The Chairman of Kabaka Mutebi’s Buganda Civic Education Committee and leading Muganda radio personality, Betty Nambooze Bakireke, is expected to return home from South Africa today. Nambooze went to South Africa for emergency medical treatment three weeks ago after serious efforts by the NRM occupation government to deny her quality medical treatment (see “Museveni Commits Crimes Against Humanity, Denies Nambooze Medical Care”).

According to family sources, Ms. Nambooze is feeling much better after undergoing extensive medical testing and receiving treatment to stabilize her condition. She is also well rested and stronger. Madam Tica (Teacher), as Nambooze is popularly known to her fans, is expected to return to South Africa very early next year to undergo surgery in the abdominal area.

According to Betty Nambooze, her medical problems were created by Mr. Museveni’s occupation government and its operatives. For several years now, Betty Nambooze has told her CBS FM radio listeners that when she was arrested in Mukono for opposing land grabbing by Juma Seiko, the police forcibly injected her with a strange chemical. Juma Seiko is an army man who doubles as an aide to Museveni’s half brother, Caleb Akandwanaho (Salim Saleh). Then, in 2007, Museven’s NRM government kidnapped Nambooze for nearly a week shortly after she had given birth by C-section. The wound ruptured as Ms. Nambooze was in captivity, leading to long term complications. Also kidnapped were Buganda ministers Lubega Sseggona and Peter Mayiga. The man in charge of the kidnap operations was a Mulaalo named David Tinyefuza.

On CBS FM radio, Nambooze enjoyed a radio an estimated audience of 5 million listeners. However, as of Monday evening, no major public welcome event that matches Nambooze’s popularity had been announced. In the meantime, police sources have revealed that the Rwandese command of the Uganda occupation police, Karyekeezi Kayihura, has prepared a force of a few hundred men on standby to crush any Baganda demonstrations.

Former Buganda Katikkiro, Daniel Muliika, and past president of the Uganda North American Association (UNAA), Frank Musisi will be the headliners at the October 17, 2009 emergency conference in Boston, USA. The official organizers are Ggwangamujje Boston. The organizaton has had no active executive since its elections failed elections in November 2008 (see ” November 9th Ggwanga Mujje Meeting Similar to Uganda and Kenyan Elections“).

After the September disturbances, however, the community elected Mr. Buwembo Mayanja to be the caretaker leader and see the association through the troubled times until a new executive is elected. So, Mr. Mayanja is the key decision maker, assisted by several other community members. It is Mr. Mayanja who announced the Emergency Buganda Conference shortly after Lt. Frank Musisi lost the UNAA presidency to Moses Wilson. This writer was there at the Chicago UNAA when, within minutes after Musisi lost the vote, he publicaly declared that he had been cheated and he was now going to focus on leading the Buganda cause in America. He made these statements in the presence of  Omulangira Wasajja and Buganda ministers Nakiwala Kiyingi and  Peter Mayiga who came to represent Buganda.

According to the Buganda Emergency Conference poster that the organizers have been cirulating over the last few weeks, the objectives of the event are (a) To examine the current conditions in Buganda and (b) to find ways to get out of the dire situation. However SMS messages which have been broadcast over Baganda cell phones by one of the organizers, Robert Kabuye, explain that the meeting will choose someone to be Buganda’s candidate against Museveni in the 2011 elections. The SMS messages have  led to some Bganda to suspect that the real goal of the Boston emergency conference may be to “crown” Musisi. This suspicion was strenghtned when Musisi told a Baganda meeting in Los Angeles last weeked that he had been “blessed” as the new leader of all Baganda in America. He never explained the process through which he had been chosen or whether either the Kabaka or the Katikkiro were part of it. And our efforts to confirm through Baganda American leaders if Mmengo or Kabaka appointed Musisi were unsuccessful.

