Last weekend, during the burial ceremony for former Bishop of Masaka, Adrian Ddungu, two Buganda ministers squirmed like children and begged Uganda dictator, Yoweri Museveni, to reopen CBS radio. The two were Jolly Lutaaya (with VP Bukenya and Katikkiro Walusimibi in photo), minister of Local Government, and Charles Peter Mayiga who holds the Information portfolio.  The funeral was in Masaka, Buddu.

Lutaaya appeared to have lost control of himself when he told Museveni: “Mr. President, our people say to you that they have learnt a lesson, and are begging you to switch their radio, CBS, back on.” Owek. Lutaaya went on to promise the Ugandan warlord that, if the people were cheering in response to his (Lutaaya’s) mention of CBS, then they would certainly be forever grateful after Museveni reopened the CBS FM radio.

Unsure if he had impressed the now smiling Museveni, Lutaaya, who appeared fully sober, went on to equate the Buganda nation and her Kabaka to children with the Uganda dictator as their father. To the dismay of many Baganda, Owek Lutaaya told Museveni: “Since you are the father of our nation, we beg you to treat us the way a father treats a child who has erred. Please punish but do not kill.” Museveni is the 9th president of Uganda and took power in 1986, a good 24 years after Uganda was declared and independent nation by the British.

Supporting Mr. Lutaaya, Owek. Peter Mayiga, who represented Katikkiro Walusimbi, pleaded with the then belligerent-looking Museveni to kindly listen to people’s requests. Museveni, who has in the past called Mayiga and other Mmengo officials “dishonest hyenas”, took advantage of the situation to further humiliate the two Mmengo officials. He told the crowd: “I have worked with the Kabaka from 1981, in London and through the liberation war. Then people like this Mayiga come to deceive you.” Museveni repeated his familiar claims that Buganda issues can only be solve through direct negotiations between him and Kabaka Mutebi.

The head of the NRM occupation government went on to call himself Buganda’s best friend and whine that, in its 10 years on the air, CBS FM never broadcast anything good about him. Amusingly, when he asked the crowd, “Has CBS ever broadcast anything good about me?”, the people shouted back in unison, “Yes!”

Jolly Lutaaya is one of the longest serving ministers in Buganda government. He is a wealthy real estate owner, trader and contractor. He, reportedly, became suddenly wealthy in the 1980’s, after getting fired by a major international company amid accusations of embezzlement. Like Katikkiro Walusimbi, Owek. Lutaaya’s Marvel Road Contractors heavily relies on government construction contracts. During the preparations for Kabaka Mutebi’s wedding Mr. Lutaaya was removed from the organizing committee and the Buganda cabinet after his was caught by palace guards (abambowa) driving away with building materials that Baganda donated to the Kabaka. He bounced back as minister by offering major funding to Mmengo and with support from then Katikkiro Joseph Mulwaanyamuli. Owek. Jolly Lutaaya is a member of the “Rich People’s Association” (Bagagga Bagalana), which is dominated by former convicts, money launderers, smugglers, and loan shacks. Sudhir Ruparelia, Godfrey Kirumira and Karim Hirji are some of the other well known members.

Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga has also been a Buganda official for at least 10 years. He, John Katende and Apollo Makubuya assisted former Katikkiro Mulwaanyamuli to develop the infamous Regional Tier agreement with Museveni in the late 1990s. In July 2004, members of Museveni’s sate house leaked evidence to the press that Mr. Mayiga, a lawyer with Buwuule and Mayiga Advocates, was involved in a Shs 800m bribe that Museveni paid to Mmengo to kill a Federo demo. In 2008 Owek. Mayiga was kidnapped by Uganda police, along with Betty Nambooze and Lubega Sseggona right after the First Buganda Conference. Curiously, Mr. Mayiga later admitted, he was well treated by the police and was never charged. On the other hand, Nambooze and Lubega were held under inhuman conditions and later charged with sedition and annoying Museveni.

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

In a sign that president Museveni is can no longer push Baganda around, his government is quietly abandoning the fake case they filed against Buganda’s state minister for information, Medard Lubega Sseggona and the Chairperson of the Central Civic Education Committee, Betty Nambooze Bakireke. The case resulted after president Museveni ordered the kidnap and illegal imprisonment of the two Buganda officials plus Minister for Cabinet affairs, Peter Mayiga, one year ago. The main reason Museveni gave for the order is that “annoyed” him as president.  It is not very clear why Mayiga was never charged, given that the facts of the case were made up after Museveni was pressured by Baganda youths and aid donors to release or charge the popular Kabaka’s officials.

