Abazzukulu ba Buganda, the most active Baganda nationalist organization today, accuses Katikkiro Walusimbi and Mmengo of attempting to manipulate Ssabasajja Kabaka into giving up Buganda’s rights to self-determination. Abazzukulu did this in a public letter to the Katikkiro  signed by Chairman Jjunju Kamulali. Below are the main points of the 3-page letter Luganda letter, translated in into English. The original Luganda letter is reproduced in full at the bottom.

1. In the 1950’s the British imposed their style of elections on Buganda as the ransom for the return of Ssekabaka Muteesa II whom they had exiled in 1953. That condition is what is called the “Namirembe Agreement of 1955” today. The tragic results of that religion based election must not be forgotten because they started the divisions between Catholic and Protestant Baganda, with the Catholics who lost the Katikkiroship  becoming opponents of Mmengo. Between 1955 and 1962, the Catholics formed the DP while the Protestants spent their energies on fighting each other. When the Catholics [through DP] joined the politics of destroying Buganda, the Protestants teamed up with [the dangerous] Obote simply to beat the Catholics in DP. The results of all that is why we have tears in our eyes today. Why can’t we learn from our history?
2. In the 1981 elections, Baganda acted as one and supported their countryman [Paul Ssemwogerere], what Buganda got out of it is the troubles in Bulemeezi (Museveni’s guerilla war and Baganda massacres in Luweero Triangle).
3. Even if all the [80] Buganda MPs who win [in 2011] support the kingdom’s interests, what real effect will they have in the Uganda parliament [of more than 300 members] where the rest are against anything good for Buganda. And what scale will Mmengo use to accurately judge who supports Buganda enough?
4. It is clear that your true intention is to mortgage the Buganda nation because if kingdom representatives officially compete in the 2011 and lose, the world will expect Baganda to respect future decisions by the winners.
5. Buganda is a natural nation and Uganda is just an experiment in nation building. So Buganda, the nation, cannot officially participate in the disorganized elections of the confused Uganda, except if the intention is to end up worse off than before.
6. It must be remembered that in 1966 [May 19th], the Buganda Lukiiko passed a resolution telling the government of Uganda to leave Buganda soil, after it broke the 1962 independence agreement. Since that time, the Uganda government is occupying Buganda by force of arms. Until Buganda as a nation cancels the 1966 resolution the Uganda government rules us illegally under international law and we can take our case to international courts.
7. It seems that you, acting on instructions from the Uganda government, want to confuse the people of Buganda and make us think that Buganda issues can be solved by the 2011 elections. You claim to be the official representatives of Buganda in the elections to create the image that Buganda is officially and voluntarily competing in the elections and, therefore, is no longer under armed occupation.
8. This is not the first time that you have tried this trick to get the 1966 Lukiiko resolution officially cancelled and forgotten. First, you wanted to use the Charter system and when it failed to brought in the Regional Tier. After Buganda rejected the Regional Tier, you started the campaign to manipulate Kabaka Mutebi into signing the cancellation of the 1966 Lukiiko resolution, hiding behind what you called “negotiations” [with Museveni]. Now you are looking for another channel, the 2011 elections!
9.  If you really have no bad intentions for Buganda, it is not too late. Stop doing anything that creates the image that the nation of Buganda is officially participating in the 2011 elections or any other Ugandan elections. Buganda Government officials who want to stand in such elections, as individuals and not representatives of Buganda, should first resign from Kabaka’s service. If you cannot help Baganda against losing their human rights by participating in fake elections, please leave them to do so because of the armed occupation but not because of your manipulation.

 Original Letter

 EBBALUWA EY’OLWATU 

Eri,

Katikkiro wa Buganda
Owek J B Walusimbi
Bulange Mmengo

Ssebo,

Omulamwa:Temuguumaaza Baganda, okulonda kutunywereza bunywereza mu buwambe

Muvuddeyo ne mukubiriza Abaganda okwesimbawo era ne mubakubiriza n’okwewandiisa okulonda mbu basobole okukozesa obululu bwabwe balonde, mbu,  abakulembeze abawagira ebya Buganda era abasobola okufunira Buganda Federo n’ebyayo ebirala. Lwaki muguumaaza Obuganda? Lwaki muwaayo obuyinza bwa Buganda okwesalirawo?

Abangereza mu myaka gy’ataano baakakaatika enkola y’okulonda eya ‘ky’abanji’ ku Buganda ng’akakwakkulizo k’okuzza Ssekabaka Muteesa II gwe baali bawaηηangusizza mu 1953. Akakwakkulizo ako baakayisa mu kye baatuuma era kyetukyayita “endagaano ye Namirembe eya 1955”. Ebyatuviiramu tetulina kubyerabira. Okulonda okwaddirira kwazuukusa embiranye z’eddiini wakati w’Abapolotesitante n’Abakatuliki ekyaleetera Abaganda Abakatuliki abaawangulwa mu kulonda kw’obwa Katikkiro okufuuka abalabe ba Buganda abaasimbira Buganda ekkuuli okulaba nti efiirwa obutongole bwayo. Wakati wa 1955 ne 1962, Abaganda ng’okulonda kubaawuddemu Abakatuliki abeekolamu n’ekibiina ky’obufuzi  n’abapolotesitante abaali bawangudde obwakatikkiro e Mmengo baamala amaanyi gaabwe gonna nga beerwanyisa. Kulw’okuwangulagana baasaddaaka n’obwetwaze bwa Buganda, Abakatuliki bwe beegatta ku balabe ba Buganda okusalawo ebisanyaawo Buganda ate n’Abapolotesitante nabo ne basembeza Obote olw’okwagala okuwangula Abakatuliki mu kibiina kyabwe ekya DP. Ebyaava mu kino nakati by’ebikyatukaabya amaziga. Lwaki twefuula abeerabidde gyetuva? Lwaki tetuyigira ku bitutuuseeko?

