Kayunga prepares for Kabaka's visit

By Moses Mulondo

PREPARATIONS for the Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi’s three-day visit to his Bugerere County in Kayunga are in high gear.

The Buganda information minister Denis Walusimbi said) that judging from the ongoing preparations and anxiety expressed by Kabaka’s subjects in Kayunga, the occasion will be graced by thousands of people.

In a joint press conference with Walusimbi in Bulange in Mengo, the director of police operations Grace Turyagumanawe said they would heavily deploy to avert any possible criminal and terrorism acts.

Asked why he had in 2009 headed the deployment that blocked the Kabaka from visiting Kayunga, Turyagumanawe said, “The other time we blocked the Kabaka’s visit to Kayunga because some people had contested it but this time no one is contesting. It will be peaceful and successful,” 

Over 20 people died as deadly riots broke out in September 2009 in Kampala and other towns in Buganda after government blocked the Kabaka from going to Kayunga after a group of Banyala led by Major Baker Kimeze declared Bugerere was no longer part of Buganda. 

Turyagumanawe said they would have many security checkpoints to screen everyone who be attending the various activities the Kabaka will be involved in.

“We expect so many people to turn up and when you have big crowds security can easily be compromised. You know that terrorists have been targeting Uganda. We shall have so many check points to screen the people. We ask for cooperation from the people as we do this work,” Turyagumanawe appealed.

Walusimbi asked Kabaka’s subjects to cooperate with police arguing their deployment will be meant to safeguard the Kabaka and themselves.

He revealed that various political and local leaders including MPs and central government ministers from the area like Sulaiman Madada and the state minister for land Aidah Nantaba are part of the committees organizing for the Kabaka’s historic visit.

The Buganda information minister explained that the major purpose of the Kabaka’s visit to Kayunga is to reconcile his subjects, promote initiatives for good health, environmental preservation and to encourage his subjects to be hard-working to eradicate poverty.

According to the program released yesterday, on the first day on January 27, 2014, the Kabaka will set off from Kampala with his convoy and make stopover and inspect Kayunga hospital in Mumyuka parish in Kayunga.

From there, the Kabaka will proceed to tour his banana plantation which is on Bugerere county (Ssaza) headquarters in Kayunga.

After that, the Kabaka will later meet the Abakenyi people and launch a silo for storing agricultural produce.

On the same day, the King of Buganda will also tour a livestock farm belonging to Owekitibwa Fred Mugalula Mbombo in Ggaliraya parish and

The climax will be at Bbaale parish where he will plant trees and address his subjects after which he will retreat to his area palace in Ntenjeru.

The following day on January 28, the Kabaka will set off from Ntenjeru and tour the nursery beds for banana and coffee in Busaana parish and later immunize children at Bukamba parish in Health Centre II.

From there, he will plant trees in Nazigo parish at Kiggo and also tour a huge pineapple plantation of Bashir Ziraba in Kangulumira parish.

He will close his second day with plating trees and addressing a gathering of his subjects at Kangulumira parish headquarters.

On the last day, the Kabaka is scheduled to launch a newly built SDA church and planting a tree at Mumyuka parish in Kayunga and will climax the occasion with a special speech to his subjects at the Ssaza (county) headquarters.