A young Muganda woman who requested that her name not be revealed, has sent Buganda Post and email, admitting that she attended the party that was quickly arranged by the NRM government’s ambassador to the United Nations, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda.  According to Ekiba Kibe program on Free Buganda Radio, Rugunda and NRM’s brother Panus Bugembe quickly organized the party to subotage Baganda meetings in Boston and New York (see “Beti Kamya In Boston Baganda Meeting As Rugunda Bribes Youths With Free Beer“).

Below is the email that we received:

—–Original Message—–

From: XXXXXXXXX [mailto:XXXXXXX@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, January 24, 2010 9:16 PM
To: info@bugandapost.com
Cc: writers@bugandapost.com
Subject: Uganda house party
Importance: High

dear Buganda post,

I think it is unfair to say all of us who went to the Uganda house thing are M7 people. fact is I think that the man is a brut because i saw how he killed so many Baganda during Kayinga riots. When my friends told me and I read the story in Buganda post and listened to mr. kabuye Robert I saw that may be I have to be careful going to the Uganda house parties. They spend so much on booze and the like but the hospitals in UG have no beds for maternity.  I am so am sorry to Kabaka of Buganda for my bad judgment. Long live Kabaka!

thank you.

please don’t show my name or email address.

XXXXXXXXXX

According to the cell phone radio Ekiba Kibe Program of Saturday December 18, 2009, one of the leaders in newly formed Ugandan Diaspora and American Development Association (UADA), is in a USA immigration jail after being reported by UNAA officials. In the Luganda program, Mr. Robert Kabuye e Boston, explains that one David Aligaweesa  was arrested after Mr. Moses Wilson, UNAA president, and his supporters reported him to the USA immigration services.   Aligaweesa’s immigration papers are not in good order. According to sources in Boston, UADA plans to hold a convention in Boston in September, to compete directly with the 2010 event, which will be in Washington DC.

UADA is one of at least three breakaway organizations that have been formed in the wake of the controversial 2009 UNAA elections in Chicago. One was formed by Flex Kabuye, who was reportedly sponsored by the NRM to be a spoiler in Chicago. The second one, Ugandans in The Diaspora, was formed by one James Kabonge but details about it are still sketchy. And the third is UADA, where David Aligaweesa is one of the principals. All these are run by Baganda and are in direct competition with Museveni funded UNAA where the key players are Moses Wilson (President), Ssenoga, Gaburungi, Fred and Brenda Kalema Musoke, Moses Kalemba, Rosette Serwanga and Alex Zabasajja.

The December 18, 2009 Ekiba Kibe also exposes the visit to the USA by Kahinda Otafiire, to bring bribe money for Ugandan spies in America. It also reports on the Buganda Conference and explains the evils of the NRM’s new land bill.

Ekiba Kibe program is broadcast to people’s cell phones as multi-media messages (MMS) that you can you can play on your cell phone, if it has the MMS feature. This writer knows of some people in Uganda who receive the Ekiba Kibe program on their cell phones.

***To listen to the Ekiba Kibe SMS Radio program click here.***

According to an email which was forwarded to info@bugandapost.com by a Boston resident, UNAA is swimming in debt. We have independently confirmed that new UNAA president, Mr. Moses Wilson did send the SOS email telling the organization’s current and past leaders that they were over $50,000 in debt.

Based on Mr. Wilson’s email, it appears like the future of UNAA Washington DC in September 2009 is questionable. He specifically mentions that he sees problems with paying certain deposits in time.

Mr. Wilson’s email is reproduced I full below:

From: WILTEC10@aol.com
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:20:55 EST

Subject: Urgent appeal for help with fund raising

Members of UNAA Boards of Directors 2007-2009 and 2009-2011,

It is unusual for the current UNAA President to jointly address both the current and immediately past UNAA Boards of Directors, but circumstances make this necessary.

The current UNAA BOD inherited an outstanding debt of over $50,000 (outstanding debt to the Chicago Marriott hotel, registration refunds, etc.)and a severely depleted bank account. It is encouraging to note that several members of the immediately past UNAA BOD are working with the Marriott to identify and eliminate unauthorized charges or, in some case, duplicated charges on the bill. However, the reality is that the current BOD will still be left with a an outstanding debt in excess of $45,000.