Omuzungu yawugula Abaganda okuva ku bwetwaze nga yeeyambisa akakuubagano ako era ng’ayita mu kulonda n’atuzza mu mivuyo n’obutaliimu bwa Uganda. Weewaawo Ssekabaka Muteesa II yali amutebuse n’agaana Abaganda okwetaba mu kulonda kwa 1961, (ekyasobozesa Buganda okufunayoko ku byoya by’enswa naye era olwessuubi ly’obuwulize bwa Baganda mu kukuba akalulu, nga bwe mulagira kati Abaganda, Buganda yamira eddobo ly’abazungu n’edda mu butaliimu era obufuusa bwa Uganda. 

Mu 1961-62, Abaganda baali bakyalina ensa n’olwekyo baasobola ekitakyaddamu kusoboka bwe baakuba akalulu mu kitole nga bayise mu KY, ne bawangula, naye Obuwanguzi bwetwaggyamu bwatutuusaawa?

Abaganda baakuba obululu mu 1981 ne babuwa muganda munnaabwe Paul Kawanga Ssemwogerere, naye baayambibwaki? Buganda yafunamu mu kulonda kwa 1981? Obutaliimu bw’olutalo lw’e Bulemeezi bwe mwagala Buganda eddemu?!

Olwaleero abatali Baganda bebasinga obungi mu Buganda, ate nga tukimanyi nti okuva mu myaka gy’enkaaga obukyayi ku Buganda buzze busigibwa mu Banna Yuganda ne busomesebwa ne mu masomero. Olwaleero entekateeka ssinziggu zikoleddwa okusiga n’okufukirira embiranye ey’amaanyi wakati w’Abaganda n’abatali Baganda abali mu Buganda n’ebweeru wayo, nga n’abantu ababadde mu Buganda entende emyaka n’emyaka, kati bagguddewo olutalo ku Buganda, nga ne Kabaka takkirizibwa kugenda mu masaza ga Buganda gye batudde.

 Abaganda bonna ne bwe basalawo ne bakuba akalulu kaabwe wamu tebasobola kuwangula kubanga batono nnyo ku balala abatabaagaliza.

Ne bwe kiba nti ekyewuunyo kibaddewo ababaka ba palamenti abava mu Buganda bonna abalondeddwa ne bawagira ebya Buganda; benkana ki ku babaka abava mu bitundu bya Uganda ebirala abawunyirwa ebya Buganda ziizi?

Ye bwe mugamba nti mugenda kuwagira abaneesimbawo abamanyi okwogera ensonga za Buganda obulungi, kipimo ki kye munaakozesa okubamanya n’okubeesiga? Olwo Abaganda be munaaba temuwagidde munaaba mubasindiseewa?

Okulonda tekulina kye kusobola kugasa Buganda. Mukimanyi bulungi nti Buganda ejja kuwangulwa mu buli ngeri yonna. Terina nkizo yonna mu nteekateeka y’okulonda kubanga beevuganya nabo beeba nnanyini kulonda n’okutegekebwa kwakwo.Be bakutegeka, be bakukubiriza, be babala obululu ate be babulangirira. 

Kirabika nga ekigendererwa kyammwe kuwaayo Buganda, kubanga Buganda bwe yeetaba mu kulonda mu butongole, n’ewangulwa, byonna ebirisalibwawo abaliba bawangudde okulonda okwo bijja kuba nga mu mateeka bikakata ku Buganda nga terina w’ebigaanira. Buganda bwe yeetaba mu kulonda mu butongole egenda kuba ekkirizza nti ebyaayo bisalibweewo abaliba bawangudde okulonda okwo.

Leka tukimanye, tukitegeere era tukikkirize nti Buganda entonde etambulira ku butonde bwayo ate Uganda empange obupanzi etambulira ku bupanzi ng’okukuba obululu. N’olwekyo Buganda teyinza era teriyinza kuganyulwa mu bupanzipanzi. Ky’ova olaba ng’okuviira ddala obululu lwe bwaleetebwa Omukolooni mu gy’ataano, Buganda terina mulundi gwe yali eganyuddwa okuggyako okugwa mu Bizibu ebigyegezaamu okugisaanyaawo.

Kisaanye kijjukirwe nti Olukiiko lwa Buganda olutongole mu 1966 lwayisa ekiteeso ekigoba gavumenti ya Uganda mu Buganda olw’okumenyawo endagaano ya 1962, eyali egatta Buganda ku Uganda kyeyagalire. Okuva olwo gavumenti ya Uganda yeekakaatika bwekakaatisi ku Buganda mu ngeri ya Kiriisamaanyi ekimenya amateeka g’ensi yonna. Okutuusa nga Buganda mu butongole emenyeewo ekirangiriro ky’olukiiko lwa Buganda ekyo ekyagoba gavumenti ya Uganda ku ttaka lya Buganda, gavumenti ya Uganda efuga Buganda mu bumenyi bw’amateeka era Buganda bwewaaba mu kooti y’ensi yonna, Uganda esobola okukakibwa okuddiza Buganda obwetwaaze bwaayo.

