the Nkoba za Mbogo movement.  Only two weeks ago, however, the Uganda government Bukedde newspaper reported that Mr. Mpuuga publically appealed to President Museveni to start funding Nkoba za Mbogo.

Also present in the audience was ISO operative Aisha Kabanda who, according to our sources in Mr. Museveni’s state house, travelled on assignment to monitor and (if necessary) assist the Mmengo officials. Indeed, she is supposed to have filed the reports that the New Vision and Bukedde used to compose propaganda stories that left out the negative elements of the Katikkiro’s visit.

Despite frequent heckles from a few members of the audience, Katikkiro JB Walusimbi and his team made presentations on their development plans for Buganda. Owek. Walusimbi spoke glowingly about his Omumuli project, through which he intends to return Baganda homes to the “good times” when he was a young boy – with each homestead having a few chicken, 2 or 3 cows for milk, a bicycle and a “katandaalo”. He also lashed out at those who criticized him for accepting money gifts from president Museveni, claiming that the funds would develop Buganda but also boasting that he is a self-made man, not impressed by any money.

Owek. Ssendaula used a substantial amount of his allotted time to talk about his extensive international experience as a diplomat, in Australia and France and other assignments. Some members of the audience were visibly bored and uneasy that their former Katikkiro, the highest office in Buganda below Kabaka, apparently put exceptional importance on serving the anti-Buganda and corrupt regimes of Amin, Obote and Museveni.

When his turn came, former Katikkiro and architect of the aborted regional tier arrangement for Buganda, Owek. Mulwaanyamuli Ssemwogerere spoke about his successes as Katikkiro and his new responsibilities to run a Buganda unit trust investment fund in cooperation with what we have reliably learnt to be a Kenyan bank.  Curiously, the Uganda arm of that Kenya bank is ran Basaamya who happen to be former UPC wingers.  Mr. Mulwaanyamuli also declared his ambition to run the Katwe tower arcade “once its construction is completed” but it appeared that hardly anyone in the audience knew what he was proudly talking about. The three Katikkiro’s, all of whom have worked for or with president Museveni in different capacities, brushed off the efforts by some members of the audience to engage them on controversial subjects like Federo, land grabbing, selling Buruli county  for Shs 350 million (US$155,000), Katikkiro worshiping Museveni and corruption in Mmengo.

The three Katikkiros and their hosts seem to have underestimated the anger and energy of those Baganda who are tired of Mmengo’s failure to modernize and become transparent during their respective administrations. The angry Baganda kept murmuring and heckling the Buganda officials, at one time forcing Enock Mayanja Kiyaga, the master of ceremonies, to interrupt one of the speakers and promise that all questions and complaints would be fully addressed during a Questions and Answers period at the end.  The organizers and Kabaka’s representative in UK, Mr. Nsambu, were also not ready for the demonstrators, both inside and outside, who moved around with posters denouncing the current state of affairs at Mmengo and the dismal performance of the three Katikkiros. The organizers brought in police to chase those with posters away but they (the organizers) were disappointed when the police agreed with the protesters, who included a lawyer, that under the law no one could expelled.

When it came to the promised Questions and Answers time, it was most obvious that Enock Mayanja Kiyaga, the master of ceremonies, avoided picking on those thought to be unfriendly to the Mmengo team. This tactic did not work for long as complaints started to grow loud and Mayanja Kiyaga was forced to some people from the other side to say something. Soon enough the emotions were exploding and even the Kabaka’s representative was calling the protesters obscene names. The lightly attended meeting (compared to some previous Dan Muliika meetings) ended on an unpleasant note when the Katikkiro and his team were escorted out of the venue through a back door, without the customary final handshakes and mingling.

In a related story, we have reliably learnt that next day, on Sunday, the Mmengo team attended the Holloway Catholic Church, where the prayers were dedicated to the Baganda martyrs. According to our source who attended the meeting: “But the talk among the crowd was about what transpired the day before at East London University and no doubt this dictated the play ground of the Katikkiro’s activity on the day. When the Katikkiro was introduced people hardly clapped and his reception was so cold.”

