Ttabamiruka (Buganda Conference 2012)
Let me start with the former Prime Minister of Britain, Lord Salisbury. He told an audience in London: “We have been giving away mountains, rivers and lakes to each other, only hindered by the little impediment that we never knew exactly where they were.” This was just after the Berlin Conference, where 14 representatives of European countries and the USA met to divide up the African continent among them. Without regard to the thousands of African Chiefdoms and Kingdoms, these colonial businessmen divided Africa into about 40 territories. A quick look at the map of Africa will reveal that about half of the boundaries are straight lines. The whole idea was to fulfill their commercial interests. These are the boundaries that the Africans are fighting over.
The question is why is it that ever since the colonial masters left, African leaders have failed to convene a “Berlin Conference” of their own – call it a Harare or Entebbe conference – to adjust these boundaries ? Instead, they have been just complaining about these boundaries, and fighting to keep them intact.
Could it be that the Africans (I mean those who call themselves our leaders) have an innate weakness to negotiate – even among themselves! Or is it the enormous respect Africans have towards the Bazungu that prevent us from tampering with the boundaries as they planned them for us?
But look at how ridiculous these boundaries are. Take the example of The Bakongo Kingdom: a part is in Congo Brazzaville; half in DRC and a quarter in Angola. Coming closer at home: last month the Alur of Alur Kingdom in Arua, they went across the Congo border to meet their counter parts, part of the Alur kingdom living in Congo. Why should we continue to blame the colonial cartographers? The African leaders are the ones who have failed us.
When Oweek. Makubuya mentioned that my remarks should start with the year 1966 I became curious. That was a fateful year. On May 24, General Ironsi, President of Nigeria at that time, attacked the Kingdoms and ordered the end of Federalism in Nigeria. On the same day Obote ordered Amin to attack the Lubiri at Mengo, and ended the Federal constitution in Uganda.
Till that day, no known hatred existed between us and the Langi people. Indeed we still remembered with emotional gratitude, how people in that region defended Kabaka Mwanga against the British who were trying to capture him. They were friendly. However, Obote’s act on May 24 suggested something else. And a few months later, he consummated his evil plan by banning kingdoms all together, thus rebranding Uganda a Republic – and every time the word Republic is used, keep in mind it is intended to remind us of the end of Buganda Kingdom. Note also that many well known republics do not even have the word republic in their names. Rarely does anyone talk about the Republic of the United States of America. They do not even have the word republic in their names. Yet it is a republic. And there are many others.
The effects of that attack on Lubiri are well known. But doubtful are the reasons why Obote did such an act. One of the rarely mentioned reasons is something known as the miss-education of the African. Of course miss- education implies someone miss educating. In this case that was done by the Bazungu. They convinced so many that everything African was primitive. Even a form of public administration, so fine as the Buganda’s, was deemed primitive and backward.
Unfortunately, tracings of this mentality continues up to this day. Otherwise why is it that 26 years since Obote left office, Buganda has not been restored to its full vitality ? It actually means that Obote was not the only miss educated African around. Several small Obotes are still with us. Bu Obote obuto bukyaliwo wano.
One may argue of course that it takes time to restore any kingdom once disturbed. When the United Kingdom was interrupted in 1649, it took 11 years before Charles II regained the throne. Prof. knows better how that happened.
So then after 27 years, Buganda is restored – but only half way. Why half way? Possibly, it is because the trend has been to despise everything African. And we are not the ones suffering this type of mentality. I will give two examples. The first is what happened in Chad. Francoire Tombalbaye became Chad’s first President when they were granted independence. He immediately started ridiculing the traditional chiefs, the Sultans. He went to the extent of banning the wearing of turbans on their heads. Obviously he had never heard of the idea that government rules best, that rules least. He started repressive measures all of which were intended – in his opinion of course – to create what he considered a modern state. Those were the causes of the civil war. A few years later he was killed in an army coup; and the Sultans got back into their former way of life.