Abeebitiibwa b’e Mmengo, kirabika ng’ekigendererwa kyammwe gavumenti ya Uganda kye yabatuma, kwe kuguumaaza Abaganda, mbu, ebya Buganda bigenda kugonjoolwa nga tuyise mu kulonda kwa 2011, olwo mu kukola ekyo mwefuule abakiikirira Buganda mulabise Buganda ng’eyeetabye mu kulonda okwo mu butongole, n’olwekyo, mulabise Buganda ng’emenyeewo ekirangiriro ekyagoba gavumenti ya Uganda ku ttaka lya Buganda era kitegeeze nti Buganda eri mu Uganda kyeyagalire (teri mu buwambe); ekyo kiggyewo ensonga Omuganda yenna gy’asobola okusinziirako okuwaabira gavumenti ya Uganda mu kooti y’ensi yonna ku lw’okufunira Buganda Obwetwaaze.

Ekigendererwa kino mukiruddeko nnyo nga kikyabalemye okutuukiriza. Mwasooka kwagala kukiyisa mu Charter, bwe yalemwa, ne mutegeka kukiyisa mu Regional Tier. Obuganda bwe bwagigaana, mwe ne mukama wammwe pulezidenti-gavana mukoze binji okukaka Ssabasajja Kabaka akozese omukono gwe ku lwa Buganda amenyewo ekirangiriro kya 1966 nga muyita mu kye mwatuuma okuteesa.

Kati ekkubo mu lizudde mu kulonda kwa 2011.!!!

Bwe muba temulina kigendererwa kibi ku Buganda, obudde tebunnayita.

Mukomye okukola ebirabisa Buganda ng’eyokwetaba(mu butongole) mu kulonda kwa Uganda okwa 2011 oba okulonda kwonna okulala okutegekeddwa Uganda. Abakungu abaagala okwesimbawo balekulire emirimu gya Kabaka beetabe mu kulonda okwo ku lwabwe ng’abantu so ssi ng’abasimbiddwaawo oba abatumiddwa Buganda. Bwe muba temusobola kuyamba Baganda butawaayo dembe lyabwe kwesalirawo na kwefuga nga bayita mu kiguumaaza w’okukuba obululu, mubaleke babwetabemu olw’emmundu eyabateekebwaako, so si mwe kubakulembera kubatwalamu.    

Wangaala Buganda

Awangaale Ssaabasajja Kabaka

M . Jjunju Kamulali
(Ssentebe)

walusimbi mayiga

The sacred Kasubi Tombs were burnt during the night of Wednesday March 16, 2010. Within 36 hours after the tragedy on March 18, 2010, Katikkiro Walusimbi announced that a technical committee had been set up to “analyze what was destroyed and draw a reconstruction budget”.  The Katikkiro also announced a finance committee, a committee to organize the official mourning, a security committee, a publicity committee and a coordination committee. He also said that special committees were to be formed by clan leaders (Abataka) and royal family (Abalangira n’Abambejja). On the same day, Mmengo announced that an account named Kasubi Royal Tombs, number 2210600019 had been opened in Centenary Bank, where well-wishers could contribute.  Curiously, the Katikkiro did not announce a committee to find out what could be the cause of fire. Up to now, there is little evidence that either the NRM occupation government or Mmengo is working hard to find who torched the tombs.

The speed at which Mmengo moved to start collecting money for reconstruction without consulting the people of Buganda, seems to have upset many of the Kabaka’s subjects.  Some Baganda are so suspicious that they want Mmengo investigated because they are behaving as if they had plans to rebuild the tombs even before they were burnt (see, “Members of Buganda Royal Family Issue Statement on Kasubi – English“, “Kasubi Fire Requires Independent Investigation, Archbishop Kizito Lwanga“  and “Ekiba Kibe Joins Bataka, Balangira and Bazzukulu To Warn Katikkiro“).

• The royal family issued their own statement to clarify that although Kasubi was for all Baganda, it was the sacred burial grounds for descendants of Ssekabaka Muteesa I.
• Buganda clan heads and cultural leaders (Abataka) also expressed strong opposition to Mmengo’s plans focus on working with UNESCO and the NRM occupation government to restore the sacred Baganda tombs.
• The Great Buganda Lukiiko resolved: “Olukiiko luyisiza ekiteeso eky’okuzzaawo Amasiro g’e Kasubi nga bwegaali era n’okugateeka ku mutindo” (“The Lukiiko has passed a resolution has passed a resolution to restore Amasiro g’e Kasubi [Kasubi Tombs] exactly they were and ensure that they up to standard”).  Note that the Lukiiko never spoke about modernization as the NRM controlled press is now claiming.
• Abazzukulu ba Buganda questioned Mmengo’s qualifications to restore and ancient cultural structure like Kasubi Tombs. They point out that the Mmengo had not record of completing even smaller construction projects such Twekobe or Bulange Plaza. They also rejected the idea letting UNESCO lead the project.
• Ekiba Kibe radio in Boston, which often reflects the frustration Baganda in the diaspora have with the NRM occupation of their country, also strongly advised Katikkiro Walusimbi to ensure that the Abataka and the royal family take the lead since they were responsible for the existence of Kasubi Tombs.
• The Catholic Archbishop of Kampala added a new angle when he called for an independent commission of inquiry and added that Mmengo officials are among those who must be questioned

It is not clear if Katikkiro Walusimbi and his cabinet are willing to become more transparent and allow the citizens of Buganda and owners of the tombs to play a bigger role.

