Some British Baganda are angry at Deputy Katikkiro, Emmanuel Sendaula, and Kabaka’s representative in UK, Nsambu Musisi, for asking them (the Baganda) to keep quiet at a time when their Kabaka and nation are under a state of occupation by the NRM government.

In a Luganda letter that was addressed to all Kabaka’s representatives overseas, Owek. Sendaula indicates that the Kabaka’s representative had been informed in the past that, earlier, the Buganda government passed a resolution that Kabaka and the Ugandan warlord, Museveni, should meet. He adds that the meeting which took place has improved the communication between the two sides. He states that the two sides exchanged documents based on which negotiations were to take place; the Katikkiro would inform Kabaka’s representative in due course.

The Deputy Katikkiro’s letter includes no references to ordinary Baganda except when he asks Kabaka’s representative to tell the Baganda in their areas to be  “very calm”. Owek. Sendaula provides not information at all to his audience to pass over to Baganda in their area. His letter does not include any reference to the 30 Baganda who were massacred by the NRM occupation government, the hundreds who were injured and the nearly 1,000 who have been arrested and tortured over the last two weeks. The Deputy Katikkiro’s letter is dated Monday October 15, 2009, only 2 days after Kabaka’s minister, Lubega Sseggona, was arrested by Museveni. However it does not mention the plight of Ssegona. Even most important, the Deputy Katikkiro letter saying nothing about the health and general well being of Ssabasajja Kabaka, who all Baganda know has endured tough and stressful times since the NRM occupation power barred him from going to Bugerere and started murdering his subjects.

Also significant is that, in his letter, Owek. Sendaula never mentions ordinary Baganda who live the Diaspora. He never acknowledges the allegiance they have shown to the Kabaka and Buganda with their demonstrations and other actions. He only refers to these loyal subjects when he says, “You, the representatives of Ssabasajja outside Uganda should encourage the people you lead to be very calm to give a chance to the negotiations that have started between the Uganda government and Buganda Kingdom, which aim to address Buganda’s open issues.”

In his letter to UK Baganda, Kabaka’s representative Nsambu Musisi also skipped any acknowledgement what UK Baganda have done to show the loyalty they have to Buganda or the Kabaka. And he amplifies Owek. Sendaula’s letter, telling Kabaka’s subjects in UK: “It is best that any planned demonstrations in Britain be postponed.”

One of our sources in London reported that many Baganda in UK are incensed at the condescending attitude of  Owek. Sendaula and Mr. Nsambu Musisi. The situation is further complicated by the fact that Mr. Musisi has popularity issues with most UK Baganda who feel that he was imposed on them by Katikkiro Mulwanyaamuli. According to our source: “Baganda here in London believe that blood of Baganda shed by Museveni only a week ago and the ongoing torture of hundreds of his subjects are most important to Kabaka Mutebi. But that a few cowardly and greedy individuals are helping Museveni to isolate Kabaka from his subjects by making him appear more interested in CBS Radio money or the firing of Tamale Mirundi.”

Another source, who is a computer engineer and Nkoba za Mbogo veteran went as far as challenging Deputy Katikkiro Sendaula and Mmengo to explain why they are eager to sell a Buganda’s which has survived nearly 1,000 years to a man whose true identity is questionable. He said: “First Walusimbi, Sendaula and a few money angry Mmengo personalities were used by Museveni to trick Kabaka into becoming a negotiator. That was an effort to break the centuries old custom, ‘Kabaka tateesa‘. Now they are trying to get a short term, short sighted, secret Regional Tier deal with Museveni based on getting quick CBS Radio and bribe money, to protect their personal interests. That is why they don’t even care about the Baganda blood that was spilt, those in prison or even bad image Kabaka Mutebi may get among his subjects.

“Anyway, they cannot stop us from resisting Buganda’s occupiers and protecting out Kabaka and national interests. The only reason that Museveni is even learnt to dress up, walk as if his feet are OK and behave like a civilized person in front of the Kabaka last Wednesday, is because he and his fellow Balaalo were panicked by the demonstrations September 10-11, 2009. The demonstrators in Buganda, London, New York, Boston and elsewhere showed the Ugandan NRM war lords that Buganda has a backbone. It makes common sense that Baganda must only increase demonstrations if they want to make it clear to Museveni and his NRM occupiers that they have no future without agreeing to all Buganda’s demands. Akeenda, return of all our properties, payment of arrears and Federo.  These demands are well known by all Ugandans, so why would our demonstrations against the murder and senseless arrest and torture of Baganda change anything?”

