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Makerere: Messages on Kabaka’s Coronation Day

Ssebo Editor,

Mpereeza obubaka bwange eri Ssabasajja Kabaka wa Buganda, Magulu Nnyondo, Cuucu, Liso Lyoogi, Musota ku lunaku lwa matikira (Coronation Day annivesary).

Baffe, nkukulisa nnyo okutuuka ku lunaku luno wadde nga waliwo abizibu bingi nnyo. Naye ekikulu Ssabasajja kiri nti abantu bo tukooye nnyo, nnyo okuzinira ku ntoli za basajja bano. Buli mbuzi ede ku nkondo yaayo.  Ssabasajja bangi tulinda bulinzi kufuna mawulire nti nawe okooye.

Wangala nnyo Ssabasajja!

Musajjawo Musa Sebuyira Mutatyassasi – Za Mbogo!!!!
Village: Makerere
Ggomboloa: Mukulu wa Kibuga
County: Kyadondo
Country: Buganda

A Buganda Post reader and Facebook member in the UK informed us that Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi II is on Facebook, more evidence to his subjects of how technology savvy he is. When we contacted sources close to Banda Palace, we learnt that Kabaka Mutebi has been an avid computer and Internet user since the early 1990s, “exchanging tons of emails each day and doing a lot of Web research, to keep abreast of global developments.”

Below is the message on Kabaka Mutebi’s Facebook page:

The Baganda cannot continue to mourn indefinitely for what was lost. We should not continue to labor under the burden of self pity because this self pity will destroy our soul and, therefore, our resolve to rebuild Buganda.

The number of Kabaka Mutebi’s fans is just under 1,200 at the time of posting this story. Click here to access Kabaka Mutebi’s page. If you have problems accessing the page or,  don’t know what Facebook is, or you just don’t have an account, but would like to become a fan, visit www.facebook.com and search on “Kabaka Mutebi” for more details.

The Buganda Post reader who first alerted us to Kabaka’s presence on Facebook, also pointed out that Mr. Museveni’s vice president, Gilbert Bukenya, is one of the fast growing numbers of Facebook users who are Kabaka’s fans. According to our reader: “Bukenya’s message to Kabaka Mutebi opens a lot of questions about Museveni’s VP. First, the terrible spelling of Bukenya suggests that either he is disrespectful of Kabaka or, he is a generally careless and clumsy guy or, he is a 60 year old ‘Muganda’ who cannot write Luganda or address our Kabaka properly. Second, why talk about Buganda as a region, knowing very well that the man he is talking to is the Kabaka of Buganda – a kingdom and not an NRM-style ‘region’. Is he trying to rub Museveni’s ‘central region’ concept into Kabaka Mutebi’s face?”

Dr. Bukenya’s unedited Facebook message to Kabaka Mutebi reads as follows:

Greetings to you Ssabasajja Kabaka W’Buganda. It’s a privilege to find you here. For the time I have been on, I have really appreciated the wonderful people here and all the advice and comments they give. All these are very critical for the development of our regions and the country at large. Wangala Ssabasajja Kabaka – Empologma ya Buganda.

On June 27, 2009, Katikkiro JB Walusimbi appeared visibly confused and angry when the London Baganda he was trying to address confidently heckled him. The place was East London University, thousands of miles away from his more familiar Kampala. The Katikkiro, together with his two predecessors, Mulwaanyamuli Ssemwogerere and Emmanuel Ssendaula were the guests of honors at a function organized by a Baganda group called Saagala Agalamidde – led by Enock Kiyaga and Nkata Masembe. The current and former Katikkiros were accompanied by Mmengo deputy minister for youth, Mathias Mpuuga who, until a few months ago, was a key player in the Nkoba za Mbogo movement.  Only two weeks ago, however, the Uganda government Bukedde newspaper reported that Mr. Mpuuga publically appealed to President Museveni to start funding Nkoba za Mbogo.

Also present in the audience was ISO operative Aisha Kabanda who, according to our sources in Mr. Museveni’s state house, travelled on assignment to monitor and (if necessary) assist the Mmengo officials. Indeed, she is supposed to have filed the reports that the New Vision and Bukedde used to compose propaganda stories that left out the negative elements of the Katikkiro’s visit.