When we sent an email to request the opinion of our New York based analyst, he replied: “If Katikkiro Walusimbi and his team go ahead without proper consultation and support from Baganda all over the world, the project is likely to get stuck like Twekobe and they may not be forgiven this time. There is no reason why they should be rushing. This is not a simple construction project but a job of restoring Baganda’s souls. The process we follow is even more important than the building we will get.

“For example, in my opinion, they should organize seminars for Baganda clans at each ssaza headquarters and with the royal family, to explain the situation and listen to ideas. They should also have similar seminars in Johannesburg, London, Stockholm, New York, Boston, Washington DC and Toronto and other Baganda population centres.  This may take months but will ensure that every Muganda feels part of the project and can properly heal from the shock they suffered when the tombs were burnt. After that, even US$5M dollars could be provided by Kabaka’s subjects alone. Money from others would still be welcome but it would not humiliate Baganda. If Katikkiro Walusimbi and his men continue to make and announce decisions without wide consulting, I can assure Baganda will stand and watch and that will force Mmengo to rely mostly on money from the NRM government and foreigners.  Using NRM money to restore Kasubi is like selling the tombs. Remember that most Baganda blame Museveni and his NRM for the burning of Kasubi Tombs.”

In the mean time, according to sources in Mmengo, the largest contributors so far are: New Vision (Shs 20M); Habib Kagimu (Shs 10M); Museveni’s Gilbert Bukenya (US$10,000); Tumusiime Mutebire (Shs 10M); Museveni’s Apollo Nsibambi ($10,000); Nile Breweries Board (Shs 20M); Mahdvani Group of Companies (Shs 100M); Standard Chartered (Shs 50M); Coca Cola (Shs 15M); and James Mulwana (Shs 10M). As it turns out, several of these were also among the biggest contributors to Museveni’s last presidential campaign. At this pace, the Katikkiro and his cabinet might one day be accused of  restoring the Kasubi Tombs with NRM blood money and keeping Baganda out of the process.

After their meeting of March 23, 2010, Abazzukulu ba Buganda wrote a strong open letter to Katikkiro JB Walusimbi, demanding that he reverses his recent decisions and announcements in connection with the damaged Kasubi tombs. Abazzukulu ba Buganda is the best-known and most consistent Buganda nationalist pressure group. They are known to be fully independent of Mmengo.

In brief, the Luganda open letter by Abazzukulu says that  the arrangements which Katikkiro Walusimbi and has made in connection with repairing Kasubi are dangerous to Buganda. That they will not be tolerated and must be cancelled immediately for the reasons below:

1. Restoring the royal tombs must be led by those concerned with culture, the Abataka (clan leaders). The Katikkiro is only an administrator who should work to support the Bataka and carry out their decisions.
2. The various committees that Mmengo has formed for Kasubi have history of failure. They failed on other kingdom projects, including Bulange Plaza, Iand others. Muzibu-Azaalampanga is owned by Buganda and the Katikkiro must not tell us what to do.
3. Muzibu-Azaalampanga must be restored first before anything else is done at the Kasubi Nabulagala tombs compound.
4. Forget about closing off the tombs site. The Baganda you are trying to lock out are responsible for doing all the work on the tombs through their clans. Why do you seem to believe that you know it all and can call in Baganda only to show them what to do?
5. You must immediately stop working under the orders of foreign donors such UNESCO. Such organizations came to us because we had achievements to show. We shall not change our way of life to please UNESCO and our so-called friends.
6. Forget the idea of modernizing the royal tombs. The tombs are our cultural treasure, which we must jealously guard. The Baganda blood that we spilt a few days ago was not a joke. If you want to build modern structures, do it at Kakeeka Mmengo in Muteesa I Royal University, where you are currently teaching our children under tarpaulin tents.
7. In summary, do not too much and put yourself at risk since the Buganda nation is very angry. Your arrangements look like they are based on a plan to destroy Buganda. Don’t put yourself in that situation.

The full Luganda open letter is reproduced below:

OLUKIIKO LW’ABAZZUKULU BA BUGANDA

23.03.2010

EBBALUWA EY’OLWATU ERI KATIKKIRO J B WALUSIMBI

Olukiiko lw’Abazzukulu ba Buganda olutudde nga 23.03.2010, lwetegerezza entekateeka yo ku kuzzaawo “Amasiro” gyewayanjulidde Obuganda. Enteekateeka eyo tugizuddemu obulabe obw’amaanyi era bwetutasobola kugumiikiriza. Bino wammanga tukusaba bituukirizibwe mbagirawo:

