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 The Ugandan government of President Yoweri Museveni has accused the Kingdom of Buganda of receiving foreign funds in an attempt to undermine the Ugandan constitution.
In a cleverly worded article that appeared in the government-owned newspaper, New Vision, Gen Museveni is quoted as saying that he has intelligence reports' that the Buganda kingdom is receiving foreign funding to carry out a hate campaign against the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and undermine the constitution'. "We are following these reports (about Buganda receiving foreign funds) very closely and we shall treat all people involved accordingly," the paper quotes him. In Ugandan law, it is a treasonable offence to receive foreign funds with the intention of undermining the constitution (read overthrowing the government'). Anyone found guilty of this offence faces a death penalty either by firing squad or by hanging.
The serious allegations may lead to the arrest of the Kabaka of Buganda, His Highness Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II on charges of treason. They come after serious clashes took place between Baganda loyalists in Kampala and the neighbouring town of Kayunga when Ugandan police stopped an advance party from the Buganda kingdom to travel to Kayunga in preparation for the visit of the Kabaka to celebrate Buganda Youth Day this weekend. Eleven people have so far lost their lives and more than 60 injured as riot police were joined by military police in skirmishes with Baganda loyalists protesting against the refusal by the police to allow the Buganda premier J.B. Walusimbi to travel to Kayunga. Witnesses said the police were using live bullets and cannon water to try to break up the protests. One police officer is said to have been killed so far by angry protesters after he ran out ammunition.
New Vision hinted that Museveni's government fears Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi may be behind attempts to destabilise the Uganda government as a punishment for the way Museveni and former South African President Thabo Mbeki thwarted Gaddafi's attempts in 2007 to become the first president of a united Africa. The paper said Ugandan security was investigating reports that money for anti-government activities had been sent to some Ugandan royals. Bugandan Prince Kassim Kakungulu was last week in Tripoli, the Libyan capital, as a guest of Col Gaddafi to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his rise to power. Early this year, Oyo, the Omukama (king) of Bunyoro and his mother the Queen Mother of Toro, accompanied Col Gaddafi to Ethiopia where he became the current Chairman of the African Union.
Relations between the Kabaka and President Museveni have deteriorated seriously for the last two years after Kabaka Mutebi refused to return calls made to him by Museveni. They went further down the hill when Museveni ordered the Kabaka's security detail, a group of soldiers specifically identified at the request of the Central Government, to train in the protection of the Kabaka, to be replaced by the military police; a force dreaded by ordinary Ugandans for the harsh way it usually treats members of the public.
Speaking to the press recently, Buganda's deputy information minister Medard Lubega Sseggona said Mengo saw no reason for the change of the Kabaka's security detail and had therefore rejected the move. The outspoken youthful minister said the Kabaka does not need guns for protection. If need be, spears, sticks and prayers can protect him. He added that for the last 600 years, the kingdom had protected its Kabakas not necessarily with guns.
This week's problems started when Buganda planned to commemorate its Youth Day in Bugerere County. The county has of late experienced problems with the ethnic minority of the Banyala, a minority group of people who migrated and were intergrated in Buganda mostly from Mbale and West Nile in Eastern and Northern Uganda respectively. The Lukkiko (Buganda parliament) claims that the government is influencing the break away of the Banyala from Buganda and to form their own entity. The Museveni government has of late attempted to break up Buganda by creating more and more districts in the country that are slowly but surely strangling the authority of the Kabaka over his subjects.
About two weeks ago, a handful of the Banyala said to have support from Central Government, held a demonstration on the streets of Kayunga Town against the proposed Kabaka's visit. Not to be outdone, Baganda loyalists headed by a group calling itself Nkobazambogo sent their own people to ensure that the Kabaka's visit would go uninterrupted. The police reacted by placing roadblocks at the Ssezibwa bridge, a prime entry point to the county in an attempt to stop thousands of loyalists marching to Kayunga.
In any other democracy, the police would have been deployed to keep law and order and make sure the Buganda King performed his duties in peace. However, in what appears to be an attempt by the Museveni government to break up Buganda, the Ugandan police was ordered to prevent the Baganda celebrating their Youth Day in Kayunga, claiming this would create problems for the people there. Baganda loyalists saw this as an affront to their dignity and that of their Kabaka. They saw no reason why their leader should be denied his right to exercise his authority to attend a ceremony of his people anywhere in Buganda.
