Busoga disappointed over Kyabazinga’s appointment
Kyabazinga of Busoga William Gabula Nadiope IV chats with President Museveni, the appointing authority during commissioning of Ethanol plant in Kakira last week. PHOTO BY DENIS EDEMA
Jinja- The appointment of the Kyabazinga of Busoga, William Nadiope Gabula IV as an ambassador in charge of special duties in the Office of the President has elicited mixed reactions in his kingdom.
Already, a section of his subjects are threatening to petition the appointing authority opposing the offer to have the king serve as an ambassador.
On Friday afternoon, President Museveni appointed 37 new ambassadors, including His Highness Gabula Nadiope, the Kyabazinga of Busoga Kingdom.
According to the senior presidential press secretary, Mr Don Wanyama, before the appointees start work in their new duty stations, they will have to be vetted and approved by Parliament.
Many of the subjects this newspaper spoke to yesterday said as the Kyabaziga of Busoga, one of his roles is to give orders and not take them, something he would be subjected to more often should he take up the President’s appointment.
“The appointment of the Kyabazinga in that position undermines our cultural institution. We are supposed to be working for our king and not the other way round,” Mr Martin Kasonzi said upon receiving the news of the appointment.
He continued: “The Kyabazinga is better off working for the people of his kingdom where there is a lot of work to do such as fighting poverty.”
Subjects react
The NRM chairman for Iganga District, Mr Abubaker Walubi, decided to make his feeling known on his Facebook page.
He posted: “Bakulu baiffe, Baniina baiffe mutuyambe ekitibwa kya Busoga kisigalewo.” Literally meaning let’s save and uphold the dignity and integrity of Busoga Kingdom.
Meanwhile, Mr Godfrey Naluswa wants the President to apologise to the people of Busoga for allegedly undermining the integrity of the Kyabazinga institution, saying the President’s gesture is tantamount to undermining the king of Busoga.
Mr Stephen Mukwaya, a teacher, said he was disappointed as such a position has since become a preserve for political failures and should not be associated with the Kyabazinga.
In an interview with this newspaper, the Busoga Kingdom spokesperson, Mr Andrew Ntange, said the appointment should be viewed in a wider context.
He said this is a confirmation by the President that the Kyabazinga has the ability not only to manage his kingdom but the nation as well.
He said previous kings and royals among them, Henry Wako Mulok and Sir William Wilberforce Kadumbula served in government.
The speaker of Jinja Municipal Council, Mr Moses Bizitu, said the position should be given to another person from the region to allow the Kyabazinga concentrate on preserving the culture of his subjects.
The appointment has sparked debate among social media users across the country; some of them making fun of it and others, especially those from Busoga, angry over the development.
Busoga sub-region is located in eastern Uganda. According to the 2014 national census, about 40 percent of the people in eastern region live in this sub-region.