Last week, the Chicago Marriott issued a notice demanding immediate payment of their portion of this debt but the simple fact is that UNAA does not have the resources to cover it. We have promised the Marriott a payment of $10,000 this week while we try to negotiate a scheduled payment plan.

In addition to this debt, the current BOD also needs to secure funds to pay for deposits and other ancillary expenses associated with next year’s convention in Washington DC. Most urgently, an $8,000 deposit for the boat cruise is due within the next 7 days. Just so you all understand the urgency in this respect, of the 3 possible boats that could have accommodated our needs (minimum 300 passengers leaving from National Harbor), two have already been contracted for on that date leaving us with just 1 alternative. If we don’t contract for this boat in the very near future, we may find ourselves without a boat big enough for us to host a boat cruise at next year’s convention.

To this end, I am appealing to every member of both the current and immediately past UNAA Boards of Directors to help with fund raising so we can meet these urgent financial obligations.

As the current UNAA President, I took the initiative to lead by example and made a personal loan of $5,000 to the organization this afternoon. However, with what limited resources we do have in our account, we still need to raise another $7,000 within the next few days.

Not since the 2001 convention has UNAA faced financial challenges such as it is facing now. Back then, several members of the outgoing BOD loaned the organization funds to cover the outstanding debt and several members of the incoming BOD loaned the organization funds to make the initial payments necessary to host the subsequent convention in Las Vegas. The need today is equally urgent and I am appealing to you for help.

For those of you who have asked to see the UNAA financial records for the past few years so as to better understand how the organization got to this state, I am happy to report that the UNAA Treasurer will be releasing the organization’s 2008 statements in the next few days and the 2009 (as of September 30th) soon thereafter.

Sincerely,

Moses R. Wilson
President (2009-2011)
Ugandan North American Association

On November 4, 2009, one Caroli Mpoza sent an email to the Uganda Community in Washington DC, inviting them to the first meeting on UNAA Washington DC 2010. Mr. Mpoza identified himself as UNAA DC Planning Committee Chairman. For those who needed further information Mr. Mpoza suggested that they contact him or Omulangira Fred Kalema-Musoke or Omulangira Michael Kimbugwe (Kalema’s son). Fred Kalema is the Kabaka’s representative in the Washington DC area.

Mpoza’s email did not sit well with a large section of Baganda in the Washington DC area, who do not recognize Mr. Moses Wilson as the fairly elected president of UNAA because they insist that he beat Lt. Frank Musisi with the help of NRM style vote rigging. James Kabonge, a long-term resident of Washington DC represented some of these upset Baganda when he responded to Mpoza’s invitation with a tough “shut up already” email on November 5, 2009. Not mincing words, Kabonge said, “I am disappointed in all of you who are supporting the current UNAA-NRM administration, and even helping them to plan 2010 convention,” in reference to Moses Wilson’s administration. Kabonge further promised:  ”I am going to work to see a change in Uganda , and NRM government extension worldwide, and I ask peace and non corrupt Ugandans to join me in this mission.”

The two emails from Caroli Mpoza and James Kabonge are reproduced at the end of this story.

In the meantime, Flex Kabuye, who was a distant third in the UNAA vote for president, went ahead and formed his own breakaway alternative to UNAA by early October,2009. According to sources in Texas, Kabuye, who is widely called “Seya” due to his weak command of the English language, has already started plans for his own Uganda conference in September 2010. The conference is reportedly planned for Atlanta, Georgia and further details are expected to appear on his website www.flexkabuye.info.

Although Kabonge did not reveal if and where he and his supporters might hold a Uganda conference, many Baganda in North America and Europe are raising questions about 2010 Ugandan conference in North America.  It is not clear how many Ugandan conferences will be held and what  issues they will focus on. Becuae the political situation in Uganda is also very volatile, it is difficult even to guess how much the NRM will invest to influence or scatter any of the Uganda meetings.

Based on the emails we have received about the UNAA split, it appears that a growing number of Baganda are losing faith in the ability of UNAA, FDC, DP or UPC or the Uganda Parliament to help Buganda out of  NRM “captivity”. For example, one email said: “In Chicago I thought that Buganda issues were at last getting some attention. But after seeing over 100 NRMs, DPs and UPC from Uganda come to influence the vote, I think that neither UNAA nor DP or FDC can deal with my interests as a Muganda.”