The second example is what happened in Mozambique. This is where President Museveni spent quite a bit of time with Frelimo Guerilla fighters under Samora Machel. Machell tried to bring to an end traditional customs and to eliminate the influence of chiefs. He insisted that his final aim was to create total independence, to establish peoples power, and to build a new society – something like a fundamental change. Unfortunately, these were the very sentiments that provoked widespread discontent, and eventually fueled the civil war. Here was another miss educated African.
Churchill used to say, “Tradition has never hurt a nation. On the contrary, it has been of great help in times of danger.” Some people are known to ridicule us, referring to us as ‘traditionalists’. Interestingly, after ridiculing us, they quite often quote a proverb in their language, without realizing that all proverbs are rooted in tradition. In other words, here comes a non-traditionalist, quoting a proverb rooted in his own tradition.
Yet it should be obvious by now, that the trend is to return to our traditions – and to polish them up wherever it is necessary. The trend started in simple ways, by returning to our original names. That was why Dr Danquah suggested that The Gold Coast should be known by its original name, Ghana. That was way back in 1949. Since then:
Upper Volta has reverted to Bukina Faso
The French West Africa to Mauritania, Mali and Niger
Portuguese Guinea to Guinea Bissau
South West Africa to Namibia
Leopoldville to Kinshasa
Bechuanaland to Botswana
Basutoland to Lesotho
Southern Rhodesia to Zimbabwe
Northern Rhodesia to Zambia
Elizabethville to Lubumbashi
Stanleyville to Kisangani
Nyasaland to Malawi
The list is long. You do not hear of Bombay any more. It is Mumbai.
But look at us here. We are abandoning our dignified tittles of e Gombolola , Emiruka and Abatongole which are indigenous and have some meaning. We are replacing them with LCI, LCII, LCIII- all of which have no meaning at all. Talking of the miss educated Africans, here is the finest example.
Fortunately it is difficult to change our clan names and tittles. Therefore Abataka Ab’obusolya will remain; and so will all the other tittles down to Oluggya n’ennyumba.
There was even talk of phasing out the teaching of Luganda. Incidentally, I had a casual meeting with one of the Ministers of education. He confirmed: no one would have the audacity to do such a thing. In my opinion I do not see why we do not teach all our languages. What would be wrong with a Muganda speaking Luo fluently? How proud would I be when addressing a school in Mbarara in their own language? Let’s teach our languages to ourselves – without of course giving up the exotic ones like English, French, Chinese, Arabic, and Japanese – all the languages that will justify our talking about the global village.
Incidentally, think about the Luganda language in arithmetic. We have single words where the English can’t find any. Omutwalo ; they have two words. Akasiriivu ; they have three. For a thousand trillion, they have nothing ; we call it Akafukunya. And Obufukunya olukumi ke Keesedde. Okuva awo ffe tugenda ku Butabalika – nga bo baabuzedda. And you talk of despising such a language?
Now let me get to Owek. Makubuya’s assignment. Most of what happened in and after 1966 is well known. We gave a thunderous welcome to Idi Amin when he overthrew Obote. And we all know , that it was not because of the great love that we had for Amin who had led the brutal attack upon the Lubiri. It was for the deep resentment that we had against Obote.
The Baganda hoped that with the departure of Obote, Buganda might be restored. And when returned Sekabaka Muteesa’s body, we knew that Buganda was on its way back. Those of us who were the youth of the day, then hiding away in the USA, we returned with high hopes.
Ebyaddirira awo mu bimanyi bulungi. Ka nzire ku byennalaba n’amaaso gange. Munnange bwe twava e Buddo fembi, James Bwogi, yayogera bwogezi ati kyandibadde kitya singa omuntu atandisewo radio station eyiye ? Amin yewuunya mu lwatu, nti omuntu ayinza atya okwogera ku kussaawo radio station eyiye – okujjako nga agenderera kusuula gavumenti ? Bwogi yabula mu nnaku ntono nnyo : na guno gujjwa . Omuwala Nanziri, twali tuvudde naye mu New York nga tukomyewo. Ye yali akulira Africa Hall e Makerere. Oyo bamusuula mu Sezzibwa, ng’abuzaayo omwezi gumu azaale. Kyali kigambibwa nti teewaali mukazzi amwenkana mu Mathmatics mu East Africa. Oyo yagenda bwatyo.