Our sources both in Boston and Washington DC have confirmed that Mr. Mayanja is a strong Musisi supporter, as are several other Boston Baganda. The sources also say that other key Musisi promoters, including Mr. Kabonge and Mrs. Flavia Magoba of Washington DC, Mr. Male of California and Mr. James Semakula also of California. We have not been able to establish if Owek. Dan Muliika came to the meeting to promote Lt. Musisi or simply to present his opinions on the situation in Buganda. However, the former Katikkiro’s position should become clear today, after the true conference agenda is revealed and presentations are made. Robert Kabuye has announced that Mr. Muliika will be the keynote speaker.

Lt. Musisi is a member of the USA army who came to America with the help of his cousin and promnient anti-Buganda kingdom Museveni aide, the late Col. Serwanga Lwanga. The late Col. led the campaign to block the return of the Bulange to Buganda, claiming that Buganda has sold its majestic office building to Milton Obote of Idi Amin.

According to an unaccredited news story on the Buganda Government official website, Buganda’s Central Civic Education Committee has resumed its campaign against the campaign anti-Buganda policies and laws by the NRM government. Its scope has, reportedly, been redefined to put more emphasis on the Federo system of governance.

The committee, which was personally appointed by Ssabasajja Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi, is credited for awakening Baganda to the reality that Mr. Museveni and his NRM are committed to destroy Buganda through unjust and discriminative laws such as the Land Act. It is chaired by the indefatigable and exceptionally popular Betty Nambooze.

Frustrated by the effectiveness of Kabaka’s Central Civic Education Committee, president Museveni ordered the kidnap and torture of Betty Nambooze and two other Buganda officials, Peter Mayiga and Medard Lubega Ssegona in August 2008 (see “Museveni Quietly Retreats On Fake Nambooze and Lubega Case“). After several days of police torture and depravation, Mr. Museveni ordered the release of all three Baganda under pressure from human rights groups, United States and other foreign aid donors and a defiant Baganda population.

The article on the official Buganda Government website is reproduced below.

CENTRAL CIVIC EDUCATION COMMITTEE RESUMES DUTIES

By Our Reporter

Buganda’s Central Civic Education Committee has resumed its duties and this time it will put much more emphasis on the essence of a federo system of governance to every one across Buganda and Uganda in relation to Ssaabasajja Kabaka’s call for truth and justice.

The committee started with a one day sensitization workshop for all its members in which it was agreed that the theme “truth and justice” is quite extensive and require absolute attention.

Committee members further agreed that with truth and justice in place, the Kingdom will live in harmony since most of the injustices will be dealt away with.

The workshop was opened by an official for community mobilization in the office of the 1st deputy Katikkiro, Ssewava Sserubiri who also emphasized that where there is justice, there is likely to be no encroachment on other people’s land and no oppression from anyone which will lead to fundamental development in the Kingdom.

The Member of Parliament for Kampala Central, Erias Lukwago who is also a committee member advised that Buganda should come out and put to task all the members of parliament from this region to show their stand on the issue of federo. Lukwago argued that this will help the Kingdom to determine the support for federo in the Ugandan parliament and be able to vote wisely in the forth coming elections.

The chairperson of the committee, Betty Nambooze Bakireke announced a new system of mobilization whereby telephone contacts of everyone in Buganda will be obtained and various messages on various issues will be sent to every one in Buganda for development purposes.

The workshop was closed by the minister of state for research in Buganda Kingdom, David Mpanga who said that the recess period has been so useful because members have been able to identify their weaknesses which have been ironed out and are ready to face their prey with no major obstacles.

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. 

Betty Bakireke Nambooze has promised her listeners that the fight by her Civil Education Committee for Buganda’s land and human rights will soon be stepped up. She explained that the relative quiet that followed the illegal kidnap and captivity of herself, Lubega Sseggona and Peter Mayiga was only a tactical withdraw. The Civic Education Committee was appointed by Ssabasajja Kabaka, Muwenda Mutebi, with Nambooze as its chairman.

