Nothing great about Kawalya Kaggwa!
SIR— I am not here to discredit the late Sir Michael Kawalya-Kaggwa whose statue was unveiled recently at the UEB’s Amber House.
SIR— I am not here to discredit the late Sir Michael Kawalya-Kaggwa whose statue was unveiled recently at the UEB’s Amber House. Rather, it is to tell all Ugandans of today that between 1945-1950 when he was the Katikkiro of Buganda, all the Baganda through the Baganda Farmers Association based at Katwe, were demanding for self-government through the “Bataka BBU Partyâ€. Mr Semakula Mulumba, then resident in UK, was the party’s representative.
This demand was opposed by the Kabaka and his Lukiiko. There was also opposition by Baganda who were demanding to sell their coffee and cotton direct to buyers in UK and elsewhere in order to by-pass the Asian exploiters. Their demands were again vehemently opposed by Kabaka Edward Mutesa, his chiefs (including the said Katikkiro) and the Buganda Lukiiko.
So, when the Katikkiro demanded electricity and water instead of self-government and total independence, in response to the then governor’s question : Kiki ekibaluma? (What are the problems of your country?). To which he answered: “Ttaala na mazzi†(electricity and water). The economic and political agitators of the time told the colonial and the Kabaka’s governments that water and electricity were not a priority.
The Baganda turned violent, which resulted into the 1945 (Namba munaana) and the 1959 (Namba mwenda) riots.
In my opinion, the Baganda of the time were right because although Uganda became independent on October 9, 1962, water and electricity have not yet spread to the whole of Uganda with every family household enjoying piped water and electricity after a period of almost 60 years since the two items were demanded!
The reader is the judge. Whether at the time, water and electricity were a priority among all Ugandans or whether it was a selfish demand for the elite
Baganda only.
Kulumba-Kiingi
Kampala
This demand was opposed by the Kabaka and his Lukiiko. There was also opposition by Baganda who were demanding to sell their coffee and cotton direct to buyers in UK and elsewhere in order to by-pass the Asian exploiters. Their demands were again vehemently opposed by Kabaka Edward Mutesa, his chiefs (including the said Katikkiro) and the Buganda Lukiiko.
So, when the Katikkiro demanded electricity and water instead of self-government and total independence, in response to the then governor’s question : Kiki ekibaluma? (What are the problems of your country?). To which he answered: “Ttaala na mazzi†(electricity and water). The economic and political agitators of the time told the colonial and the Kabaka’s governments that water and electricity were not a priority.
The Baganda turned violent, which resulted into the 1945 (Namba munaana) and the 1959 (Namba mwenda) riots.
In my opinion, the Baganda of the time were right because although Uganda became independent on October 9, 1962, water and electricity have not yet spread to the whole of Uganda with every family household enjoying piped water and electricity after a period of almost 60 years since the two items were demanded!
The reader is the judge. Whether at the time, water and electricity were a priority among all Ugandans or whether it was a selfish demand for the elite
Baganda only.
Kulumba-Kiingi
Kampala