Nze nnali wa mukisa: oluvannyuma lw’essande bbiri mu kaduukulu e Makindye, omu ku baakolanga mu State Research yabbira ku munnange nti baali bajja okunzirukira oluvannyuma lw’essaawa nga bbiri. Batono abaatwaalibwa mu State Research nebadda.
Nadduka za mbwa; yogayooga nga ndi mu Nairobi. Eyo gyennasanga bannange nabo abaali badduse ekibabu, nga n’abamu baayita ku lugwanyu ddala. Buli lwe najjukiraqnga omuserikale w’Amini eyanninnya mu bulago e Makindye, nanteekako n’ekibaawo ku mutwe n’atuula kuli nanywa ne ka ssigala, ne ng’amba nti buli kisoboka kyonna tujja kukikola okugoba Amini wano.
Mu myezi bwezi twali tumaze okukwatagana ne bannange Robert Sserumaga, Yoseph Kimbowa, Peter Sennabulya omusawo w’amaaso ali awo mu-town, David Wasswa twali twava fenna e Buddo, Bazilio Mumaanya eyali muganda wa Serumaga – abo bombi Serumaga ne Mumaanya baali beddira Nvubu era nga fenna tusibuka Ssese , Kefa Kakumba, ne Robert Sebunnya ayinza nokuba nga wano waali. Twegattako nabalala bangi ne tukola ekibiina ekyayitibwa nga Uganda Nationalists Organisation. Ekitebe kyakyo ekikulu kyalinga mu Kampala, naye nga emirimu egisinga gikolerwa Nairobi.
Bannaffe mu Kampala amannya gaali nga ga ngero. Era buli gwe bavumbulanga ng’attirwaawo. Eyali akulira offisi yaffe mu Kampala twamuyitanga Kawuka. Ekyomukisa omubi twali tubuzaayo ennaku nga bbiri tuwambe Kampala, ne bamuvumbula. Tetwamuwuliza gwa kubiri.
Ekyali kigendererwa kya UNO, kwali kuggya Amini mu Uganda okusooka; tuzze Uganda ku musingi ogukkiriza buli banna Uganda okubeera n’eddembe beeronderewo engeri gye baagala okukulemberwamu. Ndowooza awo mu laba Abaganda kye bandironze. Kyenng’amba kiri bwe kityi. Okuzzaawo Buganda kye kyaali ekigendererwa ekisingira ddala obukulu.
Bwe tutyo buli muntu natunda ke yalina. Twali tuteekwa okukung’anya abavubuka okuva wano nga tubatwaala okubatendeka. Waliwo lwe nnagula tikiti z’omusolo 400 omulundi ogumu awo mu City Council; kata batwaale Kojja eyagenda okuzigulayo ng’agamba ati baali bakozi ba Kampuni ya Mayengo. Bwe ba mugamba nti baali balindaki okutuuka mu mwezi ogwekkuminogumu, yaba gamba bugambi ati kale ka tulinde tusasulire ddala ku mwaka ogujja. Awo we baamugambira nti sasula. Kojja Kafeero Mbaziira , yafa mu February. Yali Muganda okuva ku bugere okutuuka ku nviiri. Yali akimanyi bulungi nti omulimu gwaffe gwaaali gwa kulwanirira Buganda. Munnaffe Joseph Kimbowa – nabadde ng’ambye n’okumuleeta wano – yalina Benz semi trailer nnya. Zonna mpya. Yasooka natunda emu, ssente nazissa mu lutalo; natunda ey’okubiri, natunda ey’okusatu n’ey’okuna. Zonna ne ziggwaawo. Waaliwo Aba Isiraiyiri lwe bagamba nti bayinza okukozesa team ya ba Komando baleete enkyukaakyuuka mu Kampala. Olukiiko lwatuula e Geneva – Kimbowa ye yasasula ssente zonna. Era ssente ze yali aterese mu Bungereza ze yaguzisanga ebintu ebizimba ebyamangu, zonna Pounds emitwalo ebiri, nazissa mu lutalo. Banaffe abalala nabo benyigira mu lutalo lwa Amini, nabo ssente ezakolanga bazisabirizanga busabiriza. Nze waliwo lwe nnatunda ebizimbe ebyange bitaano, ko nennyumba kati ye Club y’Abayitale e Muyenga.
