Dialogue is the best option for Buganda
Feb 15, 2006
WHEN Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi was handing over the instruments of power to the new Buganda Kattikiro, Dan Muliika at Lubiri, a few things that sent a not so good message happened. People who were thought not to be pro-Baganda were harassed by a group of youth who claimed to be defending Bugandaâ
By Joshua Kato
WHEN Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi was handing over the instruments of power to the new Buganda Kattikiro, Dan Muliika at Lubiri, a few things that sent a not so good message happened. People who were thought not to be pro-Baganda were harassed by a group of youth who claimed to be defending Buganda’s causes.
Such personalities included Peter Sematimba, who is standing for the mayorship of Kampala city.
The same group of youth has also vowed to look for Tamale Mirundi, a Presidential Press Assistant, and give him a beating because he is thought to be anti-Buganda.
Other people who have in the recent past suffered at the hands of these youth included former Kattikiro Mayanja Nkangi and Ian Kyeyune, who were chased away from a federal gathering in Lubiri.
On Tuesday, February 7, the Buganda Lukiiko resolved to refuse to accept the Regional Tier arrangement that was agreed upon between the Government and a team from Buganda led by the former Kattikiro, Joseph Ssemwogerere.
Earlier, the new Kattikiro did not help matters while opening the Lukiiko. He referred to the new federal arrangement or Regional Tier system as kiwuduwudu or “lifelessâ€. Some legislators called the Regional Tier butwa (poisonous).
The new Buganda cabinet seems not to be disappointing those who are intent on opposing anything that was agreed upon by the previous cabinet. When this cabinet was appointed late last year, analysts pointed to the fact that the kingdom was now dropping a fairly moderate line to a mainly radical line-up.
Muliika himself was instrumental in mobilising against the flopped charter. He was also a known critic of the Regional Tier set-up.
Most of the other officials are known radicals, who also have a known involvement in opposition politics. The likes of Joseph Balikuddembe and Damiano Lubega, both senior Buganda officials, are known Democratic Party stalwarts. People like Dr Sulaiman Kiggundu, the national chairman of Forum for Democratic Change, are said to be becoming more influential in Buganda affairs. Of course they cannot pool for something that can give President Yoweri Museveni’s government credit.
What even amazed neutrals on Tuesday was that the Lukiiko did not make reference to a motion that accepted the Regional Tier arrangement passed by the same Lukiiko late last year when Ssemwogerere was still the Kattikiro. This was perhaps a signal to Ssemwogerere that whatever he did was simply unacceptable and not worth mentioning.
The timing of the new resolution was made to have an impact on the presidential elections. But with less than two weeks to go, it is unlikely that the Lukiiko resolution can change anything. Some members were pushing the Speaker Lubega Kaddunabbi to ask the Kattikiro to take a stand on which candidate they were supposed to vote for. The Kattikiro did not mention anybody, but asked the Baganda to vote for candidates who they think have got Buganda at heart.
The only positive outcome from Mengo, although it is not what the radicals wanted, was that the Lukiiko resolved to continue talking to the Government. They have already talked to the Vice-President Prof Gilbert Bukenya and the Prime Minister Prof Apolo Nsibambi, both of whom have promised to revisit the issue.
Certainly, Buganda can only achieve success through talking. Baganda should realise that threatening violence or even carrying it out has never helped them achieve anything.
When the white men first came here in the 1880s, Buganda managed to maintain its entity because it chose to talk to them rather than fight, like Bunyoro did. Bunyoro, which decided to take the path of confrontation, was humiliated and virtually destroyed by the British.
In 1953 after the Kabaka was sent into exile, there was, of course, some violence in Buganda.
However, it was again the talking that led to the return of the Kabaka in 1955 as a hero. In the run-up to the 1962 independence, it was again through talking that Buganda achieved the semi-federal status that it did. To the contrary, it was after the dialogue between Obote and Kabaka Muteesa broke down that things became confrontational, leading to the loss of all the gains.
The kingdom was only existent on paper, but not in practice, until Buganda started talking again after NRM came to power. It was again through talking that traditional institutions, including Buganda, were allowed back in 1993.
Through the years, a lot of other things have been achieved through dialogue. These include the return of key institutions like the Lubiri and Bulange. Through these years, traditional leaders were constitutionalised, which was a great achievement.
Because Buganda kept talking about federo, talks again were arranged about two years ago. This is when the Regional Tier was achieved. This arrangement might not be the best for Buganda, but it is a stepping stone for more gains.
Refusing to accept it whole-heartedly is not the best thing. Accept it and talk about more things. It is worth noting that it did not even exist a few years ago. Now it does, which is a step forward.
