President Yoseri Museveni of Uganda has of late been telling anyone that would care to listen that he would like to meet with His Majesty, the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II. Mr. Museveni mistakenly believes that meeting with the Kabaka of Buganda will somehow disentangle him from the political mayhem he has caused in Buganda and Uganda in general. However, the reported request by Mr. Museveni to hold a meeting with His Majesty is, to put it bluntly a dim idea.

Museveni's most recent problems with Buganda stem from his tabling of the ridiculous and ill-conceived Amendment Land Bill 2007, which has designs on private property and Buganda's 9000 square miles of communal land. Despite all manner of trickery there is unanimity in Buganda's hatred of the draft Land Bill.

To Museveni's dismay, the hated Land Bill which was intended to bring divisions has instead united the Baganda against this openly naked legislative attack on the right to own property. Museveni's hope that the rest of the country would rally behind him to squeeze the Baganda suffered a premature death when the rest of Uganda coalesced bar the Western region in support Buganda's position.

Faced with Buganda's rejection of his leadership and the Land Bill, Museveni sought to "consult" with the Kabaka; thinking that perhaps he may be able to force His Majesty into accepting the bill on behalf of the Baganda. When the Kabaka turned down the request to meet with Museveni, Museveni in a rather imprudent and desperate act resorted to kidnaping Buganda government officials, thinking erroneously that this would force the Kabaka's hand to meet him.

Museveni's basic problem stems from his and his political handlers inability to grasp the rudimentary understanding of how Buganda operates. He is routinely misadvised perhaps deliberately on things Buganda by renegades like Peter Muliira who knows the truth that His Majesty the Kabaka does not and will never negotiate on behalf of Buganda or the Baganda.

A cursory review of modern Buganda history bares out this fact. During the 1953 crisis when the Kabaka was kidnaped and deported to England, he refused to negotiate with the colonial British government to secure his release. It took a special committee of Mmengo ministers and chiefs, selected by the Great Lukiiko, to negotiated for Buganda and secured Kabaka's release. Even during the Lancaster House negotiations for independence, the Kabaka did not negotiate for Buganda but rather selected Buganda government officials from Mmengo.

It is therefore wishful thinking on Museveni's part that the Kabaka has the mandate or the desire to negotiate with him about Buganda's issues.

What Buganda needs and demands from Uganda is publicly known. Buganda's rights, privileges, land and properties among other things were expropriated by Uganda in broad daylight and they are documented. Therefore Mr. Museveni cannot pretend not to know what rightfully belongs to Buganda. It does not require a meeting with the Kabaka. What Buganda needs was also documented by Museveni's government when a report was submitted by the Mmengo establishment to the Odoki constitutional commission.

Since Mr. Museveni is aware of Buganda's demands, any negotiations should be on the modalities and timetable for the return of what was expropriated. These kinds of negotiations do not require the presence of Kabaka but rather a team of officials from Mmengo duly selected by the Great Lukiiko. As well, any negotiations should not be with Museveni but rather with Uganda's elected representatives in parliament.

In the effort to hog all the power in the country, Museveni made a constitution that barred Mmengo and Kabaka from involving themselves in "politics". It does not help matters that Museveni's definition of "politics" is always evolving.

In addition, Museveni has a checkered reputation when it comes to negotiations and agreements. He has been stringing Buganda along for over 20 years, negotiating and promising to do something only when it suits him. But he always conveniently has an excuse not to implement the agreement. When he is reminded of what was agreed upon, he then calls for another meeting. Only a political imbecile would believe in negotiating with Museveni. Buganda does not need Museveni or Uganda to survive. Museveni cannot have his cake and eat it too.