Bazilio Mumanya muganda wa Serumaga, yatuwa Loore Benz tuleete e mmundu e Kampala. Aba Amini bagikwatira Najjanankumbi ( waliwo eyatuloopa) ne bagitwala; Omuvubuka mutabani w’omugenzi Dr Bulwa ye yali ku lore eyo. Oyo bamutta ne banne bombi; emmundu ne bazitwaala, n’emifaliso egyaliko.
Kye mbagamba kiri bwe kityi: ku nkomerero ya byonna, twali tulina ekigendererwa kimu: kuzzaawo Buganda.
Twatuula 18 mu offiisi yange eyalinga mu kizimbe kya IPS wakati mu Nairobi, ne tusalawo okwetaba mu lukiiko lwe Moshi. Kwolwo waliwo n’abagenyi. Prof. Kabwegyere owe Makerere yalimu; Matia Ngobi; Samwiri Mugwisa owa UPC, Andereya Kayiira. OLwonno twali tugamba mbu twali tuteesa ku nsonga za mbaga ya munnaffe.
Oluvannyuma lw’okuyita mu makubo ge ssiyinza kwogerako wano, twatuuka mu lukiiko lw’e Moshi. Mu bannange bennagenda nabo , nze nzekka nze gwe bakkiriza okutuula mu lukiiko olwo. Wabula bwe ntunula, ku Baganda bonna abalulimu, tewali noomu eyali talwanirira Buganda kuddawo, yadde Paulo Muwanga. Kino nakitegeera bulungi nga bansibye naye mu Kaduukulu ( By the way e Kenya bansiba emirundi esatu – mbu lwa kutandika kibiina ekyali kitabula gavumenti ya Uganda ).
Mu kaduukulu ne Paulo Muwanga, twatuula nga babiri mu kasengeke ku seminti, ne twogera okumala ennaku 183. Namatira; naye yali Muganda ddala. Era nga tussa kimu. Namuuuza nnyo ku mukwanogwe n’abatali Baganda. Yangamba nti bo besigwa okusinga Abaganda, bwe mukkanya tebakyuuka. Yannyinnyonnyola nti Jajjaawe, yomu ku baakima enjole ya Sekabaka Mwanga okuva eyo mu bizinga gyeyakisiza omukono. Yagamba nti era oyo taatawe yomu ku baasereka Muzibu-azaala mpaga e Kasubi. Nti era mu ku mwebaza, Kabaka yawa jajjaawe ettaka Muwanga ne banne kwe baazimba Sapooba Bookshop e Katwe. Awo we yambuulizanga oba Omuganda asingawo.
Ate oba namubuuza ne kyokugamba abantu nti “ Abaganda tujja kubatta nnyo kubanga emagombe tejjula”. Yagamba ati ekyo te yakyogera. Yannyonnyola nti bwebaali baziika chairman wa UPC abayeekera gwe baali basse e Luweero eyo, nayogera ku ntaana . Yagamba nti “Kaakati bano abase ono, balowoozaq batya ? Nti emagombe ejjula ? Emagombe tejjula;nabo bajja kufa.” Ab’amawulire enkeera bo bawandiika bwe batyi nti “ Paulo Muwanga yagambye nti Abaganda tujja kubatta nnyo kubanga emagombe tejjula.” Yang’amba ati okirabye ; Abaganda bwe bakukyaawa, bakyusa kumpi buli kyogera.
