Furious Buganda Kingdom clan heads through Mubiru Njuuki the Secretary General of Bazzukulu ba Buganda International have set tough conditions for meeting their boss Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, the Kabaka of Buganda over their dealing with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
Last week Yusuf Mbirozankya, the clan head of Fumbe exclusively confirmed to theGrapevine that President Museveni has fulfilled his promise to buy for them two acres of land at Mengo opposite Bulange building, the headquarters of Buganda Kingdom.
Mbirozanya told theGrapevine that the money which sources in State House claims was about Shs10bn was directly deposited to the landlord’s bank account.
Highly placed sources in Buganda Kingdom close to the clan heads told theGrapevine that the process of transferring the land title from the names of the landlord who is a retired Bishop of one of the prominent religion in the country, to the names of the Battaka Trust, an association formed by Buganda Kingdom clan heads is ongoing.
Sources further told theGrapevine that the process to develop the said land is in high gear because President Museveni assured them of his full support in developing the land.
These source explained that the President told them that this gesture is one of the ways he established will help them to fight poverty so that they can also help their grandchildren (Bazzukkulu).
Sources allege that the clan heads are set to establish a commercial building on the land which will house their offices on the upper floors and the lower floors will be rented to business people to generate revenue.
However, on Sunday, Owekitiibwa Dan Muliika, a former Buganda Kingdom premier and also the advisor to Kabaka Mutebi told journalists that Kabaka told him that the section of Buganda Kingdom clan heads who met Museveni did not consult him when they were going to seal the said deal.
Muliika explained that in Buganda, clan heads don’t have powers to negotiate any deal with the central government without the knowledge of the Kabaka.
He added that Kabaka Mutebi always assigns the Kingdom premier to lead negotiations on behalf of Buganda.
Muliika noted that it is wrong for clan heads to meet Museveni and seal deals without the knowledge of Kabaka.
He added that in the early years when Museveni government had just restored Buganda Kingdom, he tried to compromise the clan heads including himself who is not a clan head with travels abroad but they declined to take the offer.
They further told him that for them to accept such offers, the Kabaka has to first give them the green light.
Muliika’s statements were supported by the recommendation made by Buganda parliament (Lukiiko) that sat today which asked the clan heads that before entering any developmental deals, they should first seek advice from Kabaka who is their boss.
Kingdom Premier (Katikkiro) Charles Peter Mayiga told the Lukiiko that the Kingdom was not aware of any arrangements involving the clan heads with either the President or the central government.
Mayiga castigated the clan heads who met the president that there is potential harm that could arise from such uncoordinated arrangements which might negatively impact the kingdom causing divisions within Buganda.
However, Njuuki has told theGrapevine that the clan heads are very disappointed with Kabaka Mutebi who is the chairperson of their council of the Buganda Kingdom clan heads for undermining them by sending his message to them through their grandson Muliika.
He explains that in Buganda culture, clan heads an independent organ of the Kingdom and are not subjected to Buganda Kingdom parliament.
He adds that it was wrong for Kabaka to look on as members of the Buganda parliament make demeaning recommendations against them.
He insists that before the clan heads met their grandson Museveni who is from the Ente (cow) clan, they first sought for audience with Kabaka through their council chairperson Omuttaka Anugustine Kizito Mutumba, the clan head of Kkobe clan who told them that the Kabaka was very busy.
“Our clan heads were very surprised to see Kabaka meeting event promoter Balaam Bagaruhare at the beach yet he had earlier told them that he did not have time for them knowing very well that they are the foundation of Buganda,” Njuki says.
A furious Njuki adds, “And they were very happy with president Museveni because he cancelled all the programs he had on the day he met them because he knows their importance in Buganda.”
He maintains that one of the reasons why they wanted a meeting with the Kabaka was to ask him why his Buganda Land Board refused to allow them to develop the land he gave them.
It should be remembered that Buganda Land Board (BLB) bosses refused the clan heads to develop land that the Kabaka had given them arguing that they didn’t have documents from Kabaka to confirm ownership, something that surprised them because BLB is supervised directly by the Kabaka.
When asked why they didn’t go back to Kabaka to ask for the documents, he said that he has avoided them for more than 10 years.
He maintains that they also wanted the Kabaka to explain to them why Buganda Land Board was selling their clan land and ancestral grounds.
He gave an example of the Empologoma (Lion) and Engo (Leopard) clans which lost their accenstral ground to Kabaka’s BLB.
Njuuki says that for years, clan heads have been writing to Kabaka complaining about their mistreatment and humiliation from Charles Peter Mayiga but he kept a deaf ear.
At one time they even asked the former Buganda Kingdom Minister for Culture, Security and Palace Affairs Owekitiibwa David Kiwalabye Male to add them to the category of people who are supposed to get a monthly salary from Mengo Establishment, but Kiwalabye told them to the facilitation from their grandchildren.
Njuki now wonders why Mengo is currently attacking them yet they are well aware that Museveni is one of their grandchildren.
Njuki was supported by Lands State Minister Dr. Sam Mayanja who warned Muliika to stop undermining and humiliating clans heads because has does not have that authority to do so.
“Before rushing to Ssabattaka, why not first go to his Namungoona clan head and inform him what is going on. Muliika should know that without clan heads, Buganda is nothing” Mayanja said.
However, Mutumba confirmed to theGrapevine that whatever deal was entered between a section of clan heads and Museveni was done in their personal capacity not on behalf of Buganda clan heads council or Buganda Kingdom.
He added that in whatever they do, they first get audience with Kabaka Mutebi which was not done.
He promised that the matter will be resolved amicably internally.
By Sengooba Alirabaki
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