Mengo, govt conflicts not new
ANALYSIS<br><br>THE arrest of three officials of the Buganda Kingdom last week has provoked fresh controversy and tension between the kingdom and the central Government.
ANALYSIS
By Milton Olupot
THE arrest of three officials of the Buganda Kingdom last week has provoked fresh controversy and tension between the kingdom and the central Government.
However, the latest controversy is part of a political conflict that dates as far back as 1995 when the Constitution was enacted.
President Yoweri Museveni and the Mengo royalists enjoyed very cordial relations from 1986 to 1995.
Not only were the monarchies restored, but Buganda Kingdom was able to recover several of its assets including Bulange, its seat at Mengo and the Mengo Palace that had been turned into a military barracks in 1967.
Rift in 1995 CA
The first serious conflict between the Government and Mengo emerged in 1995 during the making of the Constitution. Mengo hoped that during the making of the new Constitution, it would be able to regain its federo (federal) status abolished in 1967 by the UPC government.
Mengo successfully managed to lobby all the opposition delegates in the Constituent Assembly (CA) to support a federal arrangement.
Buganda had lobbied so much for a federal state with a government in Mengo, but the Government position was contrary to Buganda’s aspirations.
This was the beginning of the deterioration of the relationship between the erstwhile bed-fellows.
When the matter came before the CA, the delegates supporting the NRM (Movement) vehemently opposed it.
The federo motion moved by John Eresu, then CA delegate for Kaberamaido, was thus defeated.
Baganda left the CA feeling cheated and bitter. They said the Kabaka and his subjects had been duped into supporting the NRA bush war with a promise of having their kingdom restored but the promise had been breached.
1996 presidential elections
When the 1996 general elections came, a section of the Mengo establishment thought the opportunity had come for the Baganda to hit back at government and President Yoweri Museveni for denying them federo.
A big section of the Mengo government ministers openly supported the main opposition under an umbrella called Inter-Party Forces Cooperation (IPFC) which had Paul Ssemogerere, the Democratic Party (DP) president general then, as its candidate.
Although the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Mutebi, did not take any side and a number of members of the Lukiiko equally supportedPresident Museveni, there was suspicion within the Government that the Kabaka was sympathetic to Ssemogerere. The president of the Democratic Party had promised in his campaign manifesto, among other things, to grant federo to Buganda when elected to power. But he lost the election.
Land Bill 1999 tabled
In 1997, the Government tabled the Land Bill when its relations with Mengo were still strained.
The Bill had the effect of further straining the relations between the two erstwhile allies. Mengo was vehemently opposed to the Bill, and launched a protracted campaign through its CBS FM radio, against it. Mengo also reignited its demand for federo. The Mengo group made a demand for the 9000sq miles to be returned to Buganda Kingdom.
The debate and the sentiments expressed by both Buganda and the central Government today over the 9000sq miles, are the same sentiments that were expressed then but the land Act was passed then without the demands of Buganda having been addressed.
2001 elections: rivalry renewed
The 2001 elections were virtually a replay of the 1996 elections. The main opposition candidate, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, also promised to ensure that the issue of federo was revisited. Again a section of the Mengo leadership joined Besigye’s campaign team. The Buganda aspirations again failed with the defeat of Besigye.
The failure to grant federo has been a great undoing for Museveni in Buganda and has seen his support deteriorating since 1995.
President Museveni knows very well that he needs the support from the Baganda to be sure of his continued stay in power. During the process of amending the Constitution in 2005 ahead of the 2006 elections, Museveni moved to strike a political deal with Mengo. Following protracted behind-the-scenes negotiations, Museveni and Mengo agreed on a compromise position for establishing a regional government (regional tier) with residual powers.
Kabaka fires Mulwanyamuli
But the deal soon after fell apart after the Kabaka of Buganda fired his Katikkiro Joseph Mulwanyamuli Ssemwogerere who had headed the Mengo delegation that negotiated with Museveni. After Ssemwogerere was replaced by Dan Muliika, Mengo argued that the regional tier was agreed on without the blessing of the Kabaka. Ssemwogerere’s team that also included Charles Peter Mayiga was accused of betrayal.