Awo we yang’ambira nti ne kiri kye bagamba nti Obote yagamba nti Omuganda afudde ye Muganda omulungi nti nakyo tekyali kituufu. Ssi bweyayogera.
Ka nzireyo ku topic ya Owek. Makubuya. Mu lukiiko lw’e Moshi Abaganda twalimu nze, Dr Bisase, Sam Sebagereka, Paulo Muwanga, Dr Peter Sinnabulya, ne Prof. Lule ne Andereya Kayiira. Ku abo bonna tekwali n’omu eyali talwanirira Buganda Kuddawo. Ebya Muwanga mbibabuulidde.
Twali tetulwanirira Prof. Lule kulya bwa Pulezident. Mu by’obufuzi yali tamanyiddwa. Wabula fenna twalina obwesige nti ngakulembedde, kyangu okuzzaawo Buganda okusinga ng’omulala yakulembedde.
Era mu kukubaganya ebirowoozo awo mu lukiiko, newankubadde Ben Mkapa yatusokasokaanga ati mwanguye, naye twali nga begendereza. Prof Lule kwolwo yavuganya na Paulo Muwanga. Baali babiri bokka. Dr Aliker ye yasooka okuwagira Peter Sinnabulya eyali aleese erinnya lya Lule. Naye Sebagereka bwe yasituka , yayogera kaati. Yagamba ati bwetumala tulonda Muwanga , abantu ( 0lwonno ng’agamba Baganda) bajja kulowooza nti UPC ekomyeewo, nga ate UPC ebawunyira ziizi. Kyeyali agamba kyali nti abantu nga bakyagezaako okulaba oba nga banatereera Buganda ne ddawo, nga kizibu okulowooza nti eyinza okuddawo nga musajja wa Obote Muwanga yali mu mitambo.
Kale ate oba n’Obote yali akimanyi. Bwe yasooka okusindika abatabaazii abaasooka, e Masaka awo wonna mu Buddu teyaweerezaayo atali Muganda. Yali asindiseeyo Paulo Muwanga, Samwiri Mugwisa, Joseph Lukwago, Willie Magambo, ne Francis Kizito. Bamatize a Baganda nti Baganda be bakomawo. Baali tebateekwa kusiinya ku linnya lye. Ekyennaku kati bonna bafu okujjako Willie Magambo ne Samwiri Mugwisa.
Abo bwe kyasalibwaawo nti baali bateekwa okuva mu ddwaniro Prof. Lule aweerezeyo ababe, bonna ne bakomawo; ffe baatusanga DaraSalaama. Awo Prof. Lule we yabuuliza baki abagenda okukumakuuma abantu mu Buddu awo, mu bitundu bye twali tuwambye ku Amini. Buli muntu ng’akyatidde, nze ne munnange David Wasswa gwennababuuliddeko, ne tuteesa nti ffe tujja kugendayo. Ate Prof. natuzza wa bbali natugamba ati baana bange bajja ku battirayo. Fembi netumugamba nti okujjako nga tukola ekyo , olutalo lujja kutulema. Olwo nno nalyoka ampa ebbaluuwa empa obuyinza okulonda abavubuka mbongere ku ggye lya ba Tanzania. Nandagira okugaba obwami bwonna, n’okuzzaawo offiisi za ba Diisi mu bitundu byonna ebyali biwambiddwa ku Idi Amin. Olwo nga n’Amin e Kampala akyaliyo. Nze nnali wa kufulumira Masaka, Wasswa Mubende, tusisinkane e Kampala. Era bwe gwaali.
