Buganda clan heads have spoken out on the controversial meeting with President Museveni at State House in Entebbe.
In a statement by their secretary, Nsamba Aloysius Lubega, the clan leaders admitted that during their meeting with Museveni, they tabled before him key issues including some of the clan pieces of land that are under contention.
"The bataka(clan heads) met with the President of Uganda on March, 30, 2023 and tabled before him some of these pertinent issues including the challenging financial situation for the clans and their heads all together. In this meeting, the president promised to help us deal with the issues tabled before him and also decided to purchase a piece of land for all Buganda clan leaders to enable them build their different office in Kampala near Bulange Mengo but to also get ways of self sustaining," Lubega said.
The meeting that happened early this year is said to have been brokered by the State Minister for ICT , Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo and has since brewed a crisis at Mengo.
The Katikkiro of Buganda, Charles Peter Mayiga earlier this week told the Lukiiko(Buganda parliament) that the clan heads met President Museveni without informing or consulting the Kabaka .
Mayiga also noted that he too was never informed before the meeting took place.
The meeting between the Buganda clan heads has since been described as one for personal gains and not representing the interests of the kingdom.
In the statement on Thursday, the Buganda clan heads noted that a meeting held discussed the matter and that several resolutions were made among which was informing the Kabaka about the meeting.
"The Buganda clan heads applaud President Museveni for fulfilling the promise of working on the issues laid before him. The clan heads are preparing to announce before the Kabaka this gift( of land)."
The meeting
During the meeting in March , President Museveni said he was happy to meet with the Buganda clan heads.
"Some of those NRM people opposed the restoration of kingdoms saying it would escalate tribalism, but we explained to them how their existence would be of importance. We told them that the central government has a lot of work to do in keeping peace, developing the infrastructure and then kingdoms would concentrate on promoting good cultures and instilling good morals in society,"he said.
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The President recalled the meeting he had in August 1981 with Prince Ronald Mutebi then with the late Prof. Lule and they had agreed to restore Buganda's status like it was before the 1966 crisis.
"On my way to Libya I passed via London and Prof Lule linked me up with Prince Mutebi (now the Kabaka). Culture is good but it must be harmonized with modernity. This has been our message up to now and I thank Hon. Nabbosa for coordinating us."
The president said that the meeting with Buganda Clan heads is the beginning of a new chapter to have a systematic discussion of harmonizing culture and development.
"I'm happy that you have come. We must survive in the modern world. We should desist from using tribes and religions to divide Africans because we need to rebuild our economy, we need a bigger market both in Uganda and East Africa and Africa to become prosperous. We don't want cultures that take us back," Museveni noted.
The State Minister for ICT, Joyce Nabbosa Ssebuggwawo said the meeting would go a long way in mending the relationship between the central government and Mengo.
"Your Excellency, you very well know the history of Kingdoms and Buganda in particular. The Bataka (clan heads) are very important people in Buganda in instilling good cultures, discipline and promoting development," she said.