1. Okukwasa omulimo ogwo be kikwatako ng’eNnono yaffe bweragira. Abataka be bannanyini nsonga eno era nga bo be balina okukola enteekateeka, gwe Katikkiro n’okola kusinziira ku bye basazeewo, bwe baba tebakontana na Nnono. Olwo gwe n’oyambako kukunga bazzukulu baabwe n’Obuganda bwonna mu kutuukiriza omulimo ogwo. N’olwekyo tukusaba ossattulule ebikiikokiiko by’otaddewo nti bye birina enkizo mu kukola omulimo ogwo.
2. Okusazaamu ekirango ky’oyimbirira nti Obuganda bugira buleka okuleeta ebikozesebwa buleete sente zokka nga bwe bulinda Entegeka yo. Obukiiko n’enteekateeka zammwe “ez’ekikugu” zisooke kutulaga kye zikoze okumaliriza Bulange Plaza, Twekobe n’ebirala, ziryoke z‘esigibwe. Obuganda tebisobola kulinda ng’eno ba Ssekabaka bwe bakubwa enkuba n’okwaakako omusana. Okuleeta kw’ebikozesebwa ng’essubi, n’emmuli ammangu dala ng’ekikangabwa ky’akagwa ku Buganda kisaanye okukulaga Abaganda bwe batwalamu ensonga y’okuzzaawo Muzibu Azaala Mpanga era n’obwangu bwe baagala omulimo ogwo gukolebwe. Sebo Obuganda bunnannyini Muzibu-Azaalampanga bwe buteekwa okukulaga n’okukubuulira eby’okukola so si ggwe.
3. Okutandikira ku kuzzaawo Muzibu -Azaala –Mpanga nga tonaba kukola Kintu kyonna kirala mu Masiro ge Kasubi Nabulagala. Mu ntegeka yo walaze nti ogenda kusooka kuggyawo buli kitatuukana na gw’otwaala ng ‘Omutindo’ mu masiro olwo oly’oke osembyeyo Muzibu… Amasiro obutaba ku mutindo si ky’ekiruma Obuganda essaawa eno. Obwetaavu bw’Abaganda buli mu kuzzaawo Muzibu-Azaalampanga amangu dala. Amalala  g’omutindo gebaakutaddemu gegira galindako. N’olwekyo teweetantala kukola Kintu kyonna nga Muzibu tannaddawo nga bweyabadde.
4. Sebo eky’okuggala Amasiro kiviireko dala kubanga Abaganda b’ogenda okuggalira ebweru be bannanyini kukola mulimo mu bika byabwe, bw’oba tootwalibwe ng’ayagala okulemesa omulimo. Lwaki oyagala okutulowozesa nti ogenda kubayita buyisi obalage omulimo oguwedde nga bo be bettanira okugwekolera?
5. Osaanidde ove ku ky’okukolera ku biragiro oba obukwakkulizo bw’abagabi b’obuyambi nga UNESCO. Twasooka kubeera kye tuli “mikwaano gyaffe” egyo ne giryoka gitwagala. Atatwagala tubeere nga bwe tuteekwa atuveeko. Tetulina kukyuusa kyaffe nakimu ku lw’okusanyusa UNESCO ne “mikwano” gyaffe emirala.
6. Eky’okuteeka amasiro ku “Mutindo” kyerabire. Amasiro ago kya buwangwa bwaffe kye tulina okukuuma obutiribiri.  Omusaayi ogwayiise tegwabadde gwakusaagamu busaazi. Oli wa ddembe okuzimba ebintu binji nnyo obiteeke ku “Mutindo” bwe bitaba bya buwangwa oba bya byafaayo ng’amasiro. Omutindo osobola okugwoleseza mu kuzimba ebizimbe by’omutindo wali e Kakeeka Mmengo ku Muteesa I Royal University abaana baffe gye basomera mu weema (tent) ng’ate ettendekero eryo liri mu mikonogyo.

Mu bufunze, tukusaba oleme kwemenya na kweteeka mu kabenje kubanga Obuganda bunyiivu nnyo. Enteekateekaayo ekwataganira dala bulungi n’enteekateka y’okusanyawo buli kantu akalaga nti waaliwo obwakabaka bwa Buganda obw’amaanyi, obwefuga. Tukusaba oleme kugwa mu ttuluba eryo.

M.Jjunju Kamulali
(Ssentebe)
Wangaala Buganda
Awangale Ssabasajja

In a statement issued after their meeting of March 20, 2010, members of Abazzukulu ba Buganda warn that leaving Buganda in Uganda is courting disaster for the kingdom. They explain that when Kasubi was burned Buganda  paid  a similar price to that in 1996. However, in the future, Buganda may pay an even much higher price.

Abazukkulu revealed that in the recent past they hard to fight tooth and nail to stop certain Buganda government official in Bulange who wanted to remove the thatching on the recently burnt Kasubi tombs and replace them with iron sheets. According to the statement, the Buganda officials did not stop until they has replaced some of thatching on the small buildings around the tombs with metal sheets. Only Muzi Azaala Mpanga managed to escape without being disturbed.

Abazzukulu are concerned that now that Muzibu Azaala Mpanga has been burnt down those who wanted to destroy the ancient and world admired Buganda architecture with a metal roof. They claim that the Katikkiro intentionally announced that official mounring would start a week after the fire, in order to weaken the patriotism and energy of Baganda.

Members of Abazzukulu argue that it is common sense that the unique thatching techniques used by Baganda at Kasubi give the place a special stature and is the main reason it is internationally known.  They then appeal to all the people of Buganda to fight the following:

1. Using metal roofs on the Kasubi tombs and surrounding cultural buildings
2. Putting foreigners like UNESCO in charge of the repairs and caretaking. Buganda must know that this is part of the conspiracy to detroy all symbols of an independent kingdom of Buganda.
3. Using even one inch of the Kasubi tombs land for any other unrelated purpose. Because that land is only 76 acres and we Baganda believe that out kingdom shall exist until God ends this earth. We are concerned that in future the land might not be enough.