In a related development, on November 14, 2009 the organizers of Ttabamiruka distributed an email promoting the Buganda Conference on December 17, 2009. The email also said that Ttabamiruka ‘10 “will build on the outcome of the Buganda Conference.” More details about Ttabamiruka ‘10 are found on their website at www.ttabamiruka.com.

EMAIL BY CAROLI MPOZA

From: caroli nsambumpoza <bsam15@hotmail.com>
Sent: Wed, Nov 4, 2009 8:29 pm
Subject: UNAA WASH DC MEETING NOV 14th

Dear Members of the Ugandan Community in the Washington Metropolitan and surrounding areas as organizing Chairman
for UNAA Washington DC 2010 I invite you to our first General Meeting which will be held on Nov 14th at 3pm at the Gaylord
National Resort and Convention Center located 201 Waterfront Street, National Harbor, MD 20745 in the Baltimore 1 room.
Topics for the afternoon consist of reinstating local chapter, seeking volunteers to assist in planning of convention, updating the
community on the progresses that UNAA has made in moving forward with the preparation of UNAA 2010 and lastly
to answer any questions that the community may have in regards to the planning of the convention. For those of you
who plan to attend cer parking is located across the hotel in the public garages with rates starting at $3 dollars
for the first hour and $1 each additional hour. Hope to see you all there.

P.S. If you would like to take a tour of this magnificent hotel please come early.

For additional info you may contact;

Caroli Mpoza
UNAA DC Planning Committee Chairman
240-304-2325

Micheal Kimbugwe
Vice Chairman
202-359-1199

Fred Kalema-Musoke
Committee advisor
240-505-6406

EMAIL BY JAMES KABONGE

—– Forwarded Message —-
From: “jkabonge@aol.com” <jkabonge@aol.com>
Sent: Thu, November 5, 2009 4:19:57 AM
Subject: Re: UNAA -NRM WASH DC MEETING NOV 14th

Mr. Mpoza
UNAA RNM Fruad and Corrupt
DC Planning Committee Chairman

It is an insult to me and a lot of Ugandan to legitimize the current UNAA-NRM Administration and even to make it worse, to support them in planning a UNAA-NRM convention in my backyard.

We are fighting corruption, fraud and democracy, and yet we are supporting UNAA-NRM Chicago corrupt and fraud administration.

I am disappointed with friends, and people I know nation wide, who are claiming that they want to see a change in Uganda and yet they are the key supporters or participants of UNAA-NRM DC convention and their agents. Museveni/NRM is laughing at us.

How can we change Uganda if we are supporting what went on in Chicago ? How can we complain about Museveni’s corruption and voter fraud and yet we allowed the fraud that he exported from NRM in Uganda to Chicago convention?

We are condemning Museveni, yet we are supporting his agents and their actions, in my poor understanding of life ” that is double standard”

As one of the founding member of UNAA, I am disappointed in all of you who are supporting the current UNAA-NRM administration, and even helping them to plan 2010 convention. Some of you have been in New York , Boston , and DC demonstrations against Museveni’s Government for corruption, fraud, and democracy and, yet you are supporting his Government extension in America which UNAA-NRM, THIS IS WRONG.

In the demonstrations, some of had signs saying that MUSEVENI MUST GO, yet you are now  saying MUSEVENI WE LOVE SO MUCH AND WE ARE SUPPORT YOUR UNAA-NRM  GOVERNMENT EXTENSION HERE IN USA, ” this is wrong and we are watching.

I am going to work to see a change in Uganda , and NRM government extension world wide, and I ask peace and non corrupt Ugandans to join me in this mission.

Charity begins at home, let us start with UNAA-NRM administration, and end up in Lwakitura.

MUSEVENI MUST GO, AND MUSEVENIS’S EXTENSION GOVERNMENTS MUST GO.

Mr. Mpoza please take me off your UNAA-NRM FRAUD CORRUPT DOUBLE STANDARD CONVENTION PLANNING MAILING LIST, IT IS AN INSULT TO ME TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE GROUP.