Nakawa chief magistrate permanently stayed hearing of the case on the basis that it is illegal to continue trying a matter which is still before the constitutional court following a submission by the lawyers of the accused that court needs to give a longer adjournment pending constitutional court pronouncement. Mr. Museveni’s prosecution happily agreed.

A source close to Mr. Museveni’s statehouse has told us that July has been a terrible month for the Uganda strongman.  For the first time since 1986 he was forced to reverse himself on strong anti-Buganda and anti-Kabaka public statements he had made. According to the source: “His excellence feels really bad that he had to ask Tamale Mirundi to do damage control on the ‘No Federo’ statement made on WBS TV and, even worse, that he had to tell Kabushenga to publically apologize for the New Vision attacks on Kabaka. But it also appears that the president does not have the energy to fight so many battles. Think about it, in 1997 HE would be sharp even though he slept only 2-4 hours a day. Now, even when he sleeps 6 hours in a day, you can see him half-dozing, confusing facts and always in a quarreling mood.”

A more detailed report on the case from the Buganda Government website is shown below.

COURT STAYS CASE AGAINST MEDARD AND NAMBOOZE

By Ntale Yunusu

Nakawa chief magistrate, Deo Ssejemba has permanently stayed hearing of the case against Buganda’s state minister for information, Medard Lubega Sseggona and the Chairperson of the Central Civic Education Committee, Betty Nambooze Bakireke.

The two together with information minister, Charles Peter Mayiga were arrested from Kampala in July last year and taken to various police cells in Western Uganda for a full week.
Charles Peter Mayiga was later released unconditionally while Medard Sseggona and Betty were both charged for uttering seditious statements against the person of the president.

The charge sheet asserts that the duo uttered statements on CBS fm radio programmes Twejjukanye, Agafa e Mengo and Cross fire in March 2008 which it claims were aimed at causing hatred and disaffection against the president.

Prosecution further claims that Medard Lubega Sseggona during a cross fire programme on 8th March, 2008 said that Museveni’s war against Mengo is truly a war against Buganda Kingdom and the Baganda which prosecution says caused hatred among the public against the president.

The charge sheet further stated that during the Agafa e Mengo programme, Sseggona wondered why the recent school fires were targeting Buganda region and therefore urged people in Buganda to develop their own resolutions to stop the fires if government does not find a lasting solution to the matter.

The magistrate ruled that it’s illegal to continue trying a matter which is still before the constitutional court following a submission by the lawyers of the accused that court needs to give a longer adjournment pending constitutional court pronouncement.

He went further to pronounce that there is a pending matter before the constitutional court protesting constitutionality of the articles of sedition which was filed by the accused and another one by a city journalist Andrew Mwenda.

After the ruling by the Nakawa Magistrate, Medard Lubega speculated that the state seems to have lost interest in the matter which is dismay to rule of law and freedom of speech maintaining that the seditious charges are vague as one cannot assume what might annoy the president.

He added that they are set to continue demanding for Buganda’s interests and warned that actually charges should be opened up against those who wrongfully sanctioned prompt up charges against the officials.

On May 11, 2009 the Lukiiko (National Assembly) of Buganda sat to discuss a draft of the proposed new land law from Mr. Museveni’s government. Below the Luganda press release by the Buganda minister of Lukiiko Affairs and Information, followed by an English translation (by Buganda Post).

Reaction to the resolutions by ordinary Baganda have been mixed. On one extreme are the polititicaly aware men and women who are not afraid of President Museveni and are frustrated by, what they claim to be the cowardice reflected in the resolution. One of these is one Kampala businessman who said: “It is a shame that while our forefathers and Muteesa II died for Buganda, today’s Lukiiko is even afraid of making Museveni angry by stopping to beg him for our stolen property”. And on the opposite side are those who insist that if we carefully and respectfully tell Mr. Museveni what Buganda wants, he will one day be kind and give everything back to us. This group includes Uganda prime minister Apollo Nsibambi, Vice President Gilbert Bukenya and other staunch supporters Katikkiro JB Walusimbi and Buganda minister Charles Peter Mayiga.