Awo wonna twajjanga twogera ku kuzzaawo Buganda. Amini bwe yadduka e Kampala, nze nenzira e Masaka; Wasswa nadda e Mubende. Omwezi ogwokuna Apuli gwali gwakatandika. Era awo Amazuukira we gatuukira. Nagenda okusaba mu Kelezia enkulu ey’Ekitovu. Nagenda nabamagye abaserikale nga abiri. Bishop Ddungu e Kitovu nanzikiriza njogere mu Kelezia. Ne nnonda ekyokwogerako ekyaali nti “ GANO GE MAZUUKIRA ‘”. Nnali sigamba mazuukira ga Yesu Kristo: nnali ng’amba Mazuukira ga Buganda, Obote gye yali asse.
Era ssirowooza nti eribaayo alibuuza nti Lule lwaki teyazzaawo bwa Kabaka. Mu nnaku e 68 zokka ziti ze yamala ku bwa President ! Akachankalano akaali wano tokalabanga. Ng’abantu bakyanoonya egyali emikwano gya Amini. Abalala nga banonya Abanubbi abaali basigadde. Ng’abalala banyaga ebintu Abanubbi bye baalibalese ettayo
Ate bo abaali abakozi mu State Research, nga ne gyebekweese emmese teyitayo. Nganno bwomala ogamba omuntu nti naye ggwe tewali mu State Research, amanya bumanya nti ebibye bibi.
Ebitongole bino byonna ba President byebassaawo okubakettera, biteeka abantu mu katuubagiro kotolabanga. Ggwe oba na abaali bakolera General Service y’Obote eyasooka abamu be twaleka mu Amerika tebaddira ddala. Abamu bosanga nga bawoza nze ebintu by’e Uganda byannemera ddala.
Waliwo wano ku mulembe guno lwe twaali tuteesa ku kiki ekyokukolera abantu abaaliisa ensi akakanja nga basinziira mu bitongole ebyo. Enkayana yajja nga ffe abamu tugamba nti tuviire ddala ku baali mu General Service y’Obote. Nga banaffe bo bagamba nti nedda tutandikire ku ba State Research y’Amini. Anti nga bwe mumanyi bano abasinga abatukulembera kati, baali ba
Youth Wingers b’Obote eyasooka – era nga abasing baali bakessi mu General Service ye. Sijja kuboogera mannya, bajja kunnyolera ensingo. Newankubadde nze ng’amba nti bwoba toyagala kuswala , tokola mulimu gukuswaza.
Kaakati ka mbuuke ngende ku Binaisa. Okuvaako kwa Lule kwo kwali kwa kiyaaye , singa temunnenye kukozesa lulimi lwa kivubuka. Njagala ku bakakasa bukakasa nti okuvaako kwa Lule tekwalina kakwate konna ku nsi yaffe. Paulo Muwanga ye yamuggyako lwa kumuyita mubbi. Muwanga yankakasiza ddala nti ne bwe tutandyogedde mu lukiiko olwajjako Lule, oba nti ne bwe twandyogeredde omwezi, era akalulu bwe kandikubiddwa, banne e 16 bandibadde tebakyuse, Lule yandivuddeko. Mu lukiiko olwajjako Lule , yye Paulo Muwanga teyayogerayo kigambo n’ekimu. Nti ensonga zonna ze baawa nti ze zaali zisaana okumuggyisaako, zonna zaali za bulimba. Bwatyo Lule navaako nga tagambye naffe abaakola omulimu nti gundi genda obeere ow’omuluka e Ssese.
Binaisa yadda mu kifo kya Lule ng’alondeddwa abantu nga 16 bokka, awo muddiiro lya State House enkadde. Abo ffe abekalakaasa ne twekandagga be twalekayo. Abalala abeyongerako baatuuka ffe tuvuddeyo. Wabula eky’omukisa omulungi Prof. Sempebwa wuuno wano; yye yaliwo . Olulala alitubuulira nga bwe gwaali.