When contacted for a comment on this story, our New York based Buganda analyst had this to say: “I think Owek. JB Walusimbi and his supporters in Mmengo have made a terrible mistake of sacrificing Nambooze, Sseggona, Mpuuga and other so called Mmengo radicals to appease Museveni, Bukenya and the businessmen in Mmengo. I suspect that if Walusimbi continues on this path then he (Walusimbi) will have no influence at all when the next major demonstrations by Baganda happens, because the demonstrators might be looking for his head. It is like the children making an alarm (okukuba enduulu) when they see a robber running way with family property. Suppose the robber panics and starts to appear cornered. I think that even a 6-year old would smell something fishy if the father comes out of hiding, doesn’t show concern about the children killed or kidnapped by the robber and tells the whole family to keep quite, so neighbors don’t come as he secretly negotiates with the robber.”

Below are the letters from Deputy Katikkiro Sendaula and Mr. Nsambu Musisi respectively (in Luganda):

.

Letter from Owek. Sendaula

Eri:       Ababaka ba Ssaabasajja bonna mu nsi z’Ebweru

Okuva: Oweek. Amb. Emmnauel L. Ssendaula, Minisita w’Ensonga za Buganda  Ebweru

Ensonga:Ensisinkano ya Ssaabasajja Kabaka ne President wa Uganda

Olunaku: Lwakutaano nga 02/10/2009

Nkulamusizza nnyo era ne nkwebaza emirimu gy’oweereza Mukama waffe Ssaabasajja n’eggwanga lyattu Buganda ng’osinziira eyo gy’oli.

President wa Uganda ne Ssaabasajja Kabaka wa Buganda baasisinkanye mu State House e Ntebe nga 30/09/2009.  Akakiiko Akafuzi (Cabinet) aka Gavumenti ya Ssaabasajja Kabaka nako kaatudde eggulo nga 01/10/2009 ne kakubaganya ebirowoozo ku nsisinkano y’abakulu abo ababiri.

Nga bwe mumanyi obulungi, Gavumenti ya Ssaabasajja yayisa ekiteeso ekisemba Ssaabasajja ne President basisinkane.  Kirungi nti ensisinkano eyo yayambye nnyo okuteekawo empuliziganya wakati waabwe bombi etaabaddeewo okumala ebbanga.

Katikkiro yategeezezza Obuganda nti waliwo ebiwandiiko ebyawanyisiganyiziddwa President ne Ssaabasajja Kabaka byetegerezebwe buli ludda.  Kati Katikkiro ne Gavumenti ya Ssaabasajja twefunyiridde mu kwetegereza ensonga eziri mu kiwandiiko President kye yawadde Ssaabasajja kyokka ate nga tusuubira nti ne President yeetegereza ensonga eziri mu kiwandiiko Ssaabasajja Kabaka kye yamuwadde.

Ekiseera ekituufu bwe kinaatuuka, Katikkiro ajja kutegeeza Obuganda ebinaaba bivudde mu nteeseganya.  Mu kiseera kye kimu Katikkiro ayongedde n’akubiriza Obuganda okubeera obumu wamu n’okubeera abakkakkamu ennyo nga tulwanirira ebyaffe.

Mu ngeri y’emu nammwe ababaka ba Ssaabasajja ebweru wa Uganda, musaanye okukubiriza abantu be mutwala okubeera abakkakkamu ennyo tusobole ffenna okuwa omukisa enteeseganya ezitandise wakati wa Gavumenti ya Uganda n’Obwakabaka bwa Buganda, nga zigendererwamu okukola n’okugonjoola ensonga za Buganda zonna ezikyali mu ddiiro.

Ssaabasajja Kabaka Awangaale!

.