Despite frequent heckles from a few members of the audience, Katikkiro JB Walusimbi and his team made presentations on their development plans for Buganda. Owek. Walusimbi spoke glowingly about his Omumuli project, through which he intends to return Baganda homes to the “good times” when he was a young boy – with each homestead having a few chicken, 2 or 3 cows for milk, a bicycle and a “katandaalo”. He also lashed out at those who criticized him for accepting money gifts from president Museveni, claiming that the funds would develop Buganda but also boasting that he is a self-made man, not impressed by any money.

Owek. Ssendaula used a substantial amount of his allotted time to talk about his extensive international experience as a diplomat, in Australia and France and other assignments. Some members of the audience were visibly bored and uneasy that their former Katikkiro, the highest office in Buganda below Kabaka, apparently put exceptional importance on serving the anti-Buganda and corrupt regimes of Amin, Obote and Museveni.

When his turn came, former Katikkiro and architect of the aborted regional tier arrangement for Buganda, Owek. Mulwaanyamuli Ssemwogerere spoke about his successes as Katikkiro and his new responsibilities to run a Buganda unit trust investment fund in cooperation with what we have reliably learnt to be a Kenyan bank.  Curiously, the Uganda arm of that Kenya bank is ran Basaamya who happen to be former UPC wingers.  Mr. Mulwaanyamuli also declared his ambition to run the Katwe tower arcade “once its construction is completed” but it appeared that hardly anyone in the audience knew what he was proudly talking about. The three Katikkiro’s, all of whom have worked for or with president Museveni in different capacities, brushed off the efforts by some members of the audience to engage them on controversial subjects like Federo, land grabbing, selling Buruli county  for Shs 350 million (US$155,000), Katikkiro worshiping Museveni and corruption in Mmengo.

The three Katikkiros and their hosts seem to have underestimated the anger and energy of those Baganda who are tired of Mmengo’s failure to modernize and become transparent during their respective administrations. The angry Baganda kept murmuring and heckling the Buganda officials, at one time forcing Enock Mayanja Kiyaga, the master of ceremonies, to interrupt one of the speakers and promise that all questions and complaints would be fully addressed during a Questions and Answers period at the end.  The organizers and Kabaka’s representative in UK, Mr. Nsambu, were also not ready for the demonstrators, both inside and outside, who moved around with posters denouncing the current state of affairs at Mmengo and the dismal performance of the three Katikkiros. The organizers brought in police to chase those with posters away but they (the organizers) were disappointed when the police agreed with the protesters, who included a lawyer, that under the law no one could expelled.

When it came to the promised Questions and Answers time, it was most obvious that Enock Mayanja Kiyaga, the master of ceremonies, avoided picking on those thought to be unfriendly to the Mmengo team. This tactic did not work for long as complaints started to grow loud and Mayanja Kiyaga was forced to some people from the other side to say something. Soon enough the emotions were exploding and even the Kabaka’s representative was calling the protesters obscene names. The lightly attended meeting (compared to some previous Dan Muliika meetings) ended on an unpleasant note when the Katikkiro and his team were escorted out of the venue through a back door, without the customary final handshakes and mingling.

In a related story, we have reliably learnt that next day, on Sunday, the Mmengo team attended the Holloway Catholic Church, where the prayers were dedicated to the Baganda martyrs. According to our source who attended the meeting: “But the talk among the crowd was about what transpired the day before at East London University and no doubt this dictated the play ground of the Katikkiro’s activity on the day. When the Katikkiro was introduced people hardly clapped and his reception was so cold.”

When asked for comment, our New York based Buganda expert expressed concern that the three Katikkiros seem to be sincerely out of touch with the reality of today’s Buganda. He explained: “Messrs. Walusimbi, Ssemwogerere and Ssendaula mostly talk to old people, like themselves, whose livelihoods and health depends or has previously depended on Museveni. The problem is that very few Baganda alive today are over the age of 35 years and a huge majority of these youthful Baganda does not depend on Museveni. In fact they are suffering from Museveni and other foreigners. And none of these young Baganda understand or want to go own 3 cows and one “katanadaalo” in the village as in Owek. Walusimbi’s Omumuli plan. They are also too poor to buy trust units from the Basaamya former UPC youth wingers. Isn’t this what ‘being out of touch’ means? As Baganda say, ‘Akanaafa tekawulira ngombe’.”

