Below is a statement that was released by the Bunyoro Kingdom on May 24, 2009. A highly reliable source in Mmengo has told us that there have been no plans for Kabaka Mutebi to visit Ndaiga as the statement claims. She warned that this is may be a ploy by Ford Mirima, who is often carrying out state house directives, to distract Baganda onto yet another random topic. The official added: “I am not speaking for Kabaka’s government but, personally, I think Banyoro should start asking themselves what will happen when Baganda youths camp at Kakiri or Luweero to stop their Omukama from proceeding to Kampala. Togayanga kyeziinze! ”

The statement, which was sent to various news outlets and government officials is reproduced below:

Bunyoro kingdom to demonstrate against Kabaka visit to Ndaiga

Dear Editors;

Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom May 22, 2009 issued a statement saying the kingdom is to join Mubende Banyoro Committee on June 5, 2009, to demonstrate against among others things, the planned June 25, 2009, Kabaka Mutebi’s visit to Ndaiga to cement Buganda Kingdom’s claim on the Mailo Akenda part of (3000 sq miles) which is in Buyaga and Bugangaizi counties of Bunyoro-Kitara.

The statement issued by the Katiikiro, Mr. Yabezi Kiiza, says if the Kabaka wants to assert Buganda’s ownership of land in Kibaale District which is the land the Uganda Constitution says the Kabaka must surrender under the Land Fund in the Uganda Constitution, the Kabaka will be breaching the Uganda Constitution. The katiikiro says these counties were connstitutionally transferred to Bunyoro-Kitara kingdom. So, Buganda has no say in them.

The Katiikiro’s statement follows a resolution adopted by Mubende Banyoro Committee on May 11, 2009 in which they wrote to the Inspector-General of Police seeking permision to demonstrate peacefully against Government failure to return Banyoro land as the referendum of 1964 decrees.

Octoebr 8, 2008 Kabaka Ronald Muwenda  was stopped by Police from visiting Buruuli county where he was going to celebrate Buganda’s independence Day. The Baruulli warned him not to go there before he got persmission from the Isaabaruuli, Mwogezi Butamanya. He defied the Baruuli. whereupon they deployed the youths to stop him. The Uganda Government through the Police stopped the Kabaka from going to Nakasongola.

Last week Buganda Government made arrangments for the Kabaka to visit Bunyala county (Bugerere) but the Banyala, through their Cultural Head, The Isaabanyala, Captain Kimeze, warned him not to step in Bunyala unless he has official permission from the Isaabanyala, the  Cultural head.

In in1961 the late Kabaka of Buganda, Sir Edward Muteesa used force to visit  Buyaga county,at Karutguuza, where the Banyoro had warned him not to go. there. The Banyoro erected roadblocks to stop him, but the Kabaka, using  Kawonawos, stormed the road blocks and went to Karuguuza Market where he found Banyoro buying and selling goods and he shot and killed nine Banyoro, including the Market Master, Ntogota.

Today Buganda Kingdom says the Kabaka is going to go, by force, to Bunyala county, and to Ndaiga. The Banyoro are already mobilising themselves to stop the Kabaka from going to Ndaiga.

Now get the official statement from Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom issued by the Katiikiro.

Henry Ford Miirima
Press Secretary of the Omukama of Bunyoro-Kitara

A report in the April 8, 2009 issue of the Uganda government Bukedde newspaper that, the day before, Katikkiro JB Walusimbi laid a flower wreath at the mass graves of victims of the 1994 Rwanda genocide has upset some Baganda. Our reporters in both Masaka and Kampala have told us. According to the reports, most ordinary Baganda in Buddu and around Kampala think that it is a good thing to commemorate the terrible killings that took place in Rwanda. But a large majority of them are asking why the Katikkiro of Buganda found time and money to buy flowers for graves of Banyarwanda although he did not have time to accompany Kabaka Mutebi to Buluuli last October fearing to upset Museveni.