Good Luck, the world is watching

James Kabonge

According to our Boston sources, Lt. Frank Musisi of the USA army told the Buganda Emergency meeting on October 17, 2009 that president Museveni is paying Buganda Post to write malicious stories about him (Musisi). Lt. Musisi was apparently referring to an October 17, 2009 posting which said that both at UNAA Chicago and a Los Angeles Baganda conference, the USA army officer had claimed that he was leading the Buganda cause in America (see “Muliika And Frank Musisi To Headline Boston Buganda Emergency Conference“). Apparently, fully aware that the Buganda Post story was accurate, Lt. Musisi never told his Boston audience what Buganda Post had written which inaccurate, let alone malicious.

On October 17, 2009, over 300 angry Baganda from Boston, New York, Washington DC, California, Kampala and many other places attended the one day conference. Several sources told us that it was nothing short of an intense indoor demonstration against Museveni’s NRM dictatorship. It must have given Deputy Katikkiro Ssendaula a real headache (see “”). By far, the phrases which attracted the most standing ovations were,”Ssabsajja awangaale” (Long live Ssabasajja [Kabaka]” “Buli mbuzi ku nkondo yaayo” (”every goat back to its home peg”), “Teli kuteesa!” (”No negotiations”), “Ettaka lyaffe eribe tujja kulibajjako”(”we shall reclaim the land they have stolen from us”) and “Museveni must go!”.   By all measures, the conference was very successful in proving that Baganda love their nation and Kabaka. And that most Baganda are tired of the anti-Buganda Ugandan politics.

One attendee, who requested that we do not disclose her identity, described the meeting to us in an email as follows:  ”At the beginning I got confused because I thought that this was an emergency meeting, may be to decide how to deal with Museveni land grabbing. But for the first  two hours, people were talking about Buganda history and how Federo is good for other regions too. To me it was starting to sound like a Uganda emergency conference.”

The attendee continued: “However, things changed when one light skinned gentleman called Kintu spoke about the real problems of Buganda. In my opinion, that is when the conference really started.  Mr.   Kintu asked Baganda to stop fearing independence and power. He mocked those take the attention off Buganda’s interests to support Uganda’s fake politicians, mbu because they have military or international exposure. He got the biggest applause when he said, ‘Abo bannabyabufuzi bemwesibako bali recycled, tebalina kyebayiinza kutukolera mu lutalo luno” (”All those [political figures] you are standing behind are recycles materials, they cannot do much for us in this war”).  Everyone shouted loudly when he told us to stop mincing words when discussing Buganda’s enemies, and said we must not fear to name them.  And the audience started shouting Apollo Nsibambi, Gilbert Bukenya and Edward Ssekandi.”

According to our source Mr. Abed Bwanika, who previously stood against Museveni for president also got some people excited but, unfortunately, he never clearly said what he wanted. “He said a lot of things about how Museveni and his NRM have looted Uganda and have caused Baganda to suffer, but I never heard him firmly say that he is 100% for Federo or that he is for Buganda independence. To me it was clear that Bwanika wanted our support because he is a Muganda, but what can he realistically give us back, even if he became president?”

Owek. Dan Muliika and Lt. Musisi were the main speakers, as Buganda Post had reported earlier. Our source told us that Owek. Muliika as usual never disappointed. He gave a wonderful speech and explained that Museveni has no legal power to force the current constitution of Uganda on us. The different parts like Buganda, Toro, Acholi, Lango, etc., which formed Uganda must sit together now and agree on how to go forward. They can agree on Federo or even agree on ‘buli mbuzi ku nkondo yaayo’. Musisi, who is very popular in Boston, excited people when he said that Museveni must go. However,  he confused some of us when he started claiming that his life was in danger because of his stand on Buganda. Without explaining, he told us that Museveni plans to kill him but that he was not afraid of going to Uganda. Then he claimed that Museveni was paying Buganda Post to publish stories about him. The problem is that, at UNAA, Musisi really claimed that he was going to lead the fight for Buganda. Now, in Watertown, he was asking us give him financial support but it was for his personal hospital in Ssese, not for Kabaka’s programs.”

In a related development, we can report that all Kabaka’s representatives in North America did not attend the Boston conference, except the Acting representive for New England, a Mr. Jane Lwanga. However, Ggwangamujje DC and Ggwangamujje NY/NJ sent strong delegations, although none of them spoke at the conference.

