Kabaka Mutebi, Museveni meet

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday held “cordial and fruitful” discussions with the Kabaka (king) of Buganda at State House in Entebbe in which they agreed to keep on talking, the President’s Office said in a statement. <br><br>

By Josephine Maseruka and Cyprian Musoke
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday held “cordial and fruitful” discussions with the Kabaka (king) of Buganda at State House in Entebbe in which they agreed to keep on talking, the President’s Office said in a statement.

Kabaka Ronald Mutebi and his eight-man delegation, which included the Katikkiro and the retired Catholic bishop of Mityana, Wilson Mutebi, arrived at State House at 11:00am.

They were received at the entrance by Museveni who first took them on a guided tour of State House. “Your State House is very beautiful,” the Kabaka was quoted as saying.

To which the President responded: “This is also your State House. It is the State House of all Ugandans.” The President and the Kabaka then met behind closed doors for one hour.

No details were given about what was discussed. The two leaders joined their delegations afterwards and introduced them. According to the statement, Museveni said: “I welcome His Highness to State House.

We had good discussions. I got some issues which His Highness had raised through an intermediary. We agreed to send our write-up of the issues that will form the basis of continued dialogue until we reach a definite dialogue.”

He added that they discussed several issues, including Buganda’s CBS radio stations which the Government closed on September 10.

Addressing the Buganda caucus recently, Museveni accused the stations of promoting sectarianism, “at one time talking of people with long noses”.

He also said they were inciting people “with all sorts of incredible lies” against the proposed Land Bill and the Government. The Kabaka called the discussions “constructive”, the statement said.

He also noted that they exchanged their documents which will be studied. “This will form the basis of the first step to organised dialogue and the first step towards organising our people,” Mutebi was quoted.

“I thank the President for the fruitful discussion and look forward to more dialogue.” Prior to the meeting, both parties had exchanged documents outlining the contentious issues.

It was the first face-to-face meeting between Museveni and Mutebi for years. During the Buganda caucus meeting on September 10, the President had complained bitterly about the Kabaka refusing to take his calls for two years.

When CBS started inciting sectarianism against people from western Uganda, he said he tried to talk to the Kabaka.

“My reaction was to ring His Highness the Kabaka to invite him to a meeting to sort out all this amicably as mature people.

His Highness, however, could not pick my telephones or have the courtesy of returning my calls,” Museveni told the MPs.