Letter from Mr. Nsambu Musisi

Abazaana n’abasajja ba Ssaabasajja,

Mbalamusizza nnyo nnyini era mbebaza emirimu gyemukola. Ate mbebaza ekyensusso obumu n’obuwagizi bwemulaze eri Ssaabasajja mu kasEera akabade akazibu. Ssabasajja gyaali ateredde ntEnde naye nga akyaali munakuwavu olw’Abantu be abaafa na balumizibwa mu kwekalakaasa okwaaliwo

1. Mbasaba musome ebbaluwa eri wansi weno nga eva ewa Owek Ssendaula nga eyogera kubiriwo kati. Nsaba mugisome.

Ntegezeddwa nti olw’okwagala okutekawo embeera ennungi ‘conducive environment’ eneyamba enteseganya wakati wa Ssaabasajja Kabaka ne President wa Uganda okugenda mu maaso,  kyandibadde kirungi singa Abaganda tugira tukyaleka ebyo ebibadde bikolebwa okulaga nti tuli benyamivu nga muno mwemuli n’okwekalakaasa.

Gavumenti ya Uganda nayo egambye nti egyakulekeraawo ebikolwa eby’okusomooza Buganda.

Kale no n’olwekyo kyandibade kirungi singa okwekalakaasa okubadde kugenda okuberawo e Bungereza kugira kuyimirizibwaamu. (Postponed).

2. Nebaza abo bonna abakawa ensimbi ez’okukubagiza amaka agafiirwa abantu baabwe mu kwekalakaasa. Abamu abatadde ensimbi ku ‘Bank Account’ tebalaga mannya gaabwe. Nsaba buli atadde ensimbi ku Account okumpereza amannyage tusobole okuwandiika olukalala lw’amannya getunawereza embuga nga tuwereza ensimbi zino ez’okukubagiza.

Mu kiseera kyekimu nsaba abo bonna abatanadukirila mulanga guno okugezaako okwayo obuyambi nga butekebwa ku ‘Bank Account’

Ssaabasajja Kabaka Awangaale

J Nsambu Musisi

Omubaka

In a statement likely to anger many Baganda who are loyal to Kabaka Mutebi, Katikkiro JB Walusimbi yesterday praised the meeting between Kabaka Mutebi and Uganda warlord, Yoweri Museveni. A source in Buganda Government, who requested anonymity, sent as a message to alert us to the statement, which Katikkiro Walusimbi posted on the Buganda official website www.buganda.or.ug. The same source also told us: “Buganda’s cabinet is much divided. Some who have a strange history with Museveni, like Owek. Mayiga and Owek. Walusimbi appear to be unwilling to make Museveni angry at any cost. Then there are principled and brave people like Nsubuga Nsambu, Mpanga, Ssegona, Mpuuga and even Kabuuza Mukasa who seem to reason that cowardice is not acceptable when Buganda and Kabaka are at stake. Some are of ‘wamma wandiba omutuufu’ type, either chasing personal interests in Mmengo or good people who are simply unable to cope with the problems Buganda is facing today. An even bigger problem is that our people are part-time when Museveni’s agents work around the clock.”

The statement issued by Katikkiro Walusimbi  paints the picture that all previous tensions between Buganda and her occupiers have disappeared with this one meeting. In one section of his statement, the Katikkiro specifically claims that:  “The meeting marks an end to the rift that had grown between the Kingdom and the central government and has been appreciated by both leaders.”  The Katikkiro’s statement does not reveal whether he consulted the Kabaka or the Buganda cabinet its issue.

Immediately after getting the Internet address for the statement, we shared it with our New York based analyst and asked for his opinion. In his email reply to this writer, the analyst said: “I refuse to accept that this statement was written by a whole Katikkiro of the Kingdom of Buganda because it is totally unrelated to reality. Before the meeting, Museveni had murdered over 30 Baganda, wounded hundreds and imprisoned over 700, threatened to abolish the Buganda kingdom, was arresting Lubega Sseggona and hunting for Betty Namboozi. Yet Engineer Walusimbi tells us with a straight face that, in a one-hour meeting,  Kabaka Mutebi abandoned his principles and his loyal subjects preferring to close any rift with a foreigner who is occupying his Kingdom by force of arms. Every serious Muganda knows that Kabaka went to the meeting at gun point. If the Engineer is telling the truth then I am Michael Jackson – the guy who died was an impostor.”

The statement issued by Katikkiro JB Walusimbi is reproduced in full below:

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM KATIKKIRO’S OFFICE

The Katikkiro of Buganda, Eng J.B.Walusimbi informs the people of Buganda that the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II has met the president, H.E Yoweri Katguta Museveni on an official visit at State House in Entebbe.

On arrival at State House, His majesty was warmly welcomed by the president and they both discussed various issues.

The meeting marks an end to the rift that had grown between the Kingdom and the central government and has been appreciated by both leaders.

