By Cyprian Musoke

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has vehemently denied rumours that the Government is responsible for burning down the Kasubi tombs.

Addressing a press conference at State House Entebbe yesterday, an angry Museveni warned those spreading such rumours that he will deal with them.

“I am infuriated by those who have been carrying out a slanderous, whispering campaign that it is the Government which burnt the Kasubi tombs. What incredibly wicked elements we have in Uganda! If anybody was still in doubt of their evil and wickedness, a slander like this is part of the proof,” he said.

The tombs, which housed the remains of four of Buganda’s kings, were destroyed by fire on Tuesday evening. The palace, built in 1882 and turned into a mausoleum in 1884, was listed as a world heritage in 2001 by UNESCO.

The President was among thousands of people who inspected the ruins on Wednesday morning. His
visit was protested by crowds who pelted stones at the security operatives deployed ahead of his tour.

There was a stampede as scores scampered for cover when the joint security forces shot bullets to disperse the rioters. Two people were shot dead and five sustained gunshot bullets
“These elements, most of whom purport to love Buganda the most, are not even suggesting investigations but are quick to conclude that it was the work of the Government,” he added.

“I am waiting for someone to say so publicly. My fingers are itching to get such a person and I deal with him. I have instructed the security forces to scan all the tapes, radios and media because this is incredible.”

He said he had been waiting for people to publicly say the Government burnt the tombs “but they are just whispering their evil ideas from underground”.

The President said it was preposterous to claim such a thing when it was the NRM Government which reinstated the kings.

“How can the NRM government, that has not run mad and is in its right senses, burn the Kasubi tombs? What is the logic?” he wondered, rolling his eyes.

He said the NRM had liberated the Kasubi tombs and other royal sites from previous governments that had confiscated them, and handed them over to the royal families in Buganda, Bunyoro and other kingdoms.

The site, he added, was a national monument and a tourist attraction the Government was assisting financially, together with UNESCO.

The Government, he stressed, has had very little to do with the tombs ever since it handed them over to the kingdom in 1993, together with the Bulange palace.

He explained that he visited the ruins to show solidarity and to ensure that the fire brigade and the Police had responded in time, adding that the Police had its own weaknesses.

Museveni added that he was pleased with the Police response, despite a few minor hitches.

He, however, blamed the crowd for blocking their entry for three hours and pelting them with stones, until he directed the Police to give the fire brigade armed protection to access the scene.

He vowed to investigate whoever had incited the rioters to stone the fire trucks.

“What sort of country is this? We cannot run a country like this. The ideology of some of these groups who pretend to love the cultural institution needs to be addressed.”

He regretted that people had died in the fracas and issued a directive that their families be helped.

“Let this be a lesson to such people that we want calm in Uganda. We don’t want tension all the time. This is what such bad behaviour can lead to,” he said.

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