Besigye, Muliika affair
During the 2006 elections, again a section of the Mengo leadership sided with Besigye who was hosted to “tea†by the then Katikkiro Muliika. There were accusations from the Museveni camp that Muliika was a supporter of FDC, Besigye’s party.
After the elections, Museveni, apparently tired of endless negotiations with Mengo, asserted that he would not get into any more negotiations with anybody else except Kabaka Ronald Mutebi personally.
But Baganda traditionalists argued that the Kabaka could not hold negotiations with Museveni.
While this stalemate was still persisting, the Government introduced a Land Amendment Bill, which mainly seeks to stop evictions of bonafide occupants by landlords.
The Kabaka, with 350 square miles of land scattered over Buganda, is one of the largest landlords in Uganda. It is not surprising, therefore, that Mengo has vehemently opposed the Land Bill, describing it as a ploy by the central government to deprive the Baganda of their land.
Emergence of vibrant lawyers at Mengo
The already bad relationship has recently been aggravated by a group of vibrant, militant and eloquent young lawyers who have been appointed ministers in the Buganda government. Their militant approach has not only made the relationship with the central Government hostile, but has also put the ambitious lawyers in trouble.
Information minister Peter Mayiga and deputy Medard Lubega, together with the Buganda central civic education committee chairperson, Betty Nambooze, are being held for alleged utterances relating to terrorism and inciting violence, over their critical opinions expressed over radio against the President and in relation to the Buganda land question.
Museveni warns Mengo
Museveni has on many occasions expressed displeasure over the use of the Buganda kingdom platform to oppose government. He has also accused politicians of using the Kingdom to abuse him. He has called on Mengo officials who wish to involve themselves in politics to declare their constituencies for opposition rather than use Mengo.
The NRM ruling party has of late expressed concern that the Buganda Kingdom has become in itself the strongest opposition party to government compared to other traditional political parties.
As Mengo continues to become more and more defiant, the central Government has responded by cracking the whip to bring them to submission.
Only tim
e will tell who the winners will be.
By Milton Olupot
THE arrest of three officials of the Buganda Kingdom last week has provoked fresh controversy and tension between the kingdom and the central Government.
However, the latest controversy is part of a political conflict that dates as far back as 1995 when the Constitution was enacted.
President Yoweri Museveni and the Mengo royalists enjoyed very cordial relations from 1986 to 1995.
Not only were the monarchies restored, but Buganda Kingdom was able to recover several of its assets including Bulange, its seat at Mengo and the Mengo Palace that had been turned into a military barracks in 1967.
Rift in 1995 CA
The first serious conflict between the Government and Mengo emerged in 1995 during the making of the Constitution. Mengo hoped that during the making of the new Constitution, it would be able to regain its federo (federal) status abolished in 1967 by the UPC government.
Mengo successfully managed to lobby all the opposition delegates in the Constituent Assembly (CA) to support a federal arrangement.
Buganda had lobbied so much for a federal state with a government in Mengo, but the Government position was contrary to Buganda’s aspirations.
This was the beginning of the deterioration of the relationship between the erstwhile bed-fellows.
When the matter came before the CA, the delegates supporting the NRM (Movement) vehemently opposed it.
The federo motion moved by John Eresu, then CA delegate for Kaberamaido, was thus defeated.
Baganda left the CA feeling cheated and bitter. They said the Kabaka and his subjects had been duped into supporting the NRA bush war with a promise of having their kingdom restored but the promise had been breached.
1996 presidential elections
When the 1996 general elections came, a section of the Mengo establishment thought the opportunity had come for the Baganda to hit back at government and President Yoweri Museveni for denying them federo.
A big section of the Mengo government ministers openly supported the main opposition under an umbrella called Inter-Party Forces Cooperation (IPFC) which had Paul Ssemogerere, the Democratic Party (DP) president general then, as its candidate.