We have listened to Buganda Post readers and will do what you have asked. We will start publishing your letters without editing, except for minimal grammar and spelling corrections . And if you have an image, audio or video file to accompany your letter we will also include it, provided it meets our standards for copyright protection. Finally, your letter must not exceed 500 words (use the Wordcount command in MS Word) and paragraphs must be separated by blank lines.

Send you letters to letters@bugandapost.com as a text email or MS Word document.  Send image, audio and video as attachments or URL links.

We are not obligated to publish any letter. We shall only publish letters which we consider appropriate and suitable for our readership. See the About page for more information on our terms regarding the content on Buganda Post.

C Bijugo Lumu

A report in the April 8, 2009 issue of the Uganda government Bukedde newspaper that, the day before, Katikkiro JB Walusimbi laid a flower wreath at the mass graves of victims of the 1994 Rwanda genocide has upset some Baganda. Our reporters in both Masaka and Kampala have told us. According to the reports, most ordinary Baganda in Buddu and around Kampala think that it is a good thing to commemorate the terrible killings that took place in Rwanda. But a large majority of them are asking why the Katikkiro of Buganda found time and money to buy flowers for graves of Banyarwanda although he did not have time to accompany Kabaka Mutebi to Buluuli last October fearing to upset Museveni.

The Kampala people are especially unhappy that incidents like the Budo Junior fire and child sacrifices which target Baganda are just  quiet form genocide but Owek. Walusimbi does not take expensive flowers let alone mabugo (condolence funds) to the victim’s families. Some also complained that Katikkiro Walusimbi has not cared to officially investigate why tens of Baganda children are murdered every month without government action. Yet when one mulaalo child was killed around Kiboga in Ssingo county, the police commander even personally camped in the area until some people were arrested.

On October 8, 2008 Mr. Museveni’s armed soldiers stopped the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II from going to Nakasongola to preside at the 46th anniversary of independence from Britain. The president later stated that, while Kabaka Mutebi was being harassed, Katikkiro Walusimbi was in telephone negotiations with David Tinyefuza and Mr. Museveni’s state house. Nakasongola is the main town in Buluuli county of Buganda. October 9, 1962 is when Buganda formally joined the other parts of today’s Uganda to become a federal republic. Under the terms of the 1962 independence agreement, Buganda remained a kingdom under Kabaka and retained control of its own education, healthcare, police and local administration systems. In 1966 then prime minister Milton Obote overthrew the constitution, used Idi Amin to attack Kabaka’s palace, made the kingdom illegal, exiled the Kabaka and stole 9,000 square miles of Buganda native lands and numerous other properties.  After decades of persecution by Obote, Idi Amin and Obote II, the Baganda joined Mr. Museveni and thousands of  Rwandan Tutsi refugees to remove Obote II and make it possible for the Kabaka to return to his kingdom.

In 1993/94 thousands of  Rwandese Tutsi refugees used Uganda army weapons to take power in Rwanda, in the middle of a genocide which started after that country’s president Habyarimana was assassinated. After more than 20 years since Mr. Museveni and his Baganda and Tutsi partners removed the Obote II regime, Mr. Museveni has refused to return the 9,000 square miles of native lands that Obote stole. He also refused to recognize the Baganda rights to return to the status as a federal state within the republic of Uganda. As the Baganda continue to demand that Mr. Museveni act honorably, the relations between the Buganda Kingdom and central government have become increasingly hostile. And many Baganda, especially the youth, are demanding that Katikkiro (head of Buganda government) Walusimbi resign due to conflict of interests because of his strong business and personal relationships with both Mr. Museveni and Rwanda government.

Buganda political rights firebrand and Uganda MP for Lubaga North has warned of disaster if President Museveni’s government takes over the Kampala City administration. In a press statement she released on Sunday 5, 2009, Ms. Beti Kamya debunked the government’s claims that the city council should be replaced by a government minister because the city is too dirty for the Uganda’s national image.