On his visit, the Kabaka was accompanied by the Katikkiro Eng J.B. Walusimbi, Prince David Wasajja, Rt. Rev. Bishop Wilson Mutebi of Mityana, minister for Nkuluze Amb. William Matovu, Chairperson Bataka council Nakirembeka Eng Alan Waliggo, A.D. Lubowa, Mahabub Ssemakalu and Peter Mpanga.

J.B. WALUSIMBI

KATIKKIRO.

30-09-2009

We have learnt from highly reliable sources in  President Museveni state house apparatus that the Ugandan strongman may soon disown the brutal actions of Uganda police against Baganda youths in Kayunga.  According to an email message sent through an intermediary, the source says: “Ugandans are going to be surprised when Mr. Museveni will claim that he only learnt about the problems in Kayunga  on Tuesday or Wednesday. He also intends to attack people who claim that he has anything to do with the threatening letter that his minister Kirunda Kivejinja wrote, warning Kabaka not to go to Kayunga, in Bugerere county.”

Our source could not confirm when Mr. Museveni will make the public statements but speculated that he (Museveni) might do it when he meets MPs who come from Buganda on Thursday or Friday.  As for why Museveni plans to do this the source said: “Museveni has no choice this time. He fully understands that  he underestimated the Kabaka and Baganda on this issue of Bugerere. He also knows that he overestimated the influence that Katikkiro Walusimbi and his supporters still have on Kabaka Mutebi’s decisions. The only option he has, as a military man, is a tactical withdraw. And, based on his past behavior he may blame everything on  Kirunda and [Rwandese police commander]  Kale Kayihura.” The MPs are expected to ask Museveni to explain which his government is blocking Kabaka Mutebi from freely moving in Buganda simply because 22 people demonstrated with sigs that they don’t want him to visit without first consulting their leader, who happens to be an active member of the Uganda army.

In May 2009, the Aga Khan’s The Monitor newspaper printed a Uganda government sponsored story claiming that  Kabaka Mutebi postponed his planned  tour of Kayunga, in Bugerere county, due to fear that Banyala residents might demonstrate against him (see “Kabaka Will Visit Bugerere When Youths Are Home “).  This writer established at the time that the true reason was because Kabaka was traveling to Europe on official duties.  Due to conflict with another tour of Buvuma in July/August, the Bugerere trip was finally rescheduled to start on September 12, 2009.

Since Monday, the Uganda police, under the command of Rwandese refugee Kale Kayihura, has obstructed Baganda youth trying to prepare the site for Kabaka’s main ceremonies at Kayunga. They even fired teargas canisters into the car of  Mengo officials who had gone to Kayunga to oversee  the preparations. The Police also kidnapped Baganda youths who were erecting stalls and held them incommunicado for a day. Earlier, a Musoga minister in Museveni’s government, Kirunda Kivejinja wrote to Mmengo, warning that the Kabaka should not go to Bugerere without the agreement of one Baker Kimeze, the Museveni appointed first king “Bunyala”. Museveni created the pseudo kingdoms of Buruli and Bunyala within Buganda, in direct contradiction of his own Uganda constitution, which does not recognize ‘subkingdoms’ within Buganda.

Despite Museveni’s threats and brutal police actions, Kabaka Mutebi instructed his trusted officials like, David Mpanga, Lubega Ssegona, Betty Nabooze, Kabuuza Mukasa and several others, especially in Nkoba za Mbogo, to spearhead “Operation See You in  Kayunga”.   Through these ‘warriors” Kabaka Mutebi informed his subjects that he was determined to go to Kayunga and not allow a repeat of what happened in Buruli.  According to information from the operational command post, headed by Betty Nambooze,  tens of thousands of Baganda are expected to descend on Kayunga on Saturday, based on contacts with Gombolola and Miruka chiefs across Buganda. President Museveni’s internal security organization has informed their boss of these facts. The main reason why Museveni is backing down is because he has no confidence that his police can handle the situation if they try to stop the Baganda.

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.

On Thursday February 26, Katikkiro JB Walusimbi stood up president Museveni of Uganda when he did not turn up for the much publicized land negotiations between Mmengo and Museveni.  According to our sources, Walusimbi could not go because key members of his cabinet overruled him. They insisted that Mmengo must not negotiate with Museveni about giving up anything to him on his proposed Land (Amendment) Bill, 2008. They argued that it would be disobedience to Kabaka Mutebi who had publicly called it a bad bill and told all Baganda to oppose it. Equally important, they insisted that while talking to Museveni was alright, it must be about full restoration of all Buganda’s property and political rights – not begging.

