When Museveni interrupted his tour of Buganda to go to Egypt he was extremely frustrated by the relatively small crowds and unfriendly questions from Baganda peasants about CBS FM Radio. The trip had been promoted as a “Bonna Bagagawale” (”prosperity for all”) tour, in the expecting that impoverished Baganda peasants were only interested in money.

The first sign that Museveni’s tour was in trouble were the relatively small crowds he got in most places in Kyaggwe and Kooki (see “Museveni’s State House Bars Pictures From His Buganda Tour As Crowds Dwindle“). They only showed one “cooked” image at a sports field next to a school, where the RDC had commandeered children from several schools in the area, to create a “crowd”. Our on the ground source tell us, however, that Mr. Museveni was most frustrated by what he calls “disrespectful peasants” who ignore his speeches and keep asking him to explain why he closed CBS Radio. Yet others ask him why he stops Kabaka from travelling freely.

The source told us that by the time Museveni returned to state house to prepare for the Egypt trip, he was so fed up and angry that everyone thinks that he might abandon the Buganda trip. Quote: “Baganda peasants had gotten to his nerves with their questions about CBS Radio, Kabaka and, even Betty Nambooze. He was so angry that you can expect him to get even harder on the issue of reopening CBS Radio.”

According to the source, chances are quite high that Museveni will use the Egypt trip and a diversion so he can abandon his Buganda tour and avoid further embarrassment by poor peasants. Adding: “I think president Museveni is especially concerned about the possibility of Kabaka Mutebi going somewhere and getting his now standard mammoth crowds, on the same day when he (Museveni) is getting harassed by Baganda peasants.”

Uganda’s iron fisted dictator, Yoweri  Museveni, is in the middle of a hurriedly arranged tour of Buganda under the pretext of promoting  ”Bona bagagawale” (”prosperity for all”).  However, Mr. Museveni has attracted such small audiences that his state house has banned all newspapers from publishing photos from the rallies. The decision was taken as soon as Museveni’s handlers observed that when Museveni went to Kyaggwe, in the Kisoga area, he received  crowds that were substantially smaller crowds than the ones his opponent, Kiiza Besigye, had attracted  a few weeks earlier. To further complicate matters for Uganda’s warlord, his crowds tend to be dominated by village idlers and pickpockets and are not always friendly.

One email from a source close to Museveni’s state house says: “The state house simply had no choice but to stop everyone from printing pictures when the crowds in Kyaggwe and Rakai do not even come to even 20% of what Kabaka would attract. And they are also clearly smaller than what Besigye gets. To make things worse, when Kabaka goes places, people roll themselves in the dust on the road asking him to walk over their back. When  the president goes anywhere, people ignore his length speeches and as soon as he finishes start complaining  about everything from terrible roads, land grabbing by ‘foreigners’ and drunkard husbands. In a couple cases he has been asked to explain why he does not leave Kabaka alone.”

In a related development, another Uganda government source who is in contact with Mr. Museveni’s convoy in Rakai, Kooki county, sent us an email to say that Mr. Museveni is spending two days in the area to have more time with his local spies regarding the deteriorating security situation in both Buddu and Kooki counties. And, reportedly, to dish out bribes to local NRM operatives and other locals with a long-term goal of undermining  both Omutaka Kabumbuli and the Kabaka in Kooki.  Museveni reportedly gives out the bribe money  during secret night meetings and, while in the Kooki area, he is sleeping only about 3-4 hours a night.

This reporter has reliably learnt that contrary to the propaganda in the Aga Khan’s Monitor Newspaper, Kabaka Mutebi’s tour of Kayunga, in Bugerere county, was only moved back to ensure that it would take place in June when his school age subjects are home for the holidays.

A Buganda government official who spoke on condition that her name not be revealed, because she is not the official spokesperson, told us: “Abo aba Monitor babadde bamanyi since the weekend nti kyasalibwaawo Kabaka alabike e Bugerere mu June, abaana b’amasomero bafune omukisa okumulaba obulungi. Era bamanyi bulungi nti Ssabasajja akyaali mu Bulaaya ku mirimu emitongole. Naye engeri ba namawanga gye batujoogamu ennaku zino basazeezo bayunge section ku Kabaka waffe. (“Those Monitor people have known since the weekend that it had been decided that Kabaka would appear in Bugerere in June, so school children would get a chance to see him. And they also know that Ssabasajja is in Europe on official duties. However, given the tendency for foreigners to abuse us these days, the Monitor span the story to embarrass our Kabaka”).

On May 9, 2009, the public relations secretary for the committee organizing Kabaka’s visit to Bugerere, Mr. Sseruboga, announced that the tour had been moved from May 16, 2009 to June 27, 2009, after the school holidays start. Earlier, 50 people who claimed to be Banyala elders has staged a demonstration against the visit. The Uganda government mouthpiece, the New Vision, and the pro-Museveni Monitor Newspaper have all given prominent coverage to the 50 man demonstration. On May 12, 2009, the Daily Monitor went as far as writing a story with the headline, “Kabaka postpones Kayunga visit after threats by Banyala”, suggesting that Kabaka’s visit had been blocked by the 50 man demonstration.

Our contact s in Boston and New York tell us that some Baganda in the two cities are very angry about the huge leadership gap at Mmengo. The general feeling appears to be that those in charge at Mmengo seem to be obsessed with quick money given the excitement they showed over the recent Shs 350 Million grant from President Museveni. Yet Buganda’s current challenges require leadership that is not shy to protect Buganda’s national interests and integrity and listening to Baganda from all walks of life.