EBITEESO EBIYISIDDWA OLUKIIKO LWA BUGANDA – May 11, 2009

Olukiiko lwa Buganda olutudde olwaleero nga 11 May 2009, lutegedde bulungi ya Ssabawolereza wa Gavumenti ya Ssaabasajja Kabaka ku bbago ly’enkola y’enfuga y’ettaka mu Uganda.  Oluvanyuma lw’okukubaganya ebirowoozo ebiteeso bino wamanga biyisiddwa:

1.   Newankubadde nga waliwo ensonga enkulu ezirambikiddwa mu bbago ly’enkola n’enkozesa y’ettaka eryakasembayo okufuluma, naye wakyaliwo ensonga endala enkulu ennyo eziruma Buganda ez’etaaga okwekenenya n’okukenenula n’obwegendereza nga tetunatuuka ku nzikiriziganya ey’awaamu ku nkola y’enfuga y’ettaka mu Uganda.

2.   Wakyaliwo ettaka lya Buganda lingi erikyali mu mikono gya Gavumenti eyawakati eryanyagibwa nga kyandibadde kirungi Buganda okuwa ebirowoozo ku nkola en’efuga ettaka mu Uganda, ng’ettaka eryo limaze okukomezebwawo eri bannyini lyo abatuufu nga mwemuli n’ettaka lya lukale mu Buganda erimanyiddwa nga erya Mayiro 9000, embuga z’amasaza, amagombolola emiruka n’Ebyaffe bonna omuli ne official Estates.

3.   Olukiiko lusabye Katikkiro wa Buganda ategeeze Gavumenti eya wakati eyamuwereza ebbago ly’enfuga eyo agitegeeze ebiteeso by’olukiiko bino wamu n’ensonga zonna ezirambikiddwa mu kiwandiiko kya Ssaabawolereza wa Gavumneti ya Buganda.

CHARLES PETER MAYIGA
MINISITA W’ENSONGA Z’OLUKIIKO N’AMAWULIRE

RESOLUTIONS OF THE BUGANDA LUKIIKO – MAY 11, 2009

The Buganda Lukiiko which has sat today on May 11, 2009, has fully understood the presentation by the Attorney General of Ssaabasajja Kabaka’s Government on the draft new law intended to govern land administration in Uganda. After discussion, it has been resolved as follows:

1.  Although  there are many important questions which have been addressed in the latest draft of the proposed law, many important issues that negatively affect Buganda remain, which require careful further study and analysis before we can reach comprehensive agreement on how land administration should work in Uganda.

2.  The [Uganda] central government still holds a lot of land that was stolen from Buganda and it would be nice for Buganda to participate in the debate on the law after that land has been returned to its rightful owners, and that includes the 9,000 square miles of [Buganda] native lands, real estate for ssaza (county), ggombolola (sub-county) and miruka (parish) headquarters and all that is ours (“Ebyaffe”), including office estates.

3. The Lukiiko has requested the Katikkiro of Buganda to communicate these resolutions to the [Uganda] central government which sent the draft proposed land law, along with the additional details which have been documented by the Attorney General of the Buganda Government.

CHARLES PETER MAYIGA
MINISITA W’ENSONGA Z’OLUKIIKO N’AMAWULIRE

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.

Namubiru Juliet Buganda Government’s official website reports that:

The minister for Information, Lukiiko and Cabinet Affairs in Buganda Government, Charles Peter Mayiga has urged people in Buganda to stop being cowards when it comes to issues concerning Buganda Kingdom.

The minister who was attending a Sunday service at Kitende Church of Uganda appealed to people to always come out openly to support Buganda’s developmental issues in order for the Kingdom to achieve its intended goals and objectives instead of shying away whenever Buganda is mentioned.

Mayiga also called on to people to work very hard in order to earn a living for their families which will lead to a stable and successful Buganda Kingdom.

The service was also dedicated to the life the late Kiberu Christopher who worked so hard for the church.

Canon Henry Ntulume from Nateete also appealed to the Christians to make choice in what they do, to identify good priorities and to pay school fees for their children to make them better citizens in the future who will promote Buganda Kingdom.