Below is the full Luganda statement which was signed by the chairman of Abazzuklul ba Buganda, M. Jjunju – Kamulali:

OLUKIIKO LW’ABAZZUKULU BA BUGANDA

20. 03.2010

AKABENJE MU KABENJE K’AMASIRO E KASUBI

Tekikyaliko kubuusasbuusa nti Buganda okugireka mu Uganda, tulina okukisasulira omuwendo munene nyo nyo nga bwetwakisasulira mu 1966 na guno bwetukisasulidde mu Masiro ekasubi. Kiyinzika n’okuba nti bwetutaliva mu Uganda lumu tugenda kukisasulira ekisingawo.

Nga tuli mu maziga n’ekyobeero ky’e Kasubi nga tusala entotto ku ky’okuzzaawo Kasubi ng’entunnunsi y’obuwangwa bwaffe, ate wasituseewo olutalo olulala wakati wa Bulange n’Obuganda bwonna. Gyebuvddeko abazzukulu baalwanyisa Bulange effungamyeemu abalembewazi nga baagala amasiro gonna bagagyeko essubi bateekeko ebibaati. Olutalo lwagenda okukkakkana ng’Enyumba ensitaamirizi bazitaddeko ebibaati. Muzibu-azaalampanga n’asigalawo nga yeesumaalise.

Kati ekyagudde ku Muzibu azaala mpanga Bulange kigiwadde omukisa okuttukiza obutaliimu bwayo obw’okugiteekako ebibaati. Owek Katikkiro ky’asookeddeko kw’ekumalamu Obuganda amaanyi n’obujjumbize bwe yalangiridde okukungubaga kutandike kumpi luvanyuma lwa ssabiiti namba.

Era alangiridde ng’ayimiriza Obuganda obuli mu kaweefube w’okuleeta ebizimbisibwa nti bugira buleka mbu enteekteka zimale okukolebwa. Kino kitegeeza nti, ayagala atandike obutaliimubwe obwebibaati n’ebirala ng’Obuganda bubivuddeko era nga tebukyaaliwo.

Omuntu yenna ali mu kutegeerakwe okutuufu akiraba bulabi nti ekitiibwa ky’amasiro e Kasubi kiva ku ssubi eryo lyenyini era lyelisomboola abantu bonna okujja okuliraba. N’olwekyo Obuganda bwonna tubukubira omulanga bulwanyisize ddala:

1. Eky’okuteeka ebibaati ku Muzibu-azaalampanga wamu n’Enyumba ensitaamirizi
2. Eky’okukwaasa abagwiira nga UNESCO amasiro okugaddaabiriza n’okugalabirira ng’obuganda tebunasaanawo. Obuganda basaanidde okumanya nti  luno lwe lukwe olwasalibwa okuzikiriza buli kabonero konna akayinza okulaga nti waali wabaddewo ko Obwakabaka bwa Buganda obwefuga
3. Eky’okukozesa ettaka ly’Amasiro, wadde inch emu ku Kintu ekirala kyonna ekitakwatagana nakyaliteekesaawo. Newankubade ettaka eryo ziri Accres 76 zokka, Abaganda tukimanyi era tukikkiriza nti Obwakabaka bwaffe bwakubeerawo okutuusa Katonda lwalizingako ensi eno. Tuli na beeraliikirivu nti gyebujja terijja kumala Masiro ago.

Wangaala Buganda

Awangaale Ssabasajja Kabaka

M. Jjunju – Kamulali

(Sentebe)

Below is the the Luganda statement that the Katikkiro of Buganda, Eng. JB Walusimbi, issued on the burning of Buganda’s sacred Kasubi Tombs. The main highlights of the statement are as follows;

• Katikkiro sends condolences to Ssaabasajja Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, ba Nnaalinnya, Abalangira n’Abambejja, and the whole of Buganda.
• The Ekibira section, the the remains of the former kings (Ssekabaka) are located suffered serious but limited damage.
• The Buganda kingdom will officially mourn for the loss of Kasubi for one week, starting on March 22, 2010.
• A committee of Buganda officials has already been formed to start investigating what materials and budget would be required to rebuild 130 year old highly unique structure.
• A special session of the Buganda Great Lukiiko has been called to discuss the grave situation on March 22, 2010.

The full text in Luganda is shown below;

March, 17, 2009

EKIWANDIIKO KYA KATIKKIRO KU KW’OKEBWA KWA MASIRO GE KASUBI

Owek. Katikkiro wa Buganda ne nnaku nyingi ategeza Obuganda n’abantu bonna aba Uganda nti enyumba enkulu Muzibuazaalampanga, omwagalamizibwa ba Ssekabaka ba Buganda bana, mu Masiro e Kasubi, abantu abettima abatannamanyibwa baagiteekedde omuliro n’ebengeya mu kiro eky’akeesezza olunaku Lwokusatu nga 16, March 2010.

Katikkiro asaasidde nnyo nnyo Ssaabasajja Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, ba Nnaalinnya, Abalangira n’abambejja n’Obuganda bwonna. Gutusinze mukama waffe.

