News | August 5, 2009 Daily monitor.

Emmanuel Gyezaho & Robert Mwanje

...Although the President says his letter was meant for internal discussions and is subject to change, the country’s political landscape took on a tribal hue yesterday after officials at Mengo, the seat of Buganda Kingdom, announced plans to register all Baganda.

Mengo’s Information Minister Medard Lubega said the registration will be carried out through clan heads and will include births and deaths.
“The Kabaka must know his people in total for proper planning,” Mr Lubega said. “We also want to be sure about the origin of our people.”
Baganda are the largest ethnic group in the country with an estimated population of over seven million people.

Internal Affairs Minister Kirunda Kivejinja yesterday said the central government has no trouble with the scheme.
“Once it’s done un-politically, like through the clans, the kingdom is free to count her people,” Mr Kivejinja said by telephone.
Buganda’s Lukiiko [Parliament], this week approved a Shs 15million budget for the exercise. According to the Kingdom Treasurer Ms Nagawa Mukasa, the kingdom will also issue identity cards to all registered Baganda.

It is not clear whether Buganda’s move is in response to the President’s letter. What is clear is that the proposal comes at a time when relations between Buganda Kingdom and the central government are lukewarm. Buganda opposes the proposed expansion of Kampala City to include more of its territory, proposed amendments to the Land Act, and the central government’s refusal to discuss granting it a federal system of government.

The sky is the limit.