The problem for Walusimbi is that he had already assured Museveni that he could bring Mmengo to the table to negotiate the contentious Land (Amendment) Bill, 2008. So when the loyal Baganda ministers put their feet down he was left in a fix. And he opted to simply hide from Museveni. One source close to Museveni’s state house told us that: “Museveni is very annoyed that Walusimbi failed to turn up.  The president was made to look like a man who was promised some gold by Congolese con men and left holding a bag full of stones. He has been asking people near him, ‘What is wrong with Baganda?’ ”

It has been widely reported by the local Buganda press that Museveni and JB Walusimbi have been engaged in secret negotiations over Buganda issues since July 2008. What we can exclusively report from a highly reliable source very close to the Katikkiro is that the negotiations primarily focused on how to soften what Museveni, Walusimbi and other NRM big wigs think is Kabaka Mutebi’s excessive power today. Mr. Museveni and the Katikkiro had reportedly reached agreements the following key areas by January 28, 2009:

1. Museveni had convinced JB Walusimbi that if Kabaka Mutebi continued to accumulate so much power over Baganda it could lead to a show down where Baganda like him (Walusimbi) were going to lose lives and their businesses. And the way to control the Kabaka’s escalating influence was to remove Nambooze, Mpanga and Ssegona from CBS Radio and give the Katikkiro more control over Mmengo.
2. Walusimbi had convinced Museveni to pay off government rent arrears owed to Mmengo and authorize another 8 billion shillings to: (1) complete Bulange Plaza, (2) complete Twekobe, (3) pay some salary arrears for Bulange employees, (4) to facilitate (bribe) key Buganda officials and certain key Bataka (clan heads) for support, (5) to settle the debt that state house owed the Katikkiro’s Associated Consulting Engineers company, and (6) to buy support from Baganda peasants by giving them money through an NRM style program called Omumuli which Walusimbi designed with Gilbert Bukenya’s support.
3. The two sides had agreed that to soften Kabaka Mutebi it was important to isolate him more from the Baganda youths who are getting more dangerous, starting with the removal of Betty Nambooze from CBS. Curiously, the two sides had also agreed that the removal of Nambooze could be made simpler if it was accompanied with the firing of highly unpopular Baganda like Tamale Mirundi or Minister Kinobe or even Nsibambi.

What Museveni and Katikkiro Walusimbi could not control are the leaks about their so called secret talks over the months. For example, rumors of Museveni’s willingness to fire Tamale Mirundi or even Nsibambi to appease Baganda first surfaced in early January 2009. Apparently the many leaks helped the intended victims to plan and execute necessary counter moves.

A New York based Muganda thought leader told this reporter that it is the leakages which probably led Museveni to panic and hold that bizarre press conference on February 10, 2009. He said:  “I think that the leaks reached the intended victims at Mmengo Bulange and they fought back with rapid fire on CBS FM radio. Indeed, my contacts tell me that after getting an ISO briefing on the public response to the February 7th Mambo Baado presentation by Mpanga and Nambooze, Museveni decided to temporarily withdraw his Land (Amendment) Bill, 2008.  In effect, ISO people told him that Nambooze and Mpanga had mobilized Baganda youth to a point where public violence was inevitable if the land bill was read in parliament. In fact, in a slip of the toungue, Museveni admitted the role Nambooze and Mpanga in his panicky decision when he told the press conference:  ‘Don’t allow anyone to mislead you that we are withdrawing the bill because of the lies told by Nambooze and Mpanga on CBS radio’.”

A prominent Muganda business and political strategists in the USA believes that the relentless bashing of Beti Kamya by Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) top brass has been what he called a “power windfall” for Beti Kamya. What is not clear is whether she realizes it and can turn it into a ‘game changer’, at least in Buganda. The analyst told this reporter by email that  Besigye, Musumba and Ogutu totally misread the current psyche of Baganda when they adopted a strategy to isolate, demonize and then discard Beti Kamya. Baganda, both at home and overseas are upset that Besigye and his cabal have copied Museveni in taking Buganda for granted, abusing their leaders. And, there is a huge opportunity for Beti Kamya and friends to “leverage” the situation and change the face of politics in Buganda forever.