The Kampala people are especially unhappy that incidents like the Budo Junior fire and child sacrifices which target Baganda are just  quiet form genocide but Owek. Walusimbi does not take expensive flowers let alone mabugo (condolence funds) to the victim’s families. Some also complained that Katikkiro Walusimbi has not cared to officially investigate why tens of Baganda children are murdered every month without government action. Yet when one mulaalo child was killed around Kiboga in Ssingo county, the police commander even personally camped in the area until some people were arrested.

On October 8, 2008 Mr. Museveni’s armed soldiers stopped the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II from going to Nakasongola to preside at the 46th anniversary of independence from Britain. The president later stated that, while Kabaka Mutebi was being harassed, Katikkiro Walusimbi was in telephone negotiations with David Tinyefuza and Mr. Museveni’s state house. Nakasongola is the main town in Buluuli county of Buganda. October 9, 1962 is when Buganda formally joined the other parts of today’s Uganda to become a federal republic. Under the terms of the 1962 independence agreement, Buganda remained a kingdom under Kabaka and retained control of its own education, healthcare, police and local administration systems. In 1966 then prime minister Milton Obote overthrew the constitution, used Idi Amin to attack Kabaka’s palace, made the kingdom illegal, exiled the Kabaka and stole 9,000 square miles of Buganda native lands and numerous other properties.  After decades of persecution by Obote, Idi Amin and Obote II, the Baganda joined Mr. Museveni and thousands of  Rwandan Tutsi refugees to remove Obote II and make it possible for the Kabaka to return to his kingdom.

In 1993/94 thousands of  Rwandese Tutsi refugees used Uganda army weapons to take power in Rwanda, in the middle of a genocide which started after that country’s president Habyarimana was assassinated. After more than 20 years since Mr. Museveni and his Baganda and Tutsi partners removed the Obote II regime, Mr. Museveni has refused to return the 9,000 square miles of native lands that Obote stole. He also refused to recognize the Baganda rights to return to the status as a federal state within the republic of Uganda. As the Baganda continue to demand that Mr. Museveni act honorably, the relations between the Buganda Kingdom and central government have become increasingly hostile. And many Baganda, especially the youth, are demanding that Katikkiro (head of Buganda government) Walusimbi resign due to conflict of interests because of his strong business and personal relationships with both Mr. Museveni and Rwanda government.

On September 11, 2008 this columnist credited president Museveni inspired Baganda bashing for the emergency of a new breed of Muganda. Kabaka Mutebi, the most important of all Baganda, had gotten fade up and sent the signal to Baganda to relentlessly fight for their land and political rights. And sensing this new tone from their Kabaka, many Baganda, led by the youth and those in the diaspora crystallized into  this new Muganda who will not be cowed. It now appears that the new Muganda is starting to tell the Baganda bashers, “Payback time is coming!”

September and October 2008 have witnessed exponential growth in Buganda bashing and overt discrimination against Baganda in jobs and government. Emails forwarded to this columnist from Internet discussion groups such as UgandansAtHeart and UNAANET spew increasingly hostile verbal attacks against Baganda.  The worst abuse comes from Banyankore, Bakiga and Banyarwanda. And some comes from Museveni’s Baganda agents. Some political analysts attribute the anti-Baganda surge to the massive spending by President Museveni. He spent millions to kill the Buganda Independence celebrations and to muzzle the so called Mmengo radicals. He has also allocated a few hundred thousand dollars to keep control over the UNAA Convention in Chicago and to kill Ttabamiruka ’09 in Boston.

The story told by one Semakula (other names omitted on request) in an email to this columnist illustrates the extent of the hatred against Baganda. Semakula went for a job interview earlier in October. When it was the turn of one Munyankore member of the interview panel, he skipped the questions and simply told off Semakula. In Semakula’s words, “He abused me and asked me why I don’t go to Kabaka to employ me; and he assured me that there was no job for me. I got paralyzed but prayed to God that may be some day we shall liberate ourselves.”

