Buganda Kingdom prime minister tips Ugandans on unity

By Mattias Mazinga

The Katikkiro (Buganda premier), Charles Peter Mayiga has asked Ugandans to respect each other’s cultural values, arguing that if Ugandans appreciated their respective tribal, cultural and religious differences, the unity that the country direly desired would easily be achieved.

“It is beautiful to belong to different tribes. No body can force us to belong to one tribe," he sadi.

"We cannot belong to the same religion either, because our interpretation of the scriptures is different. It is therefore crucial that we learn to live out the principle of unity in diversity. Accepting our differences is the basis of patriotism, unity and development.”

The Katikkiro said this during avisit to Light the World Church, Nansana on Sunday (April 27). The Pentecostal Church, which is led by Pastor Wilson Bugembe, was marking its Cultural Sunday.

Mayiga thanked Pastor Bugembe for championing national unity through his pastoral approach, which embraces all Ugandans, irrespective of their tribe, culture and religion. Mayiga also commended Bugembe for his commitment to orphans and destitute children.

Pastor Bugembe, who was visibly humbled by the Katikkiro’s visit, thanked him (the Katikkiro) for his visionary leadership, which he said had helped Buganda to prevail over its challenges.

“Katikkiro Mayiga is now the talk all over the country. Even the Bakiga and the Acholi like him because he has developed the kingdom and also reconciled it with the rest of the country,” Bugembe acknowledged.

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Pastor Bugembe (right) and other Pastors prayed for Katikkiro Mayiga during his visit to Light the World Church, Nansana

Bugembe later gave Mayiga the Church’s donation of sh1m (one million), towards the construction of Bulange Plaza. He also gave him a meritorious award of appreciation.

Earlier, the Katikkiro toured the various projects at the church, which included among others an orphanage.

A dose of humour

The three-hour function had some moments of humour.

There was a young man, David Magembe, who dramatized (mimicked) the attributes of Katikkiro Mayiga. Wearing a similarr hairstyle as Mayiga’s, he carried bricks on the podium to project Katikiro’s fundraising crusade for the reconstruction of the Masiro (Kasubi tombs).

Pastor Bugembe cunningly asked Mayiga to consider getting saved. “I would now ask you to declare the day you will get saved. But since you are the Katikkiro, I will not dare do that because it would be disrespectful of me.”

There was unprecedented excitement when Bugembe told the Katikkiro that he had found a wife to marry. “The fact is that I have seen a beautiful wife to marry. When the time is due, I will bring her to you.”

Katikkiro Mayiga rejected an interpreter. He said he spoke the Queen’s English so well that if he unleashed his accent, the Christians would fall off their chairs. He opted to translate for himself his Luganda speech into English.