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 As suspicions grow that the Uganda government may have had a hand in the destruction of Buganda's sacred burial grounds, Henry Gombya examines reasons behind these suspicions and reports on the latest news regarding the Kasubi fire.
Unconfirmed reports say at least two people were shot dead and several others injured when a motorcade taking Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni was making its way towards the gutted mausoleum of Amasiro, sacred burial place of the kings of the Buganda Kingdom this morning.
Eyewitnesses say when President Museveni's motorcade approached the hill on which the Amasiro are built, angry Buganda loyalists started throwing stones at it and many attempted to make human roadblocks to stop the convoy going any further. Without warning, the President's bodyguards opened fire with live ammunition, injuring many. The two men killed are said to have died while being taken to hospital.
There is still confusion as to how the fire started in the mausoleum built in 1860 by the Baganda to bury their kings. The last king to be buried there was the father of the reigning Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, the late Ssabasajja Edward Mutebi Muteesa II. He was buried in a pompous ceremony organised and authorised by then President Idi Amin Dada. Muteesa died in London after being forced out of his kingdom by then Prime Minister Milton Obote.
President Museveni toured the burnt remains of Amasiro and promised to work with the Buganda Government to restore the place. The Kabaka also visited and was visibly shaken at what he saw. Those close to him said he was so shocked at still burning embers of the tombs that he abandoned earlier plans to address the gathering. The thoughts of his father's grave lying in smouldering ashes must have weighed quite heavily on him. His spokesman Mr Charles Peter Mayega told journalists the kingdom knows it has enemies within the central government but did not know yet whether they were responsible for starting the fire. "There are people who want to cause harm to this kingdom. They are keen on destabilizing us and we don't know whether they're behind this," he said.
Artefacts of the Buganda Kingdom that stretch back to the early 18th century were among the many prized Buganda documents lost in the fire. The powerful monarchy is still recovering from last year's protests in which at least 45 people were shot dead on the orders of President Museveni. They were carrying out public protests against the Museveni government that had ordered their Kabaka not to travel to Bugerere, part of his kingdom. The Central Government had just installed a local chief who saw the Kabaka's visit as provocative and sought government help to stop it.
Conflicting reports continue to circulate around Kampala about how and why the fire started. The Ugandan leader has promised an enquiry into the source of the fire while the Buganda Government has also vowed it will conduct its own enquiries. There are allegations, unconfirmed yet, that the enemies of the Buganda monarchy were trying to hit at one of the many sources the kingdom has for generating funds necessary to run the kingdom. As a tourist attraction, the Amasiro were declared ten years ago by UNESCO as a world heritage sight. They have been generating a lot of income for the monarchy with tourists coming from far and near to visit. The Central Government pays Uganda's four traditional kings a stipend of Uganda Shillings5,000,000, (approx US$2,511.91) a month to run their kingdoms. The Buganda Government is the only one said to have turned down the offer. It relies mostly from income generated from the vast lands it holds and from such tourist attracting places like the Amasiro.
There are rumors spreading around Kampala that a man in a white pick-up truck with no number plates was seen hurriedly driving away from the Amasiro shortly before the fire started. Others say a grenade thrown from a fleeing truck was the cause of the disaster. Kampala City, built on seven hills, is famous for having seven rumors a day. But normally one of these ends up being true. These rumors will not help the already frosty relations between the Buganda monarchy and the Museveni government.
It was surprising that of the many pictures taken of the burning tombs, not one has been taken showing a fire engine trying to put out the fire as would have been the case in a normal country. But then one cannot describe Uganda these days as normal. Police spokesman Kale Kayihura told the media that fire engines sent to quell the fire were stopped by angry Buganda loyalists who embarked on damaging them. This explanation gave the impression that the people who turned up as the fire raged, were happy to see the Amasiro burn to ashes.
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Looking for Mr Right (7)
i know the buganda kingdom is going to make renovation but at least the remains of this amasiro should be put back either at the top of the new one or at one side.
it was too bad for buganda. keep the spirt for your kingdom.
thanks.