In what appears to be a direct attack on the ability of Kabaka Mutebi to visit his subjects whenever he deems it fit, a heavy contingent of the Uganda Police was deployed in Kayunga as angry Baganda youth vowed to continue preparations for the Kabaka's visit. It was then learned that National Guidance Minister Kirunda Kivejinja had written a letter advising the Buganda kingdom to first consider discussing with the Banyala ethnic group their grievances before preparing for the Kabaka's visit.
An advance party of Buganda Government officials headed by prime minister Walusimbi, together with Buganda ministers Nelson Kawalya (Health), Kabuuza Mukasa (Royal Tours), Nsamba Kumaama (Co-operatives and a Munyala), Florence Bagunywa Nkalubo (Youth) and several Buganda government officials proceeded to Bugerere to facilitate the Kabaka's visit. It did not go past Ssezibwa Bridge where it found the road barricaded by the police. Youth Minister Kabuuza Mukasa said he was surprised that after all the efforts Mengo had made by holding talks with relevant authorities in Kayunga in preparation for the event, the police had decided to deploy so heavily to stop them going ahead with the Kabaka's visit. On his part, Kayunga District Chairman Lugard Ssalambwa called upon Kabaka's subjects in Bugerere to turn up in thousands' to welcome the Kabaka. However, Regional Police commander George Mivule said he had orders from above' to stop these preparations. Uganda Cabinet Minister for Information, Kabakumba Matsiko has since denied the government had a hand in the police raids that are threatening the Kabaka's visit. She said the Kabaka has a constitutional right to visit the area as it is under his jurisdiction laid out in the 1995 constitution as being among the areas of Buganda.
Nevertheless, as soon as word reached Kampala that Walusimbi was refused to entry to Kayunga, businesses started closing up and angry mobs gathered almost at every major junction in Kampala. They set fire to barricades of tyres and held running battles with riot police. Word of the clashes started being heard on Ugandan radio stations, especially the Buganda Radio CBS, a very popular station with Baganda loyalists. It was soon ordered off the air and remained so. As we went to press several other radio stations had suffered the same fate.
Mengo has accused the Museveni government of trying to break up the Buganda monarchy along sub-ethnic lines. This follows a strong stand the Buganda government has taken on issues such as a federal system of government and the Land Bill (2007), among others. They accuse the central government of attempting to install illegitimate sub-ethnic rulers such as Ssabanyala and Ssabaruuli, both of whom are serving army officers in the UPDF.
The Archbishop of Kampala, the Rt Rev Cyprian Kizito has condemned action taken by the Ugandan government regarding the Kabaka's visit. He told the press that what the Museveni government had done was in violation of the constitution. He wondered what had come of the National Resistance Movement's (NRM) 10-point programme that highlighted unity and respect for cultural authorities. He advised Museveni to correct this unconstitutional action' lest it sets a bad precedent. A spokesman from the US State Department said the American government is monitoring closely developments in Uganda. The US has strongly supported the Museveni government since he declared himself an ally of the Americans in their war against terror'.
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Its Federal or the bullet!! (1)
I quote Mr Okello the Indepent blogger: "Rather than the political imposition of UPC, the 1962 constitution was a product of negotiations between and among the colonial government, Ugandan nationalists, and representatives of Ugandan nationalities, including Buganda, Bunyoro, Toro, Ankole, Acholi, Lango, Teso, Bukedi, and Karamoja, to mention but a few. It was therefore, a communal, consensual constitution that no one single party exercised disproportionate power over its process or outcome."
Then I say: All our wars in Uganda subsequent to independence have been from the simple point that Obote did not have a national debate to abrogate 1962 const. So there is no need to have one to reinstate it. If 1962 const is restored; amazingly every part of the jigsaw-puzzle will fall in place.
When you fall look back, maybe you slipped on a banana skin!!!! Shame M7 cannot wake up or read this piece; He is too drunk on POWER and MONEY