Ekibira ba Ssekabaka gyebaagalamizibwa abaddukirize baakoze buli ekisoboka okutaakiriza yo ne watayonooneka nnyo. Olubiri luno olwakubibwa Ssekabaka Muteesa 1 emyaka egisoba mu 130 gwe mutima gwa Buganda.

Obuganda buli mu biwoobe era tutandiise okukungubaga. Okukungubaga okutongole kujja kutandika ku Lwokusooka nga 22 March era kujja kumalira ddala sabbiiti nnamba okutuuka nga 26 March 2010. Emikolo girikomekkerezebwa mu Masiro e Kasubi.

Akakiiko ka baminisita kateekeddwawo okukola enteekateeka y’okukungubaga eye sabbiiti ennamba, era kajja kutegeeza Obuganda enteekateeka nga bwe zinatambula.

Olukiiko lwa Buganda Olukulu luyitiddwa bukubirire ku Lwokusooka nga 22 March, 2010 ku ssaawa 4.00 ez’enkya tusobole okuteesa ku nsonga eno enkulu.

Watekeddwawo akakiiko kabakugu akagenda okwekenneenya ebyetaagisa (materials) n’ensimbi ezeetaagisa okuzzaawo Amasiro.

Obuganda butegeezebwa nti Obwakabaka busazeewo okuzzaawo Amasiro ga ba Ssekabaka gano, ng’akabonero k’omwoyo gwa Buganda ogutafa, ogutatya era ogutaggwawo.

Ssaabasajja Kabaka Awangaale!

Eng. J.B. Walusimbi

KATIKKIRO

According to sources in Kampala, the  Banyankore owned Luganda daily paper Kamunye, is now an important part of the NRM’s program to spread anti-Buganda and anti-Kabaka propaganda. This week Kamunye published a story claiming that president Museveni of the Uganda occupation government had decided to go and pay a visit to Kabaka Mutebi at his Banda palace, to extend an olive branch, since the Lion of Buganda has been unresponsive.

A Kampala based Muganda analyst with close links to Mmengo sent an email which dismissed the story as silly and typical of NRM tactics of creating kavuyo (confusion). He said: “Now Museveni thinks that Baganda will forget the damage he has done to our kingdom and give him votes simply because he visited Kabaka? This is what they call a trial balloon and I hope that Katikkiro Walusimbi is not part of this one. The Kabaka must not be exposed to the hooligans anymore.”

Kamunye is a sister paper to the Red Pepper which also recently printed another Nagenda planted story saying the NRM government was going to take over Bulange. Red Pepper was originally sponsored by Salim Saleh and is often used by the NRM to leak both true and fake stories. Many of its current reporters are known to be ISO and ESO spies.

An email from a source close to president Museveni’s state house reveals that, since October  2009  the Ugandan dictator’s people have been struggling to put together a real plan to deal with the accelerating anti-Museveni and anti-NRM feelings in Buganda. The people who seem to be the brains behind the plan include Museveni himself, John Nagenda, Tamale Mirundi and one Mafabi. Also involved in some meetings are Museveni’s half brother Salim Saleh (Caleb Akandwanako), David Tinyefuza, David Magara, Wabudeya, Kirunda Kivejinja, Moses Kigongo, Hope Mwesigye, Robert Kabushenga, Namayanja and others.

According to the email: “A lot of experiments have been made to see how to change Baganda either through fear or love. Nothing seems to work. For example, Museveni started a tour of Buganda after the Kayunga riots with plans to give out cash to key NRM people to bribe villagers. But the tour has been terrible from last year.  Whether it is in Butambala, Kyaggwe, Bugere  or Buddu, every place the president goes Baganda have been coming in small numbers and only demanding for the opening  of CBS.  Even when state house decided to show power by having mambas go with the president to Kyaggwe the people were not impressed and only put up more pictures of Kabaka Mutebi and Nnabagereka in their taxis and shops.”

The president’s people are sort of divided according to our source.  Tinyefuza, Janet Museveni,  Magara, Otafiire and sometimes Saleh, lead the group which wants to use straight force. This group pressured the president to force Kabaka Mutebi to come to the infamous “gun on your head” Entebbe meeting late last year, where the Lion of Buganda refused to be bought. The group also claims that Museveni did not go far enough in crashing the Kayunga disturbances. Salim Saleh is also on the second side with Kivenjinja, Kuteesa, Tamale Mirundi, Mwesigye, Nagenda and others. This “divide and conquer” group prefer to isolate Kabaka from Baganda by destroying Mmengo as an institution and confusing people until the 2011 elections are over.  This team believes that if the Europeans and the USA are happy with the elections, which Museveni is guaranteed to win, Buganda will have nowhere to start.  Museveni would very much like to use force but  he also knows that Baganda youths have become too strong to let him win on force while America and Europe are watching. For now he is siding with the second team.

Our source adds: “Recently a plan was kicked off for president Museveni and Salim Saleh to soften the tone on Buganda and show respect to Kabaka Mutebi and leave people like Mirundi, Nagenda, other Baganda and even Tinyefuza or Otafiire to be the bad guys. That is why Museveni went to Kayunga (Bugerere county) and said that the county can never leave Buganda. This is the man who has been calling the county Bunyala for 6 months and stopped the Kabaka  from going there without permission from his Sabanyala. The problem for state house is that again, most peasants had boycotted Museveni’s visit. The 400 or so people at the rally were 80% schoolchildren who were brought in by lorries. And that is why the crowd was never shown on any TV stations.