When asked for comment, our New York based Buganda expert expressed concern that the three Katikkiros seem to be sincerely out of touch with the reality of today’s Buganda. He explained: “Messrs. Walusimbi, Ssemwogerere and Ssendaula mostly talk to old people, like themselves, whose livelihoods and health depends or has previously depended on Museveni. The problem is that very few Baganda alive today are over the age of 35 years and a huge majority of these youthful Baganda does not depend on Museveni. In fact they are suffering from Museveni and other foreigners. And none of these young Baganda understand or want to go own 3 cows and one “katanadaalo” in the village as in Owek. Walusimbi’s Omumuli plan. They are also too poor to buy trust units from the Basaamya former UPC youth wingers. Isn’t this what ‘being out of touch’ means? As Baganda say, ‘Akanaafa tekawulira ngombe’.”

On June 18, 2009 Mrs. Sayida Bbumba, president Museveni’s minister of finance released a statement to the effect that Buganda government has not accounted for funds it received from the United Nations Global Fund. And Katikkiro JB Walusimbi must refund the unaccounted for moneys or the government will take Mmengo to court, to recover the funds. Therefore, there is a possibility that the Buganda government properties could be at risk if it turns out to be true that Mmengo officials stole or misused funds which were meant to benefit ordinary Baganda.  If the allegatons are true, then Mr. Ssemwogerere Mulwaanyamuli would be the first Katikkiro in Buganda history to get his Kabaka and nation into such an embarassing situation.

In 2005, the Global Fund suspended its support to Uganda due financial mismanagement. Later, the Global Fund Project Management Unit under the Ministry of Health was disbanded after overwhelming evidence that health minister, Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi, and his two deputies, Mike Mukula and Dr. Alex Kamugisha had looted the program. The latest news suggests that some Katikkiro Ssemwogerere Mulwaanyamuli’s administration might have participated in the same corruption as Mukula and Muhwezi.

The  same Mr. Museveni who is preparing to take Mmengo to court, as recently as April 2009, offered an unconditional gift of a Shs 2 Billion (US$ 930,232) and made a down payment of  350 Million (US$162,790). On April 26, Buganda Post reported that Baganda from all walks of life advised Katikkiro Walusimbi not to accept the gift but he overruled them, causing some to make threats against his life (See Katikkiro Walusimbi Takes Museveni’s Money, Puts His Life At Risk.) On April 30, 2009, the secretary of Buganda rights group Abazzukulu, Mr. Njuki Mubiru warned that  Mr. Museveni’s government had set a trap for Mr. Walusimbi and the others who will enjoy the money: “After they have misused the money the Uganda government will surely ask for accountability; when they can’t provide it, they could well end up jailed as it happened with a Museveni confidant, Teddy Seezi Kyeeye.” (See Bazzukulu Ba Buganda Criticize Katikkiro Walusimbi).

Mr. Museveni’s government is illegally holding on to 9,000 square miles of stolen Baganda native lands and owes Mmengo over a million dollars in rent areas and unpaid lease fees.  Neither Mr. Museveni nor Katikkiro Walusimbi have explained why the president gives financial gifts or assistance to Mmengo, often illegal under Uganda laws, instead of simply paying the outstanding debt, which the president often acknowledges.

During a joint press conference with Burundi president Pierre Nkurunziiza on May 29, 2009, president Museveni repeated that he had a secret meeting with Katikkiro JB Walusimbi of Buganda where the two agreed to take the draft Land Act of 2009 to parliament for debate. The Buganda Lukiiko had on May 11, 2009, passed a resolution that the proposed new land law was unacceptable to Buganda. It was in response to the resolution that Mr. Museveni first claimed that he had a secret agreement with Mr. Walusimbi. The Uganda president has never explained the legal basis of his negotiations or agreements with the Katikkiro, since he (the president) has many times told the nation that Mmengo is a cultural non-government organization (NGO) without political power.