Nambooze made the remarks last Tuesday on the weekly CBS Radio FM talk show program Kiriza oba Gaana (Agree or Disagree). Earlier this week Buganda Post carried an exclusive report about the financial challenges the Nambooze and her committee were facing in continuing their work. During Kiriza oba Gaana, Nambooze said that they had made the tactical withdraw to give the Government campaign to sell the Land Act amendments fail by itself. She said (our translation), “We have given the other side a chance to sell their story but most people can see, no one is buying. So we are coming back soon to bring the truth to you again, and teach you what it really going on.”

Nambooze’s statements came only days after similar declarations by another Buganda official who was kidnapped and kept in captivity in August, 2008, Medard Lubega Sseggona (Lubega Sseggona Vows To Keep Fighting for Buganda). It is still not clear if there is any connection between the statements by the two popular Buganda rights advocates and the evidence that CBS Radio management is taking its orders from President Museveni’s government.

About a month earlier CBS Radio management and Katikkiro Walusimbi tried to discontinue Betty Nambooze’s programs, only to be stopped by Ssabasajja Kabaka himself. More recently, CBS management caved to the demands of Museveni’s minister, Amama Mbabazi, and refused to air live a program where his political opponents Jim Muhweezi and Kahinda Otafiire were to appear on September 28, 2008. Katikkiro Walusimbi has even appointed a special “internal censor” of CBS programs, Cambridge University trained Haj. Mustafa Mutyaba, to make sure that Mr. Museveni’s expectations are generally met by what is broadcast.

On August 6, 2008 Mr. Museveni’s government kidnapped Nambooze, together with Peter Mayiga, Buganda Minister of Information and Lubega Sseggona, Buganda Deputy Minister of Information. The three were illegally held for nearly a week until a judge ruled the detention to be illegal captivity. Originally the government claimed that the trio, together with others, had plotted to prosecute war against Uganda but when take to court, they were only charged with sedition.

In a move that could signal attempts to diminish the influence CBS Radio, Katikkiro JB Walusimbi held a high profile meeting with a delegation from Uganda government owned Bukedde FM Radio in his office yesterday. The Bukedde FM delegation included Bill Tibingana, Bill Mboigana, Kolumbasi Olunya, Paul Kaddu and Helene Nakacwa. The Buganda government side included Katikkiro Walusimbi, Information Minister Charles Peter Mayiga and Tourism Minister Florence Kiyingi. Bukedde FM radio is a Luganda radio station that was opened only months ago after public statements by President Yoweri Museveni that he would fight CBS Radio propaganda with his own radio.

CBS Radio, which is the official radio station of Buganda government and Ssabasajja Kabaka, is by far the most popular Luganda radio station in the country. After more than 10 years in operation and carrying popular personalities such as Betty Nambooze, Betty Kamya, Hussein Kyanjo and Medard Lubega, it’s considered the source of truth by a majority of Baganda. Since the departure Katikkiro Mulwaanyamuli Ssemogwerere President Museveni has regularly accused CBS Radio station to be the mouth piece of his Statehouse opponents and frequently threatens to close it. On July 18, 2008 Mr. Museveni took the first steps towards closing CBS Radio when Mmengo officials, Betty Nambooze, Peter Mayiga and Medard Lubega were kidnapped and held captive for a week, apparently for using CBS Radio to “abuse” the NRM government. Not to upset Mr. Museveni Katikkiro Walusimbi ordered CBS Radio management to tone down all their programs and to discontinue broadcasts by Betty Nambooze, only to be overruled by Kabaka Mutebi.

During their visit to Bulange, Bukedde FM management assured the Katikkiro that the Uganda government owned radio was ready to be a channel for the Buganda government to communicate to Kabaka’s subjects, very much like Bukedde newspaper. They praised Katikkiro Walusimbi for what they called his great efforts to eradicate poverty in Buganda. And they bought Buganda certificates worth 2 million Ushs. However, they reported to the Katikkiro that there are certain Mmengo officials who “harass” them and deny them cooperation.