“Salim Saleh did not do any better when he went to Kalisizo (Buddu county) to speak the at the funeral rites (lumbe ceremony) of Tamale Mirundi’s father. Saleh used the opportunity to claim that he wished Buganda well and was involved in the tough job of bringing Kabaka Mutebi and Museveni to together. He even asked the crowd to pray hard for him. However, the peasants were not impressed at all. They insisted that if he wants their prayers he must fist deal with the problem of opening CBS. Chaos followed when Tamale Mirundi asked local NRM officials to stand up for introduction. First they seemed to be afraid to do so and when they did, people started to boo them and call them traitors. Then Tamale tried to let a senior NRM official from Kampala to say a few words. The people told him not to do so or they (the villagers) would walk away. That is when Tamale Mirundi turned to Saleh and said ‘Afande nawe obirabye, mu gombolola zino NRM telinaamu kalulu’ (‘As you can see the NRM has no votes in these sub-counties’).”

The email from our source also says that, as part of a state house propaganda kick off, John Nagenda started his bad guy activities with his New Vision column last Saturday. In his column, he trashed the Mmengo institution, suggested that it is irrelevant and claimed that it will die. Nagenda also arranged for the Banyankore owned Luganda daily paper Kamunye to print negative stories about Kabaka Mutebi. Kamunye is a sister paper to the Red Pepper which also recently printed another Nagenda planted story saying that the NRM government was going to take over Bulange. Red Pepper was originally sponsored by Salim Saleh.

Robert Kabuye says no to the claim by UDII members that every one against the presidency of Yoweri Museveni is fighting for the same thing. In his Ekiba Kibe program of February 8, 2010, Mr. Kabuye make it clear that when he organized the Baganda demonstration of January 26, 2010 at the United Nations, he advertised that it was about the liberation of Buganda.  He says: “Buganda Post kyeyayogera kyali kituufu..byetwakootinga byaali bituufu. Kubanga ffe twategeka okwekalakaasa kwe New York era kwali kuyitibwa ‘Okununula Buganda’” (“Buganda Post was correct. What we quoted was correct. Because we organized the New York demonstration and it was called ‘Liberating Buganda’”). Mr. Kabuye requests the UDII people to come out and state what their true objectives are [not just saying that they are against Museveni].

Mr. Kabuye and his Ekiba Kibe program are  probably the most visible action ever by disapora Baganda to advocate for Buganda liberation without apology or signs of “ate banagamba batya?” (“what will the others say?”). According to our sources in Boston, many older Baganda with dreams of becoming major political figures in Uganda have made attempts to claim closeness to Kabuye. Even Ruhakana Rugunda, the NRM ambassador  to the UN, has reportedly paid people to set up fronts to recruit Kabuye and then disorganize him. However, most of the them have been disappointed when the Ekiba Kibe program and Bu man has stubbornly insisted that anything he does must be focused on the liberation Buganda from Museveni, the NRM and their occupation Uganda constitution. Kabuye says on his program that Buganda must be ruled as an independent kingdom with Kabaka on top. And he has previously explained that the independent nation system worked for over 600 years. Yet the foreign systems of Unitary, Regional Tier, Decentralization, and Federo have all failed to work for Buganda and Uganda in the last  40 years.

In a related story, we have been able to confirm reports that Kibanda Cinema (video hall) operators in Wandegeya (Kyadondo county), Kalisizo (Buddu county) and Mukono (Kyaggwe county) were caught by the NRM police playing Ekiba Kibe programs to their customers and were told to stop or they will be arrested. The CDs with the recordings were also confiscated.

Click on Ekiba_Kibe08Feb10B to listen to the February 8, 2009 Ekiba Kibe broadcast.

On February 7, 2010, the SMS based Ekiba Kibe program which is broadcast on Free Buganda Radio reported that Beti Kamya had been endorsed by  Katikkiro JB Walusimbi to campaign for Federo. The same program then asked Ms. Kamya to explain what the Katikkiro’s endorsement means.  The presenter,  Robert Kabuye of Boston tells Ms. Beti Kamya in Luganda: “MP owa Lubaga North, … Beti Kamya, watugambye eggulo nti wagenze ewa Walusimbi Katikkiro n’akwendosiinga ogende oyigirize Federo… Katikkiro oyo yayimirira mu lukungaana lwa Baganda nagamba nti Abaganda tuleme kweyisa nga bajulizi. Kati nnyabo, MP, gwe olina bukakafu ki nti taveyo naggamba nti oleme kwefula mujulizi?” (“Lubaga North MP, … Beti Kamya, yesterday you told us that you went to Katikkiro Walusimbi and he endorsed you to go teach Federo…. That same Katikkiro told a Baganda meeting that we, Baganda, must stop sacrificing for our nation as if we want to become martyrs. Now, Ms. MP, how do we know that he will not come out and similarly tell you not to sacrifice.”

Kabuye adds: “Bino ebitu tetwelabira. Abaganda aberabira baafa!” (“On these matters, we shall not forget.  The Baganda who forget died a long time ago.”)

Click on Ekiba_Kibe07Feb10 to listen to Kabuye’s full February 7, 2010 broadcast in Luganda.