When asked to comment on Mr. Musisi allegations, Buganda Post’s chief moderator and editor, Omulongo Nakato, said that it would be stupid for Buganda Post and Musisi and engage in verbal battles. “We try to do everything we can to maintain unity among Baganda. Also, occasionally we might make mistakes and will admit them. However, we stand by our story that, in front of many witnesses both at UNAA Chicago and in Los Angeles, Lt. Musisi claimed leadership of Baganda in America. And he and certain supporters of his made it clear that they wanted the Boston Emergency conference to announce one Muganda to carry Buganda’s flag in the Museveni’s 2011 elections. Mr. Musisi should listen to all the promotional SMS messages for the conference. If Museveni paid Buganda Post to write lies against Musisi, then he (Musisi) should specify what we wrote which is not true.”

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.

On Wednesday, September 23, 2009, about 100 Baganda from Boston, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, together with one Acholi, loudly demonstrated against President Museveni at the United Nations headquarters in New York. They denounced Museveni’s NRM government for its repressive occupation of Buganda, massacres in Luwero during Obote 2 regime, corruption and incompetence. Notably, the Baganda were joined by one Acholi, a brother of UN official, Olara Otunnu. This is despite the big support which Baganda gave to Acholi’s during demonstrations against the genocide that Museveni permitted in Northern Uganda. Basoga, Banyoro, Iteso and other Ugandan populations who are huge victims of  the NRM government’s policies were nowhere to be seen.

The demonstrations were prompted by the NRM government’s recent restriction of Kabaka Mutebi’s freedom of movement within his kingdom and the massacre of over 20 Baganda which followed the Kabaka’s subjects resisted. Later Ggwangamujje NY/NJ issued a statement that declared Buganda to be under armed occupation by the NRM and its collaborators.

There was drama when Uganda’s ambassador to the UN, Ruhakana Rugunda, and Museveni’s secretary and lover, Amelia Kyambadde, unknowingly walked in the direction of the Baganda demonstrators. One demonstrator shouted, “Omubi Omukiga Rugunda wuyo!” and the whole group, energized, start shouting accusations at the two Museveni staff. Visibly surprised and seemingly scared Rugunda and Kyambadde veered away as they continued to walk past the crowd.

This is the first time that Baganda have demonstrated against a Ugandan government over the issue of Buganda political rights. The demonstrations were organized by members of Ggwangamujje Boston and Ggwangamujje NY/NJ. Another, larger, demonstration is planned for Saturday in Boston, where Museveni is scheduled to be chief guest at this years’ NRM Gala. At the Gala, Museveni is expected to, among other things, thank his USA based NRM cadres like Elizabeth Musaazi, Nakku Senkeeto, Edirisa Kironde, Moses Kalemba, Zabasaja and Senoga (see “Descendants of I. K. Musaazi, Kulubya and Yusuf Lule Risk To Promote NRM In America“) for taking over UNAA.

When, on September 16, 2009, Museveni invited all Buganda MPs to a Thursday meeting to discuss the impasse regarding Kabaka’s visit to Kayunga, he was considering denying opposition to the visit (see “Museveni May Blame Police and Minister For Bugerere Violence“).   By the time the meeting took place, Museveni had decided to confront the Kabaka and had grown so paranoid that the locked non-NRM Buganda MP’s out.

One source close to president Museveni’s state house has told us:  “Young and rich Balaalo, who fear to lose the billion of shillings they have looted in Uganda had worked through senior members of the Balaalo akazu (secret conclave) Caleb Akandwanaho (Salim Saleh), Janet Museveni and Elly Karuhanga to persuade Museveni to lower the tension with Mmengo. As late as Wednesday afternoon, Museveni considered blaming the brutal actions of Uganda police against Baganda youths in Kayunga on Kayihura’s men.”  However, the Uganda warlord continued to face pressure from strongly anti-Baganda Balaalo and Bayiru like David Tinyefuza, Kale Kayihura, Kahinda Otafiire and others, who wanted the Kabaka arrested.”

The situation was complicated on Wednesday when, Museveni, after 2 years of unsuccessful efforts, managed to get a telephone audience with Ssabasajja Kabaka.  According the Museveni’s own statement, the Kabaka was clearly unimpressed by the extreme importance the Ugandan ruler places on the title, “President of Uganda”. The unfriendly call left Museveni irate but probably did not change his thoughts about calling some type of truce.