For more than three months Beti Kamya has been locked in a public battle with Besigye and other FDC leaders over her resignation from the party’s leadership. Besigye, Ogutu, Anne Mugisha, Salam Musumba and even Sam Njuba have used their influence in the Aga Khan owned newspaper to plant scores of negative stories about Kamya. The government owned New Vision has taken advantage of the situation to publish stories that, in their thinking, weaken both Kamya and the FDC. For the time being, Kamya has the upper hand though, since, due her popularity among Baganda, the FDC has even failed to organize branch elections in Buganda – no one is willing to stand for office.

The Muganda strategist says: “Conscious Baganda in the disapora are quite upset with FDC because many of them believe that, with Beti’s commitment to the kingdom, solid political support in Buganda and overseas, maturity and industry experience, she is a top contender for the position of Katikkiro. Most of the Baganda here in the USA in fact don’t know or care about Musumba and Ogutu. However in the USA, Canada and Europe, Beti is a star, especially after her stellar performance at Ttabamiruka ’08. In fact many of Beti’s supporters are very frustrated that she is still publicly arguing with Besigye over the FDC carcass. As that keeps her down there in the gutters of Uganda politics with Besigye, which makes her difficult to approach.

“A serious problem I see is that, like Nambooze, Kyanjo and Ssegona, Beti is unable to capitalize on the enormous amount of moral and material support available overseas. It appears that they are always too busy arguing with gutter people like Kayihura, Besigye or their top boss to maintain steady relationships with their supporters in London or Boston. They should take a page from the Ugandan Balokole pastors who smartly divide their time between local preaching and packaging themselves to meet the expectations of Christians and potential donor in London or California. I don’t know why they think that we  ‘understand’ the situation in Buganda and so they don’t need to market themselves to us in the language and style we understand. Yet Museveni is marketing himself daily in his New vision and Bukedde and Besigye and Oguttu are doing the same with Monitor.”

Beti Kamya was one of the main speakers at Ttabamiruka ‘08, the Baganda annual conference, which was held in New Jersey, USA at the end of August 2008. Along with Hussein Kyanjo and Katikkiro Muliika, Beti’s paper on Baganda’s political and civil rights was very well received. However, Beti got the strongest reaction from the Baganda youths aged 10 – 30 years, for whom she conducted a special 4 hour seminar on Buganda political and human rights.

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)

On Sunday September 9, 2008, Kabaka’s Deputy Minister for Information, Medard Lubega Sseggona, vowed to remain loyal to Kabaka Mutebi and keep on fighting for Buganda’s native land that were stolen by the Uganda Government in 1996, as well as political and human rights. Lubega was speaking at the launching of Mpuuga Cup in Masaka, Buddu, which is sponsored by Kabaka’s Deputy Minister of Youth, Mathias Mpuuga.

The tough-talking Lubega told the excited crowd that when President Museveni’s government kidnapped him and held him hostage for about 10 days in August this year, the experience only increased his resolve and strength to continue fighting for Buganda’s rights. He explained the only reason for his arrest and that of Betty Nambooze and Charles Mayiga was because they were publically fighting for Baganda’s land rights.

According to Uganda’s Daily Monitor newspaper of July 23, 2006, the UPDF’s David Tinyefuza has defended the arrests and continued detention of three Buganda kingdom officials beyond the 48-hour period in which all suspects are supposed to be released or charged in court. The paper reports that Tinyefuza, Mr. Museveni’s Coordinator of Intelligence Services, dismissed the public outcry over the continued detention of the suspects by saying that investigating terrorism-related crimes was complex and that under such circumstances, “some laws can even be suspended”. The last time laws were officially suspended to suppress Buganda’s political aspirations was during the 1966 “state of emergency in Buganda”.

The Buganda officials, Mr. Peter Mayiga, Mr. Medard Lubega Ssegona and Ms. Betty Nambooze, were arrested over the weekend and subsequently charged with charges of inciting violence, promoting war, sectarianism and terrorism. The Monitor also reports that Tinyefuza claims that Buganda, like the rest of the colonial creations all over Africa is a haphazard placement of peoples with different cultures and linguistic characteristics, albeit related in the general sense. Within hours of the arrest of its officials, the Buganda government established a Buganda Emergency Response Committee (BERC), which has issued two press releases to update Baganda and their friends. Buganda Post (www.bugandapost.com) will has and will continue to reproduce the BERC’s press releases as they become available.