Tetuyinza kugamba nti Binaisa teyalina mwoyo gwa kuzzaawo Buganda. Okusooka naye yennyini yakyogera ati: “ Wenzijidde nga temunjagala; naye wendiviira wano, muliba temwagala nveewo,” Era bwe gwali. Binaisa yatuuka Abaganda bamulaba nga mulabe. Kyali kimanyiddwa bulungi nti ye yakola constitution ye 67, eyajjawo obwa Kabaka. Ekintu kyokka kye yandisobodde okukola, okusobozesa Abaganda okumubalamu ak’obuntu bulamu, kyali kya kuzzaawo bwa Kabaka. Olwo obuganzi yandibadde abuguze.
Mu myezi e 11 gyeyamala, naye era kyali kizibu okukola ekintu ekinene bwe kityo. Waliwo abagamba nga nti teyalina mwoyo gwa Buganda, nti era ayinza n’okuba nga teyali Muganda. Yye yang’amba bwati. “ Jajjange Namutwe yali Mulangira; nange ndi Mulangira “.
Abaffe yye lwaki teyagezaako ku buzzaawo ? Kale ate oba yali teyeekakasa na bulungi nti ye yalina obuyinza. Waliwo lwe nnamugamba nti bwonzikiriza eryato lino eryali erya ba Madivani ndiddaabirize ngenderengamu e Ssese. Yanziramu ati “ Owange, oyagala Rugumayo anzite ?” Kale we yatiira ku kantu akatono bwe katyo , naye watya ku kinene kyeyali amanyidde ddala nti waaliwo nabaali baagala Buganda edoobe . Era awatali kubuusabuusa Buganda edoobye. Mpozzi ekituzzaamu amaanyi kwe kumanya nti enjovu ne bwekogga etya, teyinza kwenkana mbwa.
Ate lwo olutalo lwa NRM lwali lwa njawulo ku nsonga ya Buganda. Omuntu yandibuusizzabuusizza olw’Amin, naye ssi lwa NRM. Ekyali kigendererwa ekisooka kwali kujja wano Obote, Buganda esobole okuddawo. Eyo ye nsonga eyaweesa Museveni obuwagizi.
Yye Museveni mutuufu bwagamba ati ekigendererwa ekikye kyali kirala. Oluusi tugenda ne tugamba nti oba ye mission bulijjo gyayogerako ? Waliwo mu nnamawulire eyamubuuza :” Mr President, don’t you think you have been in office for too long ?” He replied: “ I have a mission.” But what’s that mission? It would be great if the mission was stated; and if our Parliament was given the task to provide funding for it and to help with how to get it accomplished. But without stating the mission, President Museveni has provided room for guesswork. Some are guessing that perhaps his mission is to destroy the remaining part of Buganda. Of course he will immediately argue that he was the one who resurrected it from the dead. But with bits being nibbled off, like Buluuli and Bugerere , there is some suspicion that the mission might be as horrible as that.
But the origins of the NRM are divided between Kenya and Uganda. I was in Kenya at the beginning of 1981. Four groups were identified as opposed to the second return of Obote: Moses Ali’s Resque Front; Prof. Lule’s Uganda Freedom Fighters; Kayiira’s Uganda Freedom Movement (UFM); and Museveni’s PRA (People’s Resistance Army.) We tried to merge the four, in the same way we did in Moshi the groups that were fighting Amin. At the final meeting of this attempted reunion, I was the secretary, while Dr Bisase was the Chairman. Every group had three delegates. Of the 12, Buganda had Dr Bisase, Pro. Lule, Benard Kibuuka musoke, and myself. Although we already had a draft agreement, we failed to reach an agreement. Sometime after midnight, two of the four groups met at a friend’s house, and agreed to merge into what became the National Resistance Movement. Of the two committees that were most vital to the movement, the NRM External Committee was stationed in Nairobi. Its members were just a handful: Mathew Rukikaire was the Chairman’ Sam Njuba the secretary. Members were Prof. Lule, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, Prof. Kanyerezi, Hon. Amama Mbabazi, Dr Sulaiman Kiggundu, Bakulumpagi Wamala and myself. Six of the committee members were dedicated Baganda. The Committee met in my living room for some months. There was no doubt about the wishes of the Baganda members to have Buganda restored.
