Robert Mwanje
5 July 2009
A group of Baganda on Friday heckled Buganda Kingdom Katikkiro (premier) Eng. John Baptist Walusimbi protesting his stand that Mengo holds talks with the central government over the monarch's demands like federo, the 9,000 square miles and the planned city takeover.
The big audience at Lubiri turned against Mr Walusimbi when he opposed the stand by kingdom elders [Bataka] that the extension of Kampala boundaries and the proposed Land Amendment Bill 2007 be dropped unconditionally.
But Mr Walusimbi instead said Buganda should consider dialogue with central government as a "civilised option", prompting hundreds of Baganda to jeer at him. "That's totally unacceptable, for how long shall we [Baganda] be fooled? We don't need any more negotiations with central government over obvious issues," one man in the charged crowd shouted.
The jeers forced Mr Walusimbi to stop his speech for several minutes.
This was during the closure of Buganda Cultural Tourism Exhibition that was graced by Kabaka Ronald Mutebi II.
One Mr Lubulwa said: "We are tired of endless talks with the government. For over 20 years nothing has been achieved but the government is finishing up our land." But the Katikkiro maintained a confrontational approach would not exhibit Buganda's maturity and respect.
"I strongly believe that as Buganda, a civilised kingdom, we should not ignore the dialogue approach. We have not failed yet and if we fail, we shall then consider other options," Mr Walusimbi told the murmuring audience. He was reacting to the Chairman Bataka Council, Eng. Nakirembeka Waliggo, who earlier called for Baganda's "total resistance" against the government's plan to extend Kampala boundaries. He described the proposal as a political ploy to grab the kingdom's land and weaken the kingdom further.
"The government should force this plan on us at its own risk," he said.
He cautioned the Kabaka against traitors who have betrayed Buganda time and again. "Your highness the Kabaka, be careful about the double dealers around you. You see the most harmful person is not the enemy you know but a friend who learns about your enemy's plan to finish you and keeps quiet," Mr Nakirembeka said.
Last week, Local Government Minister Adolf Mwesige tabled the "Kampala Capital City Bill 2009", in which the government seeks to abolish KCC and take over the administration of the capital.
The Bill among others provides for a legal basis for the central government to take over the administration of the city. The development was one of the key highlights of the 2005 constitutional amendment process. Constitutionally, Kampala capital city is not part of Buganda.
Once the Bill passed, Kampala will reduce Buganda's territory by extending to Mukono, Entebbe, Wakiso, Entebbe districts and parts of Mpigi District and put an end to the direct election of the mayor. The new city structure provides for an executive director, a resident city commissioner and division heads, all appointed by the President.
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