Four loyal subjects of Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi of Buganda have taken the NRM Buganda occupation government to its own constitutional court, requesting the jurists to rule the blocking of the Kabaka’s visit to Bugerere county unconstitutional. The petitioners are Omutaka Edward Kamya Lugonvu who is the Katikkiro of Mamba clan, Omutaka Dr Adam Kimala, also an elder in the Mamba clan together with Charles Ssenkungu Walugendo and Ms Sayida Najjuka who are both residents of Bugerere county (Bagerere).

On behalf of the their clients Balikuddembe and Co Advocates and Godfrey Lule Legal Consultants, petitioned the Uganda constitutional court to rule that in barring the Kabaka and his Katikkiro Eng. John Baptist Walusimbi from visiting Kayunga in Bugerere County on September 12, the government contravened various provisions of the Constitution, including Article 21 which outlaws discriminatory acts.

Dr. Adam Kimala is a leading Muganda conservative intellectual. He and his lawyer, Godfrey Lule, were among the closest supporters and advisors to former Katikkiro Daniel Muliika as he (Muliika) taught Mmengo and Buganda how to “wake up” and resist the occupation.

Omulongo Kamya submitted an affidavit t stating that, among other things, while the Baganda, including those in the Diaspora are not compelled to pay allegiance to the Kabaka in any way, loyalty is rendered on their “own free will” and to prevent the kingdom’s people from associating in their diverse cultural norms “violates” their constitutional right to freedom of association.

The Attorney General of the NRM occupation government, Kiddu Makubuya, has up to 14 days within which to formally respond to the petition.

The current Uganda constitution was enacted in 1995 against the wishes of Baganda, the most influential and wealthiest of Uganda’s many ethnic groups. According to the Odoki Commission which surveyed Ugandans for input into the  new constitution, 90% of Buganda residents demanded federal form of government.  However, with support from Norway, Denmark and Sweden, Museveni’s NRM froced an arbitrary “decentralization form of government” into the constitution . Despite heavy promotion by Museveni co-conspirator at the time, Jaberi Bidandi Ssali, Baganda rejected Museveni’s decentralization and immediately started to agitate for the federal (federo) constitution. It is the 10 years of Buganda agitation for federo and Museveni’s brutal response that led to the huge demonstrations of September 10-11, 2009 and Museveni’s massacre of 30 Baganda. Over 65% of Uganda’s armed forces are now stationed in Buganda, 20% of the size, which puts the kingdom under armed occupation by the NRM government and its Banyankore, Bakiga, Banyarwanda and other collaborators.

According to President Museven’s minister of health, Dr. Stephen Malinga, failure by major donor countries to adequately fund population programs is the reason why countries like Uganda have poor population policies. Dr. Malinga unleashed his attack on Uganda’s donor when he was closing an international conference on population and development which ended on November 25, 2008. The conference was held at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala and attended by delegates from 25 countries.

Dr. Malinga’s donor bashing did not go down well with some of the attendees.  When asked for a reaction by this reporter, one Uganda delegate said that it was embarrassing that the Uganda minister of health truly thinks that foreign countries have to give him money to formulate effective population policies. The lady delegate wondered: “After Malinga declared that the progress we have made on HIV/AIDS and Malaria can be credited to assistance USA, Canadian and European donors, why can’t he remain candid and admit that our failures on policy are due to our incompetence and rampant corruption.  Apparently he doesn’t realize it that the Uganda minister of health (himself) and his permanent secretary are responsible for developing the country’s population policies. The donors are funders and advisors. Malinga blaming the USA or Norway for Uganda’s missing population policy is like Celtel blaming its bankers for its lack of a marketing plan.”

Uganda’s ministry of health has been plagued by corruption for many years. The man whom Dr. Malinga replaced as minister is Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi. This Maj. Gen and his top deputies, Capt. Mike Mukula and Dr Alex Kamugisha are facing a court case for stealing millions of US Dollars from national health programs. According to the Uganda Constitution, the President, through his minister of health and his senior deputies is responsible for the formulation, funding and execution for national health policies, including those for population management. The same constitution does not even refer to foreign aid or donor funds.

Like the Uganda government, the Buganda Kingdom has no formal population policy. On one hand, Nnabagereka Nagginda has frequently called on Baganda to create families that they can afford to support. However, clan leaders, CBS Radio FM and Baganda nationalist organizations routinely encourage Baganda to have as many children as possible to guard against efforts by outsiders to take over Buganda. While Kabaka Mutebi has not made any strong statements on the question of birth control, he is an avid supporter of programs to improve the health and well being of his subjects. Indeed, he has personally participated in child immunization campaigns and similar activities.