On 25 years of Kabaka on the throne

By Nsubuga Mukedi

25 Years of his Majesty Ronald Muwenda Mutebi Ii on the throne. What next for Buganda Kingdom?

The beauty, strength and significance of Buganda Kingdom is centered in the sustainable presence of the king on the throne, his territorial integrity, systems, structures, linkages and the people of Buganda at large.
 
As worthy Ugandans in diversity, we need to boost our respect, participation, involvement, commitment and love to our cultural institutions. This is because east or west, our cultures shape our destinies.

Cultural institutions are indispensable in shaping our lives, local space and strategic national ethics and integrity. Therefore, there is need to preserve, protect and uphold these institutions jealously and to strengthen their effective existence at all times.

Thanks to the NRM administration for re-constituting our beloved cultural and traditional institutions to cultivate sustainable peace, love, unity and local economic development. Bad governance and tyranny orchestrated by the past regimes set Uganda extremely backward by destroying our rich cultural and traditional heritage. Buganda Kingdom was part of the heavily destroyed cultural institutions.

What remains wanting at national and government levels is the spirited legal and financial commitment to fund and sustain these cultural institutions through our overall national budget. There is also a pending national issue of devolution of power into a much-cherished federal system of governance as enshrined in the Odoki Commission Report. I will endeavor to discuss the appropriate federal system of governance for Uganda in my next public opinion.

Uganda being a democratic country of the people, by the people and for the people and a state administered under the rule of law, policy and constitutionalism - Where it is constitutionally fenced that "Power belongs to the people", I trust that it is just a matter of time, soon and soon that the desired federal system of governance shall be seen to be done.

July 31, 1993 was a major turning point for Buganda Kingdom. It is a memorable day when the then Ssabataka of a nearly defunct Kingdom, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II was coroneted His Majesty the Kabaka of a new Buganda in a colorful function at Naggalabi Buddo.

Since then, things began to transform in Buganda. Restoration of a disintegrated kingdom began to take shape. Under the spirited cabinet and Katikkiroship of Ow'ek Mulwanyammuli Ssemwogerere, all the 18 counties of Buganda were revived, restored and the new county chiefs' appointed and placed. The great Lukiiko, which is the legislative arm of the Kingdom was restored and many other systems and structures were slowly but surely recovered and re-instituted.

We cannot forget the great contributions made by all the Kingdom leaders and Katikkiros before and after Ow'ek Mulwanyamuli Ssemwogerere to the incumbent Katikkiro, Ow'ek' Charles Peter Mayiga. A lot of developments have been garnered that include, CBS Fm, BBS Television, Muteesa I University, Schools, Institutions, Bulange building, Mengo Palace, Masengere, several kingdom lands and renowned Buganda Land Board restored. We thank God for these countless achievements.

We also applaud the kingdom for delaying to accept the Regional Tier System of governance donated by the governance of Uganda because its significance was not clear to the local citizenry.

Professor W W. Rostow, an economic historian enumerated the stages of development to include, the traditional, pre-condition to take off, take off, drive to maturity and the stage of high mass consumption. He continued to state that to navigate from one stage of development to another requires a minimum of 25 years of hard work and resilience to achieve success.

As the king of Buganda celebrates 25 years of hard-earned success on the throne, this whole year a lot of new strategic issues open up for yet another similar period.

There is need to boost the kingdom's economy to adequate levels by turning every possible aspect of it into a commercial enterprise. To achieve this requires a competitive step forward programme that addresses key strategic issues that include an aggressive, creative and innovative workforce, local and global economic cooperation, strategic resource mobilisation, corporate social benefit, accountability, professionalisation of the kingdom and above all, effective service delivery.

We live to see our peoples king celebrating his golden jubilee in years to come powered by our Heavenly Father and the people's power.

"Long live the King of Buganda".

The writer is a development consultant and a senior public management scientist.