The source says, however, that: “President Museveni panicked on Thursday late morning when he got intelligence reports that the violence that started after Kayihura barred Katikkiro Walusimbi from entering Bugerere was spreading to places as far as Masaka.  Even worse, it was being executed by fearless young Baganda, some as young as 13 years, in huge numbers. When he consulted some members of  the kazu, they were also panicking. When he called Janet Museveni, overseas at the time and very angry at the way Baganda had embarrassed her at UNAA, she told him that there was no choice but crash the Baganda rioters.” That is when Museveni made the final decision to stop Kabaka Mutebi.

Museveni formally announced that unless Mmengo held talks with Banyala and CBS radio stopped their negative campaign against the NRM and inciting the people against Police, Kabaka’s visit to Kayunga on Saturday could not take place. Reportedly, the Ugandan warlord did not sleep at all Thursday night but made another critical decision. He ordered that the Kabaka had to be stopped if he left his palace and live bullets were to be used on rioters.

It appears that Kabaka Mutebi’s advisors got wind of Museveni’s genocidal plans early enough to avert the potential bloodshed. By Friday mid-afternoon, the Buganda cabinet had made the decision that talking to Museveni’s person king (Sabanyala) was out of questions and Baganda blood could not be sacrificed to the NRM government, which seemed deranged.  Sources close to Mmengo could not provide more details about what went on in the Buganda cabinet up to the point of the official statement canceling the trip. However, according the Observer Newspaper (www.observer.ug), the wording and timing  of the Mmengo statement was highly influenced by fear that Katikkiro Walusimbi, who is little trusted by nationalist Baganda, could be harmed.

We can report that Museveni was in communication with people who are close to key Buganda government officials throughout the crisis. However, it is not known if any actual communication took place. Also, Museveni planted at least one informer among Mmengo officials, including in the Katikkiro’s convoy that was stopped at Sezibwa (details withheld to protect the sources).

In the meantime, a state of panic has taken root among the Balaalo community in Buganda. For many of them this the first time they came face to face with the prospect that Museveni does not have the capacity to protest them against the thousands of unemployed and angry young Baganda. Evidence of this panic includes the decision by Rwandese Balaalo, assisted by a foreign country, to volunteer to offer over 20 lorries to accompany Kabaka Mutebi to Kayunga. We have also received unconfirmed reports of an unusual number of Balaalo parents taking their children home from boarding schools on Saturday September 12, 2009.

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Boston, USA: Ttabamiruka, Where NRM has Become a Dirty Word

Fellow Ugandans,

The country now more than ever is in dire need for independent minded thinkers to get us out of the quagmire of corruption, self destruction, unemployment and to improve the delivery of services in all sectors of our government albeit from a pool of the unencumbered, foresight third eye of the country.

The diaspora is made up of many disenfranchised capable hands, not so easily corruptible and with the potential to transform our nation, as long as that threshold of trust is reached without breach or violation as witnessed in these UNAA campaigns.

Some here have argued that President Museveni has surrounded himself with many yes men and women, who simply allow his continued sailing without alarm, stiffness or warning of looming danger from policies pursued; the president of UNAA should not to be in the same camp.

UNAA is one of the remaining organizations where civil exchange and honest to God, dialogue regarding deferred hopes, aspirations and expectations for tangible progress can still be heard uncensored.

Muzzling this discourse of reason and dissent, while desperately searching for a tenable position of development can only have dire consequences for our beloved country.

This obsession to sniff out and snobbishly infiltrate an organization with the desire to take over, despite repeated pleas,  not to meddle, will spoil the effectiveness of such organs to provide venting space for those disgruntled and disenchanted with the way things have been handled  in the country for the last twenty some years.

There are many among us in the diaspora who question the genius and preoccupation of buying men simply to make them blind followers rather than to seek them out for more erudite matters of thought and skill.

NRM strategists, ought to know that many of us in the diaspora tend to pear behind the rosy façade, often exposing the party line for what it is.

Further more we have acquired an appetite for verifiable honesty in dialogue and that is what we expect from our leadership.

We cringe when we see the out muscling of ordinary folks to impose non-progressive figure heads with blinders, bent on killing the free will and spirit of Ugandans, thus alienating those who might have added value to the development of the country.