Kamya challenges Mr. Museveni to provide a single piece of evidence that Uganda government is capable of maintaining any major institution. She cites the dilapidated national hospitals, schools and training colleges as a basis to question why taxpayers should have any hope that Mr. Museveni’s government will do a better job looking after Kampala than the city council.

As to why Kampala is in a mess Kamya says (in Luganda): “I believe that the primary reason why Kampala city is in a crisis is underfunding by government. For example, Kampala has a population of about 3M people but last year it received government aid of only 25 billion shillings (US$12.5M). By comparison, Bushenyi district [located in Museveni’s ethnic homeland of Ankore] has a population of 800,000 but it received 27 billion shilling (US$13.5M), which is more than Kampala’s.”

Kampala is the business and commercial capital of Uganda and is located in Kyadondo county of the Buganda kingdom. Kampala is the home of the official and private palaces of the Kabaka (king equivalent) of Buganda. And Mmengo, a suburb of the city, is the seat of the Kabaka’s government. The conference which wrote Uganda’s latest constitution in 1995 voted to designate Kampala as “outside Buganda”, a move which was strongly opposed by the natives of the city and an overwhelming majority of Buganda residents. To many Baganda the “majority rules” decision by the natives of other regions of Uganda has been regarded as forceful occupation. Since 1995, the democratically elected Kampala City Council has been dominated by Baganda, who get more votes.  Then just over a year ago Mr. Museveni declared the city council incompetent and ordered the drafting a new law which turns the administration of Kampala over to government and extends its size into Buganda native lands by more than twice. A move which many Baganda view as another sign that Mr. Museveni and his supporters are determined to destroy Buganda.

According to Transparency International, Uganda is one of most corrupt countries in the world. Over the weekend a top Western diplomat in Uganda said on a local broadcast program that the donors are frustrated by the fact that the aid they give is intended for the masses but ends in the hands of a few at the top. He gave notice that the some donors are re-evaluating its aid policy in Uganda, in light of the global economic and the high rate of corruption. At least 5 immediate members of Mr. Museveni’s family are also members of this administration. Notably, his wife Janet is Minister for Karamoja where Uganda’s main gold deposits are located, his half-brother Salim Saleh is Presidential Advisor on security and his son Muhoozi Kainerugaba is commander of the army’s special forces.

Update: Tuesday July 22, 2008

The Uganda Government is under extreme pressure to release the detainees. Margaret Sekaggya the Director of the Humans Rights Commission has made a presentation to a parliamentary committee stating that they have had access to the detainees and that 2 are in poor health needing immediate access to their doctors and Betty Namboze needs immediate access to her 1 year old child who is still breast feeding. She further states that the unpredictable and constant movement of the detainees to prisons to the farthest corners of Uganda is deliberate psychological torture and must stop immediately. She says the act parading the detainees in front of so-called rebels in these locations for identification without access to their lawyers is questionable behaviour for a government that claims to have restored the rule of law.. A significant group of parliamentarians are seeking the 111 signatures needed to force parliament to sit while in recess to debate the matter as it is escalating and positions are hardening on both sides. The Acholi parliamentary group has issued a statement demanding the immediate and unconditional release of the detainees as it could lead to “a collision” between Mengo and the Central Government. They further demand that a Council of Elders comprised of eminent Ugandans be established to mediate between the two parties.

Nkoba Z’ambogo, a nationwide network of Baganda youth has issued a statement demanding the release of the detainees by the end of business today or they will take to the streets tomorrow. The Buganda Cabinet has just started (2:30pm) a second sitting to discuss the matter taking into considerations all recent developments. They are expected to make a statement by 5pm. The situation is deteriorating as off the record statements from key individuals are circulating that Central Government is demanding the removal of key youthful Ministers and outspoken Baganda from the Buganda Government and Central Broadcasting Station (CBS- Buganda’s flagship station) as a pre-condition for the release of the detainees. This is, if true, tantamount to kidnap for ransom and discredits the Nation and the regime immeasurably. Just in: A legal team led by Lawyer and MP Erias Lukwago have filed a petition for the release of the detainees under the Police Act which stipulates that a prisoner must be produced within 48 hrs after arrest.

Buganda Emergency Response Committee