Incidentally, it should be made clear that none of these leading Baganda ever had the idea of Buganda dominating the rest of Ugandans.
Kale okujjawo Obote kyali kiggula luggi. Lye lyandibadde eddaala erisooka. The final step was expected to be the restoration of a peaceful Uganda. Obviously Uganda would not be peaceful without Buganda being so. The idea had started much earlier with UPM, the forerunner of NRM. UPM’s motto was CLEAN GOVERNMENT PEACE AND UNITY. Awatali bitundu bya Uganda kutereera, tewayinza kubaawo mirembe. Tomala gegatta na buli gwolabye ; era tomala gasanga oli ng’enteze ndwadde nogamba oti twegatte. Okwegatta kwa Uganda tekuyinza ku beerawo okujjako nga buli kitundu kiri confortable mu union eyo.
Ekyo kye kyatwala abantu be Luweero mu lutalo ne Museveni,era akimanyi. Era singa yali ayogedde nti ekigendererwakye kyali kya kubeera wano kutufuga bufuzi, olutalo terwandibaddemu Baganda. Era terwandibadde mu Buganda. Abamukwekanga bandimuwaddeyo. Abalwanyibe tebandiridde mbuzi za Baganda kuzimala ku nsiko. Abaganda tebandimusombedde muwogo ku mitwe. Nadduli yomu ku bajulizi. Obulenzi bu Kadoogo bwonna bwavanga mu maka g’Abaganda. Yye bannange bwaddawa ? Kati bwandibadde bu Buligediya na Koloneeri. Gwe ate oba akayingira nga ka myaka 12, kati musajja wa myaka 40 n’omusobyo.
Obwo bwonna bakadde baabwo babuwangayo lwa kuzzaawo Buganda.
Wabula ka mmalirize bwenti. Entalo zonna ziggweera ku mmeeza na kuteesa, yadde ng’oludda olumu luwanguddwa. Wano okuteesa kusigadde mu kuddamu kulongoosa Consititution. Kitalo nnyo okulaba nga mu 1995 tetwaddira enkadde ne tugikolako amendments. Mu style eno, zikyayinza okufulumanga mu editions nga text books. Sso nga twandibadde neemu nga gyetugenda tukyusakyusa. Yyo eya 1995, ndowooza kyeraga kyokka nti erimu ekibulamu kinene. Omulimu gwaayo omukulu gwa kusobozesa bantu ab’enjawulo okubeera awamu mu mirembe. Naye eno kasooka eyanjulwa entalo tezikomanga. Kony alinga Koni ; Abaganda bakolima. Kasita wabeerawo ekitundu ekisigadde nga tekimatidde, eyo yebeera entandikwa ya fault line. Wano baliranwa e South Sudan baawa bannabwe mu North ekirowoozo, nti babeere mu Federation okuviira ddala mu mwaka ogwa ataano mu ena. Bali ne bagaana, nga bagamba nti waa tujja kubanyigiriza okutuuka lwe bali gonda. Baabo bekutuddeko ; kati bali mu nsi yaabwe.
Ate tekyetaagisa kulinda kutuuka ku stage a ba Misiri gye bakutte – ng’amba aba Egypt. Let’s keep in mind the idea that a nation does not have a standard size; only characteristics all of which we have: realm
A historically developed community
A community with a territory
A community with common customs
A community with a distinctive culture
A community with a language in common
A community with historic continuity
And some vague ones.
So if we can’t negotiate and find how to live in this British-made union, the only alternative is to get out of it. In other words, federation or constant conflict.
I am not talking tough.
I am not threatening anyone since it is useless to threaten when one has no ability to carry out the threat.
And I am not campaigning for election.
I am a citizen for life.
SABASAJJA KABAKA AWANGAALE
ISRAEL MAYENGO
Minister at Large,
Katikkiro’s Office
13th Dec 2012.
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