A source close to Uganda’s state house has exclusively told us in an email that president Museveni and his team are now trying to work out new plan on Buganda after getting disappointed by Katikkiro JB Walusimbi. And that their plan includes undermining Walusimbi so he can be replaced quickly. According to the sources: “The Katikkiro set very high expectations for Mr. Museveni and his people when he took the office. He assured them that he could bring order in Mmengo, which Sendaula was not strong enough to do. The problem is that he is now seen as much weaker and less reliable than any Katikkiro since Kabaka Mutebi assumed Namulondo.  Talina lugendo [‘His journey is over’] with state house because Mr. Museveni prefers a strong enemy who he can spy on to get useful intelligence than a weak friend, who people tell very little. Don’t be surprised to hear Museveni continue to make Walusimbi look bad – he wants him to go.”

During the May 22, 2009 press conference, Mr. Museveni also announced that he has a team ready to negotiate with Mmengo on Federo and other Buganda demands. In what some analysts have called a “carrot and stick” style, Mr. Museveni has over the last 15 years called Mmengo a cultural organization which is illegally getting involved into politics, while at the same time calling them to discuss their political demands.   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 Higiro Semajege would lead the committee, with Apollo Makubuya and Charles Peter Mayiga, the two Mmengo officials who, with John Katende and former Katikkiro Mulwaanyamuli Semwogerere accepted Regional Tier deal from Museveni. Kabaka and Baganda rejected it, causing Mulwaanyamuli to be fired.

One New York based Muganda analyst says: “Museveni is playing with Mmengo to buy time, and expecting that with time so much of Buganda will be taken over by foreigners that Mmengo will have to accept whatever they are offered. First, he set up a legal system where Mmengo can never get what it wants even if he says yes to them. Then he is his flooding Buganda with Balaalo, Sudanese and others to where the population is now over 60% foreign. And if Mmengo keeps trusting this man, by the time the so called talks end in 2020 Baganda may be 15%, and no one will care who a Muganda is. One way out I see is for Ssabasajja to do a complete modernization of the Mmengo system so that it can deal with Buganda challenges without depending on the abilities of a single individual. And he cannot do this with the same people who are running Mmengo 1960’s style today.  If that does not happen, the only other thing I think ordinary Baganda have done in history is to take things in their hands and save their Kabaka, Namulondo and nation.” 

On Tuesday, April 28, 2009, the oldest active Buganda nationalist organization, Abazzukulu ba Buganda, passed a resolution that Mmengo made a huge mistake when they accepted Shs 350 Million (US$162,790) from president Museveni. The organization members were at their weekly meeting along Kabaka Anjagala Road, near Mmengo Bulange. They warned the Katikkiro and his group that, as they spend Museveni’s money, they should be mindful that it has strings attached that could even land some of them into deep trouble. They criticized Katikkiro Walusimbi for taking the money without consulting Baganda and going to the Buganda Lukiiko only to block its discussion by throwing tantrums.

The organization’s secretary, Mr. Njuki Mubiru explained that Mr. Museveni’s govermnent had set a trap for Mr. Walusimbi and the others who will enjoy the money: “After they have misused the money the Uganda govermnent will surely ask for accountability; when they can’t provide it, they could well end up jailed as it happened with a Museveni confidant, Teddy Seezi Kyeeye.

Abazzukulu ba Buganda have been at the forefront of resisting Mr. Museveni’s attempts to undermine the Buganda’s national interests. They led the protests against attempts by princess Ndagire and her supporters to defame Kabaka Mutebi and take over Kasubi Tombs. They were also instrumental in exposing and fighting the infamous anti-Buganda Regional Tier agreement which Katikkiro Mulwaanyamuli Ssemwogerere, along with Charles Peter Mayiga, John Katende and Apollo Makubuya negotiated with Mr. Museveni. The organization was founded by Haji Jjunju Kamulali and others. They are also known for their persistent fight against attempts by retired Church of Uganda Archipishop and Katikkiro Walusimbi to lease the Lubiri to Ugandan businessmen, including those who have been implicated in war crimes in Congo, money laundering and illegal drug trafficking.

