Museveni breached no agreement - Mbabazi

Kampala

The government yesterday said allegations by some top Buganda kingdom officials that President Museveni “breached” a gentleman’s agreement with the Kabaka after their landmark 2009 September meeting “is incorrect”.

Security Minister Amama Mbabazi, who said he was speaking upon authorisation by Mr Museveni, said remarks by some Mengo officials that the environment for negotiation had been “polluted”, rendering the opportunity for follow-up meetings “useless” are “not true.”

The five officials quoted in a story published by Saturday Monitor last week, reportedly said Mr Museveni and Kabaka Mutebi during the September 30 Entebbe meeting convened in the wake of strained relations, agreed to freeze all actions until talks on Buganda’s outstanding demands are concluded.

The complaints were attributed to the Katikkiro, Eng. John Baptist Walusimbi; Information Minister Charles Peter Mayega and two other ministers who cited the President’s quick assent to the Land (Act) Amendment Bill passed by Parliament last year as one of the violations.

Buganda spiritedly opposed the new legislation, claiming it was intended to “grab” the kingdom land although government said it was a safety net for tenants often evicted by landlords.

Preparing response
Mr Mbabazi told this newspaper by phone: “What those Mengo officials, both anonymous and quoted (in the story), say isn’t correct. “The government categorically states that, that there was a breach on the part of President Museveni on what was agreed on with His Highness the Kabaka is incorrect,” he said, “And government will, mid this week, issue a comprehensive and word by word response to those allegations.”

In yesterday’s interview, Mr Mbabazi said continued silence on the part of government could “ingrain in mind of the public” the false notion that the accusations by Buganda officials constitute “the truth.”

“My advice to officials speaking for or on behalf of Mengo is that they should do so with the view to building a positive relationship between Mengo and the central government because a harmonious relationship between the two, as has clearly been demonstrated previously, is in the interest of both parties,” he said.

Katikkiro Walusimbi said last evening that statements in last week’s article of disgruntlement attributed to him could have been overtaken by event “because many things have changed.”

“The comments, if I made them, may have been relevant then, not relevant now,” he said. He said since the last publicly known meeting between the President and the Kabaka more than six months ago, the two principals “have been and are communicating.”

“Something positive might come up in the near future and I am hopeful,” he said, adding: “I agree with his (Minister Mbabazi’s) statement that we are trying to build positive relationship between Mengo and the central government.” Asked about any progress in the ongoing dialogue, Eng. Walusimbi said: “If there is any writing about things that are being discussed confidentially, it jeopardises progress.”

The kingdom’s Spokesman Charles Peter Mayega, also the Buganda information minister, had a different take altogether when contacted last evening. He said: “I am not aware of any progress on talks between the two parties [Buganda and Central government]. What kind of progress is there? They (government) have not switched the radio [CBS] back on air; not paid the Shs20 billion they owe us, there is nothing completely.”