Kabaka meets chiefs over cultural leaders ’law

Kabaka Ronald Mutebi meets President Museveni during talks to improve relations between Buganda Kingdom and the Central government earlier.

The Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi yesterday urged the Baganda to stick to the kingdom’s long standing demands and not to yield to the diversionary threats.

In a statement issued by Kabaka’s Press Secretary Mr Dick Kasolo, while addressing the County chiefs at Banda palace, Kabaka said kingdom royalists should remain firm and continue serving their kingdom.

“Tusiima emirimu amakula ejikolebwa abamasaza wakati mu buzibu era mbasaba bagende mu maaso obutatiiririra Namulondo naddala mukiseera kino nga Buganda eri mu kayuguum [“I take this opportunity to thank you for the good work your doing for the kingdom. I however implore you to remain firm in defending the throne especially now, when Buganda is in a crisis],” Kabaka said.

Kabaka’s remarks come after parliament last week enacted the controversial government backed Cultural Leaders Bill, 2010 into a law despite sharp criticism from all traditional institutions and opinion leaders.

The new law intends to operationalise Article 246 of the Constitution that bans traditional leaders from engaging in partisan politics, prescribes benefits and penalties in case of the violation of the law. The new legislation has already drawn the attention of religious leaders, Buganda kingdom leaders, including the Kabaka and opposition leaders, all of whom have called for its withdrawal saying it is provocative and demeaning to the traditional institutions.

The county chiefs led by Busiro County Chief Mr P.k. Ssengendo described the new law as a deliberate government target to cease the kingdom. “We strongly condemn the new traditional leaders’ law because it was brought in bad faith to overturn the throne and consequently wipe out the kingdom,” Mr Ssengendo said.

Recently, the Kabaka asked his subjects to stick to the kingdom’s demands like federalism and encourage the young generation to be firm when agitating for monarchy’s other interests.

He said it was imperative to impart the kingdom’s tradition and norms on the next generation to able it articulate what ‘hurts their kingdom’.

Encouraging the kingdom royalists to develop the kingdom, the Kabaka said Buganda started its journey over 800 years ago and has progressed through numerous challenges which it has managed to overcome.

Buganda Lukiiko [Parliament] has since vowed to challenge the law in the courts of law saying the legislation is unconstitutional and contravenes the kingdom’s culture, customs and personal rights of the Kabaka.