Busoga asks for queen as Kyabazinga turns 31

As Busoga Kingdom prepares to celebrate the 31st birthday of Kyabazinga William Wilberforce Nadiope Gabula IV, sections of his subjects have demanded that he marries.
The Kyabazinga turned 31 on November 1 but official celebrations are slated for Saturday, November 23.
Speaking in an interview last week, the former Kamuli District chairperson, Ms Salaamu Musumba, said it is high time the Kyabazinga showed Busoga the Inhebantu (queen).
“The people in Busoga region want to be ‘breastfed’, eat food, take tea in their home. It is, therefore, very important that the Kyabazinga takes a wife,” Ms Musumba, who is also the vice president of the Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) in eastern region, said.
Ms Jennifer Kongo, a princess, argued that the kingdom has in recent times been lagging behind in the areas of girl-child education, family planning, and water and sanitation due to lack of an advocate in form of a queen.
The late Inhebantu, Alice Muloki, the wife of the late Kyabazinga Henry Wako Muloki, was a champion of girl-child education.
“We are happy that our Kyabazinga has clocked 31 but we expect him to show us more happiness by unveiling to us a mother who will champion programmes around girl-child education, water and sanitation, among others,” Ms Kongo said.
Mr Mathias Mutatyama, a member of the Lukiiko, said marriage would “help enhance the image of the Kyabazinga as a man”.
“We want him to be like other traditional leaders who attend functions with their queens. The Kabaka attends functions with the Nnabagereka, just like the Omukama of Bunyoro attends functions with the Omugo,” Mr Mutatyama said.
The kingdom spokesperson, Mr Andrew Ntange, acknowledged the need for the Kyabazinga to marry but said the latter will not be rushed into doing so.
“The kingdom will issue a communique on that matter at an appropriate time. As you are aware, the Kyabazinga is free to marry from within or outside Busoga. His choice will be made known whenever he makes it,” Mr Ntange said.
The kingdom is set to celebrate the Kyabazinga’s birthday with an array of activities, including a royal dinner dance that is scheduled to be held at the official palace on Igenge hill, which overlooks the kingdom’s headquarters in Bugembe.
The dinner is usually used to raise money to improve access to clean water for children in primary schools and other vulnerable communities.
According to the kingdom’s second deputy prime minister, Mr Ahmed Osman Noor, other activities that have been planned to be held on the same day include the Kyabazinga’s birth run, a street bash and an expo in Jinja Town.