Hundreds commemorate 49 years since Lubiri siege

By Norman Katende

KAMPALA - Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II has appealed to his subjects and Ugandans at large to learn from the mistakes each side made in the 1966 crisis so that “we move on as a unit”.

He has also urged youth to work hard and stop investing precious time in gambling and betting.

This was in his message delivered on his behalf by the Buganda kingdom second deputy prime minister (katikiro) Al Haji  Ssemambo Ssekimpi to the hundreds of subjects that turned up for a service to commemorate the infamous siege on Sunday.

On May 24, 1966, government forces attacked Lubiri, where Buganda’s king and first president of Uganda, Sir Edward Mutesa II resided, on the orders of then prime minister Milton Obote.

Following the siege, the kabaka fled into exile in the UK and never returned alive.

Four years ago, Kabaka Mutebi – the son of the self-exiled king – stopped his subjects from mourning the 1966 Lubiri attack.

‘Tears and wailing’

In his missive, Mutebi asked his people to keep healthy and work hard to achieve genuine development.

"As youths you must work hard and also keep yourselves healthy. All the developed countries managed to get where they are because their people worked hard and as Buganda, it is we who are supposed to work hard to develop ourselves as no one will come out to develop us.”
 

Dignitaries  sing a hymn during prayers and celebrations to commemorate  the Lubiri siege. (Credit: Norman Katende)

Dancers entertain guests during the function. (Credit: Norman Katende)

These drummers also put up a brilliant show. (Credit: Norman Katende)

The celebrations started with a service led by retired Namirembe bishop Samuel Balagadde Sekadde, who was at Lubiri Junior School at the time of the siege 49 years ago.

He recalled it as a “terrible situation”.

“There was tears and wailing across Buganda. So many people died. There were so many bodies and that was the beginning of the cultural disintegration in Buganda and Uganda at large," said Sekadde while delivering his homily to the large crowd.

"Cultural norms and practices were destroyed and we have to open our eyes and work to see that we achieve what had been started.

“Let us stop begging and selling our property and land to buy boda bodas [motorcyles]; that is not how we are going to develop. Let us all work together and build each other.”

The retired bishop advised the Baganda to avoid envy, hatred, jealousy, discord, among others, “which have kept us begging”.

 Former Buganda Prime Minister Jehoash Mayanja Nkangi said that it was envy that was behind the Lubiri siege as then premier Milton Obote wanted the Baganda to love him the same way they loved their king.

Various speakers including ex-soldiers shared their experiences during that crisis. One told of how someone who was almost buried alive was only saved when a prison officer discovered that he was still breathing.