Although the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Mutebi, did not take any side and a number of members of the Lukiiko equally supportedPresident Museveni, there was suspicion within the Government that the Kabaka was sympathetic to Ssemogerere. The president of the Democratic Party had promised in his campaign manifesto, among other things, to grant federo to Buganda when elected to power. But he lost the election.
Land Bill 1999 tabled
In 1997, the Government tabled the Land Bill when its relations with Mengo were still strained.
The Bill had the effect of further straining the relations between the two erstwhile allies. Mengo was vehemently opposed to the Bill, and launched a protracted campaign through its CBS FM radio, against it. Mengo also reignited its demand for federo. The Mengo group made a demand for the 9000sq miles to be returned to Buganda Kingdom.
The debate and the sentiments expressed by both Buganda and the central Government today over the 9000sq miles, are the same sentiments that were expressed then but the land Act was passed then without the demands of Buganda having been addressed.
2001 elections: rivalry renewed
The 2001 elections were virtually a replay of the 1996 elections. The main opposition candidate, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, also promised to ensure that the issue of federo was revisited. Again a section of the Mengo leadership joined Besigye’s campaign team. The Buganda aspirations again failed with the defeat of Besigye.
The failure to grant federo has been a great undoing for Museveni in Buganda and has seen his support deteriorating since 1995.
President Museveni knows very well that he needs the support from the Baganda to be sure of his continued stay in power. During the process of amending the Constitution in 2005 ahead of the 2006 elections, Museveni moved to strike a political deal with Mengo. Following protracted behind-the-scenes negotiations, Museveni and Mengo agreed on a compromise position for establishing a regional government (regional tier) with residual powers.
Kabaka fires Mulwanyamuli
But the deal soon after fell apart after the Kabaka of Buganda fired his Katikkiro Joseph Mulwanyamuli Ssemwogerere who had headed the Mengo delegation that negotiated with Museveni. After Ssemwogerere was replaced by Dan Muliika, Mengo argued that the regional tier was agreed on without the blessing of the Kabaka. Ssemwogerere’s team that also included Charles Peter Mayiga was accused of betrayal.
Besigye, Muliika affair
During the 2006 elections, again a section of the Mengo leadership sided with Besigye who was hosted to “tea†by the then Katikkiro Muliika. There were accusations from the Museveni camp that Muliika was a supporter of FDC, Besigye’s party.
After the elections, Museveni, apparently tired of endless negotiations with Mengo, asserted that he would not get into any more negotiations with anybody else except Kabaka Ronald Mutebi personally.
But Baganda traditionalists argued that the Kabaka could not hold negotiations with Museveni.
While this stalemate was still persisting, the Government introduced a Land Amendment Bill, which mainly seeks to stop evictions of bonafide occupants by landlords.
The Kabaka, with 350 square miles of land scattered over Buganda, is one of the largest landlords in Uganda. It is not surprising, therefore, that Mengo has vehemently opposed the Land Bill, describing it as a ploy by the central government to deprive the Baganda of their land.
Emergence of vibrant lawyers at Mengo
The already bad relationship has recently been aggravated by a group of vibrant, militant and eloquent young lawyers who have been appointed ministers in the Buganda government. Their militant approach has not only made the relationship with the central Government hostile, but has also put the ambitious lawyers in trouble.
Information minister Peter Mayiga and deputy Medard Lubega, together with the Buganda central civic education committee chairperson, Betty Nambooze, are being held for alleged utterances relating to terrorism and inciting violence, over their critical opinions expressed over radio against the President and in relation to the Buganda land question.
Museveni warns Mengo
Museveni has on many occasions expressed displeasure over the use of the Buganda kingdom platform to oppose government. He has also accused politicians of using the Kingdom to abuse him. He has called on Mengo officials who wish to involve themselves in politics to declare their constituencies for opposition rather than use Mengo.
The NRM ruling party has of late expressed concern that the Buganda Kingdom has become in itself the strongest opposition party to government compared to other traditional political parties.
As Mengo continues to become more and more defiant, the central Government has responded by cracking the whip to bring them to submission.
Only tim
e will tell who the winners will be.