Anti-riot police yesterday fought running battles with hundreds of Baganda youth who were preparing for the Kabaka's controversial visit to Kayunga.

Members of the Banyala tribe are claiming autonomy from Buganda Kingdom and have vowed to block the Kabaka's visit scheduled for Saturday. The dispute took a wider dimension yesterday with a cultural leader of the Banyala claiming that he had received support from the Banyoro and the Baruuli tribes, which are opposed to Buganda, to block the visit.

Business came to a standstill at the district headquarters after about 50 anti-riot police officers, under the command of Central Region Police Commander, Mr Richard Mivule, sealed off the office premises.

The heavily-armed officers then shot teargas canisters at the group of Baganda who were erecting exhibition stalls and tents ahead of the Kabaka's scheduled visit later this week.

The crowd forced to disperse included four Buganda Kingdom ministers: Mr Kabuuza Mukasa (Royal Travels), Ms Florence Bagunywa (Youth), Dr Nelson Kawalya (Health) and Mr George Kumama (Cooperatives). "It's stunning that this is the kind of Police we have today. They poured teargas on people who were peaceful but we are not shaken by the cruel action and the celebrations must take place as planned," Mr Mukasa said by telephone yesterday.

Police also shot in the air as they fought to stop the construction of stalls and tents. Several people were arrested in the ensuing scuffle while many others sustained injuries as they fled for their lives.

Police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba, however, said the group was intercepted carrying machetes and clubs. "Our officers in the area have told me that they tried to engage the youth but they stubbornly resisted and we were prompted to use some teargas to disperse them," she said by telephone yesterday.

The dispute appeared to suck in more tribes yesterday after the leader of the Banyala, Capt. Baker Kimeze, told journalists in Kayunga Town yesterday that he had received a "back-up force" of volunteers from Buruuli and Bunyoro to assist the Banyala defend their "sovereignty".

He said: "We have got a boost from our brothers from Buruuli and Bunyoro who have expressed readiness to assist us to defend ourselves against the Baganda who want to forcefully bring their Kabaka to our kingdom without permission."

"Bugerere and Buruuli counties were just donated to Buganda by colonialists to thank them for helping them to defeat Omukama Kabalega. This county was independent," he added. However, Daily Monitor could not readily establish the presence of volunteers from the two ethnic groups.

Last Sunday, the government deployed more Riot and regular Police in Kayunga with road blocks mounted on all major roads to and from Kayunga town.

Despite the heavy deployment, business in Kayunga town remained normal but commuter taxis and private motorists are thoroughly searched. Vehicles carrying items like firewood, poles and stones which Police think could be used by the two worrying sides to fight each other are not allowed to enter the district until they are cleared.

The celebrations are scheduled to begin on Wednesday with a cultural exhibition climaxing on Saturday with the closure by the Kabaka.

Police participated in uprooting poles which were being used in constructing the exhibition stalls as the youth were ordered to vacate the venue.

The Mengo-Bugerere County chief, Mr Musoke SSevume, who was supervising the exercise was later whisked to Kayunga Police Station where he was briefly quizzed before being let free.

Yesterday over 100 Baganda elders gathered at Ntejeru District headquarters to discuss the blockage of the Kabaka's visit to the district but the meeting ended prematurely after the speaker Bugerere elder's council, Mr John Lubega, urged the Bataka to keep calm over the matter and wait for the outcome of a meeting between Capt. Kimeze, State Minister for Elderly Affairs Sulaiman Madada and Kayunga District leadership in the chairman's office.

At Mengo, Kingdom officials remained adamant that the Kabaka would go ahead with the visit despite an earlier warning from the government, to call off the trip citing security reasons.

Buganda acting Information Minister, Mr Medard Lubega told journalists at Bulange, Mengo, the Kingdom's seat yesterday that the Kingdom was ready to deal with "whoever attempts to disrupt" the Kabaka's tour. "We expect the government to provide security to the Kabaka and if they fail his subjects are ready to guard him. We can choose to get spears, machetes and sticks to protect our king," he told Journalists. "The action by Police to stop the organisers from erecting tents in the area will not deter us and we have not moved an inch," he said.

He challenged the government to arrest the Banyala leader, Capt. Kimeze, saying he should face the court martial because he is a serving army official who is "threatening violence against the Kabaka". "It is becoming increasingly apparent that there is an ongoing project to undermine and break up the Kingdom of Buganda by using opportunists like Kimeze who claim to be the cultural leader of Banyala," he said adding: "This is a serving army officer who is inciting violence and should face the court martial."

In a September 1 letter to Buganda Katikkiro John Baptist Walusimbi, Internal Affairs Minister Kirunda Kivejinja warned the Kabaka over the pending contested visit in the area predicting possible violence if he insists on a planned tour of the want-away province. This the third time in three years the Kabaka is facing resistance from sections of the Baruuli and Banyala communities.

Last year, the Kabaka was blocked from visiting Nakasongola District - the strong hold of Baruuli community to mark Buganda's 46th Independence Anniversary on grounds that he never sought permission from Mwogezi Butamanya, which Mengo flatly rejected.

And in 2006, when the Kabaka went to preside over the Buganda Bika Football Tournament in Nakasongola, a pro-Ssaabaruuli faction threatened to cause violence, prompting heavy security deployment in the area.