During the April 20, 2009 Buganda Lukiiko meeting Katikkiro Walusimbi announced his unilateral decision to accept  Shs 350 Million (US$162,790), about the price of a half acre plot of land on Naguru hill, as a gift from Mr. Museveni to Buganda. According to Mr. Walusimbi, the Shs 350 Million is the first installment on a Shs 1 Billion (US$930,000) grant from President Museveni to Buganda to fund his (Mr. Walusimbi’s) personal plan for Buganda, called omumuli. Mr. Museveni’s government owes the Buganda Kingdom at least Shs 10 Billion (US$9,300,000) in real estate rent and other arrears. This is in addition to 9,000 square miles of Buganda native lands worth hundreds of millions of US dollars which were stolen in 1966. 

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.

Five Baganda residents of London, UK, have written a joint email to Buganda Post expressing strong suspicion that Charles Peter Mayiga is reportedly excited about negotiating with Museveni. They base their concerns on Mr. Mayiga’s reputation as one of the architects of Regional Tier agreement which sought to sell the Buganda nation to President Museveni. The brief email is reproduced below with minimal editing:

Muky. Aisha Nankya,

We the undersigned want to express our concern about the emerging close partnership and mutual support between Buganda minister Peter Mayiga and Katikkiro JB Walusimbi on the matter of  negotiating with Museveni on Buganda land.

Our concerns are not unfounded: (1) A few year back Mr. Mayiga, together with Joseph Mulwaanyamuli, John Katende and Apollo Makubuya attempted to sell Buganda when they lied to Ssabasajja Kabaka that the Regional Tier system was perfect for Buganda. And we are confident that Mr. Museveni bribed every one of them, except possibly for Makubuya. (2) When Mr. Mayiga and other Mengo officials stopped in London on their “Kill Ttabamiruka” trip in 2007, he demonstrated the most worrying levels of self-importance. He showed none of the humbleness that is essential for a person serving his nation and, in this case, his Kabaka. (3) We strongly believe that Mr. Mayiga was broken by the August 2008 kidnap experience by Museveni.  Yet we are also mindful that this Mayiga could have been a plant by Museveni, to help him build his image as a “muzira wa Buganda” who Ssabasajja can trust. The bottom-line is his is a genuine coward who is eager to please everybody.

We appeal to Ssabasajja Kabaka Mutebi and to all Baganda to forgive Mayiga for his conspiracy with Katende and Mulwanyaamuli but to stop his attempts to repeat the selling of Buganda. Our Buganda has existed for nearly one thousand years. Why allow the personal needs of a few individuals like JB Walusimbi, Mayiga and  heir co-conspirators into begging for what is ours. Anyway, this time they not have it as easy as Besweli Mulondo did.

Names withheld on request.

President Museveni is not coming to the UNAA convention after all. A member of the UNAA convention organizing committee has informed Buganda Post, on condition of anonymity, that President Museveni dropped plans to attend the UNAA convention in Florida, USA due to lack of cooperation from a few of the organizers, especially UNAA President, Lt. Frank Musisi. The source did not give details regarding the decision but speculated that President Museveni was unwilling to come to a conference where things could become unmanageable.

Buganda Post broke the story about President Museveni’s plan to attend the convention on August 15, 2008 (see President Museveni Set for UNAA Conference). Lt. Musisi, the UNAA President disputed the story in his blog which we also reported on August 19, 2008 (UNAA President Denies President Museveni is Coming to Florida Convention). It is not clear whether Lt. Musisi had been left out of the plans to bring Mr. Museveni or if he publically refuted the Buganda Post story to send a clear signal that he would fight Mr. Museveni’s attendance.

In a related development, our UNAA source told Buganda Post that former Katikkiro Mulwaanyamuli Ssemwogerere might arrive late or, maybe, even fail to attend the Florida convention due to flight connection problems. According to Lt. Musisi’s blog, Owek. Ssemwogerere will represent the Buganda government during Land Bill discussions.