The United States DOD has defined an occupied territory as:

Territory under the authority and effective control of a belligerent armed force. The term is not applicable to territory being administered pursuant to peace terms, treaty, or other agreement, express or implied, with the civil authority of the territory.

We argue that even a casual but sober review of Uganda’s political history should lead to the conclusion that the aggrieved people of Buganda, under their Kabaka (king) have a case to declare their nation an occupied territory under the authority of a belligerent armed force.

• Fact: Buganda has internationally recognizable boundaries that in 1967 were not in dispute by any of her neighbors (Tanzania, Busoga, Bunyoro, Ankole, Tooro and Lango).
• Fact: The natives of Buganda constitute a distinguishable nation, with distinct cultural practices, national language and customary laws that developed over more than 500 years ago.
• Fact: In 1962 the civil government of Buganda, headed by Kabaka of Buganda, entered a legal agreement (Uganda Constitution of 1966) with other nations and populations in colonial Uganda to federate and gain independence as a single country.
• Fact: In 1966 Prime Minister Obote and his supporters, without consulting Buganda’s civil government or population, illegally overthrew the Uganda Constitution with the use of armed forces. The then Kabaka, Muteesa Walugembe, was exiled to the UK where he died under suspicious circumstances.
• Fact: Between 1966 and 1986 various warlords, including Obote, Idi Amin and Museveni captured Uganda state power through the violent and illegal use of arms.
•  Fact: After Yoweri Museveni captured power by the force of arms in 1986 he organized an exercise to develop a new national constitution that would return the governance of Uganda to a legal status. The flagship activity of the constitution making exercise was the independednt Odoki Commission (leg by Justice Odoki) which collected information that would be properly address the aspirations of all the people in Uganda.
• Fact: According to the “Odoki Report”, over 90% of the people of Buganda explicitly demanded that they be governed under federal form of government which prevailed before the overthrow of the 1966 Uganda constitution.
• Fact: Museveni, Bidandi-Ssali and their supporters illegally (under natural law) broke the terms of the constitution making process and administratively invalidated the demands of the people of Buganda and introduced an experimental substitute that they dubiously name “decentralization”.
• Fact: Since 1986 has, through decrees and targeted laws, constructed a legal system that is selectively punitive to Buganda, her people and her civil leadership, the Kabaka institution. One example is the currency reform decree which devalued the Uganda Shilling by 90% in an environment where Baganda held over 60% of all cash wealth in Uganda. Another example is the 1998 Land Act which set “mailo” land rent (nearly exclusivel found in Buganda) to less than 1$ (US) regardless of size and freely gave away Buganda’s 9,000 square miles customary lands but not those of other nationalities.
• Fact: Museveni, Tinyefunza and their accomplices have issued numerous public statements over radio in newspapers threatening to “destroy” elements of Buganda’s civil leaders, calling Buganda leaders “hyenas”, reminding Baganda that “you don’t have the guns”, telling Kabaka Mutebi to fire Buganda leaders “who don’t agree with Government” and even reminding Baganda of the “1966 crisis” when the 1962 constitution was overthrown.
•  Fact: Buganda’s civil leaders (Kabaka’s Government), with overwhelming support, are only demanding that Museveni and his supporters stop the injustices again the people of Buganda – return the 9,000 square miles and other properties and restore the only form of governance that Buganda has ever willing accepted (federal).

Over the weekend of July 19, 2008 the people of Buganda held a national conference (Lukiiko Ttabamiruka) to discuss the issues of land, poverty and governance which confront them. The Uganda government seems to have underestimated the conference until, on July 18, 2008, one Buganda official, Lubega Ssegona, eloquently’s spoke about its expected results in front of Government agents.

Unexpectedly powerful speeches by Kabaka Mutebi, his wife Nnabagereka Nagginda and others seem to have created virtual panic among Government officials and their Baganda collaborators, resulting in one of the most ill conceived political decisions by Museveni since he came to power. The government arrested Betty Nambooze, Peter Mayiga and Lubega Ssegona (detainded just before the meeting) to preempt further political damage. And in the process handed Baganda nationalists the strongest case so far that the Uganda government considers any expression of Buganda nationalism as a crime. Evidence that Buganda is all but occupied by a belligerent force that will not tolerate and use force against the national aspirations of the native population. Isn’t Buganda under armed occupation?