There is tension between the Kingdom of Buganda and the Kkooki Chiefdom after security arrested Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi’s  top chiefs for trespassing on the territory of Apollo Sansa Kabumbuli, the traditional head of Kooki Chiefdom.

Julius Mpande, the Officer in Charge Rakai police Station confirmed the arrest and detention of Gertrude  Nakalanzi Ssebugwawo, the coordinator of Buganda Kingdom programmes in Kkooki Chiefdom, Joseph Mutyaba, Kabaka’s representative in Kabura county (Lumama), Paul Mwanje and Willy Kiyaga who were recently appointed by Kabaka as Kyarurangira Sub County chief and deputy respectively.

Mpande insists that the suspects were arrested carrying out an illegal act of installing Kabaka’s new appointees without informing the leadership of Kamuswaga, a legal independent cultural institution.

“Kkooki is an independent institution according to the documents we have and if those people were doing the right thing, I wonder why they had to hide in the bushes to perform their function” he said.

He revealed that the arrest of Kabaka’s chiefs was done to help save the region from any bloodshed which would have resulted from the fight between Kamuswaga’s royalists and Kabaka’s representatives.

Kamuswaga’s people were planning to attack Kabaka’s chiefs.

Mpande added that it was wrong for Buganda Kingdom chiefs to carry out cultural activities without informing the leadership of an independent chiefdom.

He was supported by Kkooki’s deputy prime minister Godfrey Kimbugwe who accused Buganda Kingdom officials of undermining their chiefdom well knowing that it is an independent cultural institution.

“We are a cultural institution recognised under the laws of Uganda, why do Buganda Kingdom officials keep undermining us to the extent of sending delegations to perform activities in our area without our knowledge?” Kimbugwe said.

However, Buganda Kingdom spokesperson Noor Kiyimba rubbished the allegations against their kingdom chiefs.

Kiyimba maintained that installing Sub County Chiefs in any of Kabaka’s Counties is normal and nothing illegal was done. He wondered where security got powers to arrest Kabaka’s men.

Buganda has been in a silent war with Kkooki and in 2018, Kooki Chiefdom attempted to stop Buganda’s premier Charles Peter Mayiga from visiting the area claiming that he was not given permission from the Kamuswaga to visit his cultural institution.

Kkooki has always accussed Buganda of breaching the 1896 agreement signed between the two cultural institutions. They claim they are bigger than a mere county.

In the heat of the disagreement, Buganda reminded Kooki that the 1896 agreement states that Kamuswaga has to pledge allegiance to the Buganda king.

In 2016, Kkooki banned the singing of the Buganda Kingdom anthem at all functions in their territories.

By Sengooba Alirabaki

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives is set to introduce a ban on the importation of bodabodas into the country.

Speaking to CBS radio, Harriet Ntabazi the State Minister for Trade revealed that this proposal is soon going to be introduced before cabinet for discussion.

She said that the movers of the said proposal are concerned about the number of boda bodas entering the country.

She added that many of these boda bodas were brought in illegally via porous borders so that they can be used in committing criminalities especially robbery.

Minister Ntabazi said that when the cabinet buys the proposal, it will be subjected to parliament for perusal and Members of Parliament will debate about it.

She was supported by Kampala Metropolitan minister Hajjat Minsa Kabanda who said that the process of regulating bodaboda business in Kampala is in the pipeline and very soon it will be implemented.

She disclosed that bodabodas without stages will not be allowed to operate in the city since such cannot be easily traced in case of any wrongdoing.

“They will not be chased out of the city, we just want to regulate their business and movement,” Kabanda said.

In his last address to the nation, president Yoweri Museveni revealed that bodabodas have many problems.

Even though he removed curfew, he stayed it for bodabodas.

By Sengooba Alirabaki

The Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Hon. Judith Nabakooba has proposed a new land law stopping the granting of bail to land grabbers.

Hon. Nabakooba also proposed that the sentences for land grabbers should be harsh so that other would be culprits are not tempted to mistreat and grab other people’s land.

The Minister also noted that such proposals and more are included in a comprehensive report which they are working on which they will soon table before President Museveni.

Nabakooba recently decided to embark on a field tour of rural communities in Central Uganda handling several cases of land evictions.

During the tours, she has halted several land evictions and ordered the arrest of some of the culprits.

“It seems Ugandans have completely lost respect for the law. Because back in the day, land evictions used to be straight forward. One went and obtained a court order. But even after getting one, they would not proceed with the eviction right away, they first consulted local leaders and engaged the law enforcement officers,” she said.

Hon. Nabakooba added, “These days, someone gets a lawyer’s letter and then gives people two weeks to leave. I found this in Mubende. Others just come with soldiers and claim ownership of land even before the land title has been transferred to their names.”

She also noted that even the soldiers and police who enforce these evictions are not doing so on behalf of government adding that some of them are just immoral government officials.

“So, when you approach them and bribe them they will do your bidding without even informing their seniors,” the minister said.

By Hope Kalamira