The reality of the matter is: NRM needs the diaspora to inject not just cash but added wisdom to change the course of our nation. However, many in the diaspora want to work with honest brokers, those with a serious willingness to address and resolve critical issues that have dogged us for decades.

If such rules of engagement are not established, a Ttabamiruka, like scenario, where mention of the NRM-has become a dirty word, will ultimately ensue, resulting in a more parochial approach to development.

I would much rather see the prevalence of cool heads and practical dialogue, especially among the southerners, where lately there has been too much posturing of grown up men, baited and preoccupied with matters irrelevant to progress, put to the forefront by enemies of the state for purposes of disagreement.

Such agents of confusion have to be recognized for what they are, and I will repeat this call for a tribal ombudsman to bring a cessation to the polarization of Ugandans along tribal lines.

Remember, It is not how you get to the top, it matters most who you get there  with.

Tendo Kaluma

Ugandan in Boston

On September 1, 2009, Ggwangamujje NY/NJ, Inc. announced Ttabamiruka ‘10, an International Baganda conference outside Buganda, to take place over the American Labor Day holiday of September 3-6, 2010 in New York, USA.  The venue and program will be posted on the conference website, www.ttabamiruka.com.

After two highly successful conferences in 2007 and 2008, Ggwangamujje was unable to hold Ttabamiruka ‘09 because of the global financial crisis.

The official theme of Ttabamiruka ‘10 has not been decided on yet. However, the Chairman of the past two Ttabamirukas, Mr. Edward Semambya, provided some insight into the conference plans. He stated that, “Kabaka Mutebi has done a great job of providing leadership and guidance to Baganda during extremely difficult times. The Baganda in the Diaspora would like to express their gratitude to him.

Mr. Semambya continued that, “although it is still too early to talk about the program and dignitaries, Ttabamiruka ‘10 will provide unprecedented international exposure for Kabaka Mutebi and our Kingdom.”

In the meantime, Uganda-style politics threaten to cause an implosion in UNAA, as the election race for the organization’s new leaders heats up. The leading candidate appears to be the Muganda incumbent, US Army soldier, Lt. Frank (Omusese) Musisi. His opponents are Moses Wilson and Flex Kabuye, both known to have close relationships with high profile NRM officials and Uganda embassy staff. Indeed, Kabuye is brother to Brig. Kayanja, who at one time led Mr. Museveni’s brutal and extra-judicial Operation Wembly against robberies. So, very much like in it does in Uganda, the NRM is supporting more than one candidates.

Musisi has positioned himself as the an anti-Museveni Muganda candidate, which has won him strong support from Baganda all over the USA. Kabuye, on the other hand, is playing the classic NRM style politics of money. For example, according to reports from Washington DC, he secretly sponsored a major Muganda musician and then tried to use the concert as a platform to campaign. Unfortunately for him the anti-NRM faction in Washington DC commandeered the stage and nsibambed him (denied him the microphone). According to Uganda diplomatic sources in the USA, various NRM elements have sent in a total of at least $90,000 to support Kabuye and Wilson. And the NRM government plans to bring is 20-50 officials from Ugnada, to vote as instructed.

It is too early to tell where these battles will end. First of all, although Musisi appears to have the most support, Wilson and Kabuye could do a last minute deal and join supporters to help the stronger NRM to win. Then there is the issue of Mrs. Museveni, who insists on being a key speaker at the UNAA conference.  Secondly, we can report that  Ambassador Kamunanwire has openly told Musisi that the if Mrs. Museveni is not allowed to speak, the NRM government will withhold the $20,000 that it had promised to give to UNAA, as it did last year. Furthermore, under pressure from Mrs. Museveni, several major Ugandan sponsors of UNAA (UIA, URA, BOU and others) have also indicated that they may not send any money.

One problem for Musisi is that, the UNAA conference may implode for financial reasons, even before the voting takes place.  According to unconfirmed reports, Musisi is desperately looking for a way to give in and allow Mrs. Museveni speak without looking like he has been bought by the NRM. Reportedly, he cannot afford to forgo the Museveni money. If the now very angry Janet Museveni decides to play true NRM politics of betrayal, however, the end of this story might be much more dramatic than what has happened so far.