Baganda have been pushed against the wall by experiences such that of Semakula above; that is why they now are openly telling their tormentors and their collaborators that payback time may be around the corner. When the organizers of Ttabamiruka ‘07 disowned occupation collaborators Kintu Musoke, Tamale Mirundi and Aisha Kabanda, they were saying, “It’s payback time collaborators.” When Dick Kasolo and Baganda youth’s pulled the microphone away from Kahinda (The Ugly) Otafiire at the funeral of late MP Winnie Makumbi, the new Muganda was saying, “It’s payback time tormentors.” When Apollo (Bampaane) Nsibambi was stopped from addressing mourners at the funeral services for late Haji Sulaiman Kiggundu, the same new Muganda was warning, “It’s payback time, showoff guy.”

The new Muganda is not letting up. During the October 11, 2008 edition of the CBS FM Radio program Mambo Baado, Baganda youths in the audience chased away Museveni’s RDC for Mpigi, Katenda Luutu, because “he is part of the government that stopped Kabaka Mutebi from going to Nakasongola.” This act shocked Museveni so much that he instructed Kale Kaihura, the inspector of Uganda police, to interrogate Ssozi Kaddu Mukasa and establish what really happened. And Katenda Luutu’s security has been beefed up.

The latest dramatic “payback time” message from the new Muganda was delivered on October 17, 2008 in Kiwatule, near Ntinda. That is where Muluuli Mukasa, Museveni’s former security minister and front man on Buluuli lives. Earlier in the week, Baganda residents of the area, led by Kabaka’s village chief (not the same as Museveni’s LC 1), had delivered a letter to Mukasa Muluuli’s home. The letter summoned him to attend an October 17, 2008 meeting and defend himself against “rumors” that he was involved in stopping Kabaka Mutebi from visiting Nakasongola. Mukasa Muluuli did not come but sent a message that he was out of town but would meet them as soon as he returned. In the meantime though, this columnist has learnt from a reliable Uganda government source that Mukasa Muluuli is scared and has requested Museveni  for more security, starting with getting him a car. He cites newspaper reports that quoted the villagers as saying, “We don’t want Muluuli Mukasa to live among us when some of the villagers view him as an enemy, especially considering that he regularly travels at night on foot or by taxi through the village.”

Baganda have a proverb, “Ebibimba bikka” (“Whatever goes up come down”). This columnist argues that  President Museveni started coming down in 1998, the day he started his campaign to grab Buganda land through the Land Act which Baganda heavily protested.  That is when he started genuine loss of support among Baganda. He started the bashing as a defensive move against Baganda resistance but now it has produced this new Muganda. The new Muganda is on his way to become ungovernable by outsiders like Museveni. And the new Muganda is starting to quietly say, “Payback time” to Museveni’s collaborators. The big question is: Will all Baganda bashers be able to ask for protection from Museveni like Muluuli Mukasa? Why not simply stop the senseless Baganda bashing?

The host and live audience of last Saturday’s Mambo Baado, the popular town-hall style radio program on CBS Radio were quite embarrassed when rebuked by Betty Nambooze for discussing European football during a time of crisis in Buganda. Nambooze, who claimed to be coming straight from a hospital bed put the host, Ssozi Kaddu Mukasa, and his live audience to task to why they were pre-occupied with football scores at a time when Ssabasajja Kabaka Mutebi’s movements in his kingdom were being restricted by Mr. Museveni.

Nambooze, who looked both unwell and sad, told the listeners in Luganda, “Fellow Baganda, I am sick and I was in a hostpital bed, on IV drip, when I decided to switch on and listen to Mambo Baado. Obviously I expected the discussion to be about serious issues affecting Buganda such as the crisis that was created by those who barred Kabaka Mutebi from visiting his people in Buluuli, which is part of his kingdom. When I heard sports, I could not stay in bed.”

“How could you have chosen to make sports more important than the siege that Buganda and Kabaka are under?” Nambooze pointedly asked Kaddu Mukasa. The host claimed that it is the producers who chose the topic but many in the audience, who were now cheering Nambooze, seemed unconvinced. After Nambooze told the crowd that she was disappointed by the poor leadership shown on the Buluuli crisis but was returning to the hospital to have the drip reattached, the audience started to leave. It was not possible to establish by the time of this posting if the management of CBS could have intentionally chosen the topic of sport to appease Mr. Museveni.