Historically , the kabaka of Buganda cannot and will never engage directly in any discussions with anyone
concerning the Kingdom of Buganda not even M7 !
M7 the snake is out to try and play his usual lies and mischief after kiddnaping and throwing Kabaka's Ministers in jail ! We remember very well
when M7's masters the British colonialists in 1953 prior to the exile of King Freddie when the Governor was putting
pressure on Kabaka to go into discussion on issues concerning Buganda so they could steal Buganda land (9000 sq miles).Isn't this to-day the same wine but in a different bottle by Wakayima M7 ?
Kabaka Sir Edward Muteesa refused vehemently to engage himself into any negotiations with the Governor Andrew Cohen , he reffered him to
Lukiiko that represents views and aspirations of the people of BUGANDA.
M7 should do likewise. Let him go to the Lukiiko of Buganda through the Katikiiro of Buganda Eng. Walusimbi and not Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi.
Kabaka wa Buganda tattesa there are well designed insititutions and venues to do that on his behalf period. M7 should consult those channels.

nange kino nkiwagira

Balyokwabwe----otesezza burungi------nange nkuwagira.

I always remind you people that there is one time when Moi the former presido of Kenya said that " if you wanna dine with m7, you have got to use a long fork, the size of a garden fork" this means that even fellow politicians do not trust this old man. The Kabaka should not at any one moment meet this man, he played his role when he risked his life in the bush war when he visted the figheters to boost their morale. Its now m7 to fulfill the promise.

Tell a friend

The Kabaka should not meet Museveni to discuss the Land bill or any political issues.


»Dictator? President Yoweri MuseveniMuch has been said about the 'Mengo three' kidnapped officials who were held for over the 48 hours and the motive for the barbaric actions by the state operatives under the command of president Museveni. However the Uganda Citizen has learnt that the real reason behind the arrests of the mengo officials(that is Charles Mayiga, Medard Lubega and Betty Nambooze) on 18.08.2008 was to scare the Kabaka and force him to meet Museveni over the contentious land bill and the way CBS radio is run. Museveni has never been happy with CBS (Buganda radio) for offering a voice to all political parties so as to sell their policies to the masses. His fear of being challenged or entrenching the freedom of expression has made the president issue several warnings about closing down the radio station.

Museveni has been soliciting a meeting with his Majesty the King of Buganda Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi for over two years but to no avail. The president seems desparate and would like the support of the Kabaka to support the new proposed land bill which has been rejected by the different religious leaders, the Mengo establishment, the Acholis among other kingdoms. It is indeed by no surprise that the proposed land bill has met a lot of resistance given the fact that the government is pushing it through without proper consultations with relevant stake holders. Among those stake holders is the Buganda kingdom that is demanding the return of 9000 sq miles of land from central government, a federo political system for Uganda and the return of the kindgom properties that are currently being occupied by the government without paying rent. Some of these properties include the Makindye army barracks buildings etc.

Why does Museveni insist on meeting the Kabaka?

President Museveni seems not to understand where the power lies in Buganda and therefore thinks that meeting the Kabaka over the land bill will be the solution to his unpopularity in the country. However some commentators for example the ex Buganda prime minister Dan Mulika have advised that even if Museveni gets to meet the kabaka, that does not mean that the kingdom will support his battered proposed land bill. Buganda as an insistution has the Katikiiro and his cabinet as the political figures responsible for dealing with central government, therefore there's no reason at all for the president to meet the kabaka over any political issues. Museveni contradicts himself a lot. He has been qouted for having said that the Kabaka is a local chief who should not be involved in politics however it is the same president who is now calling for a meeting with the kabaka to discuss political matters. Many Mengo officials have been cunning enough to object to this proposed meeting because they are very a ware that the president is trying to use the soft/unreasonable route and sell his idea to the kingdom through the kabaka. Museveni's startegy is to try and secure the support of the kabaka which will then leave his majesty unpopular among his subjects. However the kabaka unlike Musevni is very a ware of his powers and respects the Buganda institution and hence understandbly he does not see the need to meet the president over any political matters. The Uganda Citizen also supports this stance and would like to salute the Mengo government for being principled