It is not the policy of Mengo to incite these marauding youth to “unleash†or “teach a lesson†to whoever they deem as not supporting Buganda. But because they quote what some Mengo officials have said, it is up to the kingdom to ask them to stop threatening to beat up moderate Baganda. Violence will only work to destroy all the good things that have been achieved by Buganda through dialogue.
jkato@newvision.co.ug
WHEN Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi was handing over the instruments of power to the new Buganda Kattikiro, Dan Muliika at Lubiri, a few things that sent a not so good message happened. People who were thought not to be pro-Baganda were harassed by a group of youth who claimed to be defending Buganda’s causes.
Such personalities included Peter Sematimba, who is standing for the mayorship of Kampala city.
The same group of youth has also vowed to look for Tamale Mirundi, a Presidential Press Assistant, and give him a beating because he is thought to be anti-Buganda.
Other people who have in the recent past suffered at the hands of these youth included former Kattikiro Mayanja Nkangi and Ian Kyeyune, who were chased away from a federal gathering in Lubiri.
On Tuesday, February 7, the Buganda Lukiiko resolved to refuse to accept the Regional Tier arrangement that was agreed upon between the Government and a team from Buganda led by the former Kattikiro, Joseph Ssemwogerere.
Earlier, the new Kattikiro did not help matters while opening the Lukiiko. He referred to the new federal arrangement or Regional Tier system as kiwuduwudu or “lifelessâ€. Some legislators called the Regional Tier butwa (poisonous).
The new Buganda cabinet seems not to be disappointing those who are intent on opposing anything that was agreed upon by the previous cabinet. When this cabinet was appointed late last year, analysts pointed to the fact that the kingdom was now dropping a fairly moderate line to a mainly radical line-up.
Muliika himself was instrumental in mobilising against the flopped charter. He was also a known critic of the Regional Tier set-up.
Most of the other officials are known radicals, who also have a known involvement in opposition politics. The likes of Joseph Balikuddembe and Damiano Lubega, both senior Buganda officials, are known Democratic Party stalwarts. People like Dr Sulaiman Kiggundu, the national chairman of Forum for Democratic Change, are said to be becoming more influential in Buganda affairs. Of course they cannot pool for something that can give President Yoweri Museveni’s government credit.
What even amazed neutrals on Tuesday was that the Lukiiko did not make reference to a motion that accepted the Regional Tier arrangement passed by the same Lukiiko late last year when Ssemwogerere was still the Kattikiro. This was perhaps a signal to Ssemwogerere that whatever he did was simply unacceptable and not worth mentioning.
The timing of the new resolution was made to have an impact on the presidential elections. But with less than two weeks to go, it is unlikely that the Lukiiko resolution can change anything. Some members were pushing the Speaker Lubega Kaddunabbi to ask the Kattikiro to take a stand on which candidate they were supposed to vote for. The Kattikiro did not mention anybody, but asked the Baganda to vote for candidates who they think have got Buganda at heart.
The only positive outcome from Mengo, although it is not what the radicals wanted, was that the Lukiiko resolved to continue talking to the Government. They have already talked to the Vice-President Prof Gilbert Bukenya and the Prime Minister Prof Apolo Nsibambi, both of whom have promised to revisit the issue.
Certainly, Buganda can only achieve success through talking. Baganda should realise that threatening violence or even carrying it out has never helped them achieve anything.
When the white men first came here in the 1880s, Buganda managed to maintain its entity because it chose to talk to them rather than fight, like Bunyoro did. Bunyoro, which decided to take the path of confrontation, was humiliated and virtually destroyed by the British.
In 1953 after the Kabaka was sent into exile, there was, of course, some violence in Buganda.
However, it was again the talking that led to the return of the Kabaka in 1955 as a hero. In the run-up to the 1962 independence, it was again through talking that Buganda achieved the semi-federal status that it did. To the contrary, it was after the dialogue between Obote and Kabaka Muteesa broke down that things became confrontational, leading to the loss of all the gains.
The kingdom was only existent on paper, but not in practice, until Buganda started talking again after NRM came to power. It was again through talking that traditional institutions, including Buganda, were allowed back in 1993.
Through the years, a lot of other things have been achieved through dialogue. These include the return of key institutions like the Lubiri and Bulange. Through these years, traditional leaders were constitutionalised, which was a great achievement.
Because Buganda kept talking about federo, talks again were arranged about two years ago. This is when the Regional Tier was achieved. This arrangement might not be the best for Buganda, but it is a stepping stone for more gains.
Refusing to accept it whole-heartedly is not the best thing. Accept it and talk about more things. It is worth noting that it did not even exist a few years ago. Now it does, which is a step forward.
It is not the policy of Mengo to incite these marauding youth to “unleash†or “teach a lesson†to whoever they deem as not supporting Buganda. But because they quote what some Mengo officials have said, it is up to the kingdom to ask them to stop threatening to beat up moderate Baganda. Violence will only work to destroy all the good things that have been achieved by Buganda through dialogue.
jkato@newvision.co.ug