In a related development, Katikkiro JB Walusimbi, spent the weekend conducting Rotary Club business. During the same time when Nambooze left a hospital bed to go and guide Buganda on the seriousness of Mr. Museveni’s decision to restrict Kabaka Mutebi’s freedom of movement in Buganda, Katikkiro Walusimbi was in Wobulenzi, Bulemeezi County, to open a new Rotary Club branch. At the ceremony, Katikkiro Walusimbi called upon the branch members to work very hard for the success of their organization and to promote volunteerism. He did discuss Mr. Museveni’s restrictions on Kabaka Mutebi’s on traveling to Nakasongola, less than 50 miles away from the ceremony venue.

Rotary Club International is a volunteer organization that is headquartered in the United States. Its popularity among both and the corrupt citizens of Uganda is largely due the opportunities it provides for local clubs to attract funds from wealth foreign clubs in Eu. Prominent members of Rotary in Uganda include former minister of health in Mr. Museveni’s government, Jim Muhwezi, who is infamous for misapprorating millions of dollars in public funds.

One of Sekanyolya’s most reliable sources in President Museveni’s security apparatus has confided that members of the president’s state house conned the Katikkiro of Buganda, to expose his dismal political skills and accelerate his demise. And the reason is that the M********** president of Uganda now wants to see Walusimbi fired since he has become irrelevant to his (Museveni’s) strategy to crush Buganda and Kabaka Mutebi.

According to the source, Ruhakana Rugunda and state house intentionally decided to “disorganize” Walusimbi when they lied to him that government security agencies had learnt of sinister plans against the Kabaka in connection with his planned trip to Nakasongola. The lie was delivered by someone whose name will not be revealed, to protect Sekanyolya’s sources. The statehouse operatives were pleasantly surprised when Walusimbi panicked. The source says, “He was very one dimensional about it. He only consulted his most trusted cabinet members, most of whom have the same outlook as himself. Then he decided to write to government, expressing fears about the safety of Kabaka Mutebi.”

Walusimbi fell into the trap right away and that is why Ruhakana Rugunda has been confidently telling the news papers that the Katikkiro was the first one to bring up security concerns. The state house boys could not believe their luck. The only problem is that Walusimbi had delivered himself so fast that they did not even have a reason to claim budget. Anyway, they quickly realized that they could make several million under the cover of having to fake the security problem that Walusimbi had bought. So they requisitioned several millions from the state house comptroller’s office to facilitate Mukasa Muruli, Mwogeza Butamanya, and a few Baluuli youth to fake a security risk situation. It is that fake security risk that Ruhakana Rugunda cited after he executed Museveni’s order not to allow Kabaka Mutebi to turn off the Gulu main Road and enter Nakasongola town.

Trapped by Museveni’s men, Walusimbi wasted critical time trying to secretly negotiate with Ruhakana Rugunda and Kale Kayihura while Buganda was anxiously waiting for bold leadership. It is not clear yet how Kabaka Mutebi saw through all the nonsense, decided to forget Walusimbi and took off for Buluuli on Tuesday morning. However, the Kabaka’s decision sent a strong message to Baganda all over the world that Walusimbi has successfully made himself irrelevant in the battle to save Buganda from destruction by Mueseveni and his NRM.

Sekanyolya’s Kampala based legal advisor supports the theory that Museveni is no longer interested in Walusimbi. He rhetorically asked Sekanyola over a couple of beers last Sunday, “What can Walusimbi offer Museveni now? He failed to shut down Nambooze and Lubega Sseggona, Museveni’s biggest annoyances. And he has no control over Bulange and most Baganda outside the NRM, especially the fearless youths, have no respect for him.”
 