A jovial Katikkiro Walusimbi expressed his gratitude to the Uganda government radio station, Bukedde FM, and requested the management to add programs that “tell people the truth” and help them develop. He added that it is necessary to fight laziness among Baganda and promised. He revealed that that he was going to start coordinating his plans with LC 5 chairmen to fight poverty starting with making sure that bars can only open after 5 P.M.

Since Kabaka Mutebi’s intervention against the Katikkiro’s decision to discontinue Betty Nambooze from CBS Radio, Katikkiro Walusimbi appears between a rock and a hard place. On one hand he cannot directly disobey Kabaka Mutebi and on the other he cannot afford to ignore Mr. Museveni’s demands that CBS Radio be tamed.

Our correspondent in London has been reliably informed that the Federo conference planned for August 22 to August 24, 2008 will have as their main speakers former Katikkiro Daniel Muliika, Kabaka’s Minister for Research, Daudi Mpanga and former kidnap victim and Chairperson of Kabaka’s Central Civic Education Committee, Betty Nambooze. Last weekend Muliika was the main speaker at the Uganda National Peoples’ Rights Association (UNAPERA) conference, also in the UK.

The Federo conference which is focused on the subject of Federo governance is organized by the federo.com, an advocacy group that promotes the Federo governance model for Uganda. The presence of so many highly poplar Baganda nationalists at the Federo conference is expected to boost both participation and the level of discussion.

After the Federo conference Muliika, Nambooze and Mpanga are expected to continue to Ttabamiruka ’08. We have not yet been able to confirm if Peter Mayiga, Medard Lubega, Betty Kamya, or other firebrands such as Lukwago will join at Ttabamiruka.

Members of the Baganda nationalist organization named Abazukulu ba Baganda have expressed fears that the overtly cozy relationship between Katikkiro J.B. Walusimbi and Uganda government leadership seems to be aimed at resurrecting the Regional Tier arrangement which Baganda rejected under Katikkiro Dan Muliika.

During a news conference that Abazukulu held last week at Musolooza, near Mmengo Bulange, their leaders claimed that, “Baganda rejected the regional tier government and the decision was final. There is nothing new or different to be expected from the new discussions, especially when the same people who engineered the original Regional Tier are the ones involved now. The only difference is that they have painted themselves another color.”

Abazukulu ba Baganda is made up of conservative vocal advocates of Federo and Buganda national issues. They are opposed to any negotiations between Mmengo and the Uganda government over Buganda lands other properties that the Uganda government confiscated from Mmengo in 1966. This opposition has, over the years, put them at odds with most Mmengo governments, with the exception of the one led by Katikkiro Dan Muliika.

The Regional Tier government was agreed on by Katikkiro Ssemwogerere, John Katende, Peter Mayiga, and Apollo Makubuya on behalf of Buganda and President Yoweri Museveni on behalf of Uganda. It called for the Katikkiro to be elected by all people living in Buganda and gave the President of Uganda the right to temporarily take over the Buganda Government if the person occupying the position of Katikkiro was proven to be a poor performer.

Our London source who is familiar with Katikkiro Muliika’s planned trip to the U.K. next week has informed Buganda Post that Owek. Muliika will attend Ttabamiruka ‘08 in New Jersey, USA. According to the conference website, www.ttabamiruka.com, the theme of the conference is “Consolidating Ttabamiruka ’07 achievements and confronting Buganda’s escalating challenges.”

At the time of filing this report, it was not yet known what specific topics Owek. Muliika will speak about or whether he will be the guest of honor. There are also unconfirmed reports that other popular Baganda personalities who are at the forefront of the fight to protect Buganda land will attend the conference. Based on recent developments and news reports on the subject of Buganda land one would speculate that such personalities might include Betty Nambooze, Peter Mayiga, Medard Lubega, David Mpanga, Hussein Kyanjo, Betty Kamya and MP Lukwago.

Ttabamiruka is an annual international conference organized by Baganda for Baganda, Bajjwa and their friends to discuss Buganda specific issues, meet each other and celebrate their achievements. Ttabamiruka ‘08, like Ttabamiruka ‘07, is sponsored by Ggwangamujje NY/NJ.