The consultant told Sekanyolya that Walusimbi also made a huge blander to ignore the nationalistic Baganda in Europe and USA, where Museveni had hoped to use him to infiltrate and gain control over Ttabamiruka as well as consolidate control over the UNAA convention. He added, “The Kisubi old boy lacks the political skills that Kabaka Mutebi would expect from any Katikkiro and the shrewdness that Museveni had hoped for. So, ironically, Kabaka Mutebi and the M********** president of Uganda appear to agree on one thing, none of them seems to be interested in the services of Engineer JB Walusimbi.”

Moses Mwesigwa
(Mutabanii w’Omulokole)

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.

In a move that could be the first indication that President Museveni of Uganda might be prepared to use physical force against the Kabaka of Buganda, on October 8, 2008, Uganda’s heavily armed anti-riot police ready with teargas stopped Kabaka Mutebi from visiting the Buluuli Ssaza (county) Headquarters in Nakasongola.  Kabaka Mutebi was scheduled to preside over the 46th Buganda Independence anniversary celebrations which this year had been planned for Buluuli County. Buluuli is one of Buganda’s 18 counties. And it is in Buluuli that, a few years ago, President Museveni created  an anti-Kabaka “new” kingdom headed by a “Sabaruli”. Museveni’s current Sabaruli is called Mwogezi Butamanya.

It is not clear when president Museveni gave the final order to stop Mutebi.  However, according to a Uganda  police source who spoke on condition that her name not be revealed, Mutebi  had to be blocked because President Museveni and his people were shocked by the huge crowds of Baganda and Baluuli which greeted Kabaka Mutebi in Kakooge and Migyera towns. And because of the unexpectedly strong extremely well received speeches which Mutebi made at Migyera. There, Mutebi warned his subjects, in a very tough tone, to keep a sharp eye on and reject those who want to create confusion and divide the people of Buganda. Telling them, “It is terrible that certain individuals are working hard to divide my people, after the impressive progress we have made towards unity.”

This reporter’s police source revealed that the possibility of stopping Kabaka Mutebi from celebrating Buganda’s independence in Buluuli has been discussed by Museveni and his men for a long time.  According to him, every passing year Mr. Museveni has been getting more frustrated that the crowds at Buganda’s October 8th independence celebrations  keep swelling and his own Uganda independence event on October 9th keeps shrinking.  That is why they agreed to help Butamanya and Mukasa Muruli, former Museveni’s minister, coach Baluuli youths to organize a fake demonstration against Mutebi’s presence in Buluuli. “Mukasa Muruli and the youths were supposed to make a lot of noise, even threaten Kabaka, to give the police a pretext to stop the ceremonies if it became necessary.“ The source identifies the key plotters to include Ruhakana Rugunda, Kale Kayihura , David Tinyefuza, Buganda, Alfred Bitwire, Magara of Rapid Response Unit and minister Freddie Ruhindi plus district chairman Wandira and  RDC Masekera.  Museveni and his state house staff have been frequent briefed consulted on strategy and key decisions.

In a statement, Mr. Museveni’s minister for security Dr Rugunda blames it all on Kabaka Mutebi. He claims that it is Katikkiro JB Walusimbi who first expressed fears about the safety of Kabaka Mutebi in Buluuli to government. Then he (Rugunda) had confirmed that the threat was real and serious and communicated it to Walusimbi. By press time, this reporter had not confirmed if Rugunda is, this time, telling the truth. The situation has been more confused by reports in a foreign owned, Uganda government censored local paper that JB Walusimbi along with Buganda Attorney General Apollo Mabuya met with Ruhakana Rugunda, Freddie Ruhindi and Kale Kayihura on Monday, where the Mmengo officials were ordered to call off Kabaka Mutebi’s trip to Buluuli.

If Walusimbi and Makubuya met Ruhakana and Kayihura as reported, it is clear that their meeting was made irrelevant by Mutebi when he bravery decided to drive to Buluuli, in a convey of 40 motor vehicles, some carrying mattresses and other presents for his impoverished subjects. Most Baganda are strongly opposed to the frequent and often secret meetings that Katikkiro JB Walusimbi holds with President Museveni and his point people.