Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi chats with wife Sylvia Nagginda. Photo by Joseph Kiggundu.
Bamunanika Palace, one of the Buganda Kingdom’s royal residences, has undergone several phases of refurbishment, including the recent construction of a permanent perimeter wall.
More than just a cultural site, it stands as a powerful symbol of unity, deepening the bond between Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II and his subjects in Bulemeezi County.
The palace’s historical significance was reinforced during the turbulent years between 1966 and 1971 when government forces seized it, turning it into a garrison. When the soldiers eventually withdrew following the return of Sir Edward Mutesa II’s remains from London, the gesture reaffirmed the deep-rooted connection between the Kabaka and the people of Bulemeezi.
Mr Pascali Mpoza, a 78-year-old resident of Luteete Village in Bamunanika Sub-county, vividly recalls the day government soldiers occupied the palace in 1966, shortly after storming Lubiri Palace and forcing Mutesa II into exile.
“As a youth, my first real encounter with Bamunanika Palace was in 1971, when the then Ssabataka (Prince) Ronald Mutebi was brought to the palace shortly after his father’s remains were returned,” he recounts. “By then, the soldiers had vacated. In 1987, after the liberation war, the Ssabataka frequently visited the palace and would walk through Bamunanika Town, long before his coronation as Kabaka,” he adds.
Kabaka Mutebi has maintained close ties with the people of Bamunanika, making regular visits and encouraging locals to make use of the land near the palace. “In the early 2000s, we had poor mobile phone reception here. The Kabaka allowed a telecom mast to be constructed near the palace, and since then, our network coverage has improved tremendously,” Mr Mpoza adds.
Impact of palace
Mr Ronald Kakande, the LC1 chairperson of Lubiri Zone in Bamunanika Sub-county, attributes recent development such as improved road infrastructure to the palace’s presence. “When Luweero District chairperson Abdul Nadduli mobilised us to build a permanent perimeter wall around the King’s palace, the task seemed daunting,” he says.
“But the people of Bulemeezi showed their love for Kabaka Mutebi by completing it. That marked the beginning of further renovations,” adds. Residents fondly recall Kabaka Mutebi’s involvement in local celebrations, including the day he hosted the Bulemeezi Ssaza football team at the palace after their 2019 Masaza Cup victory.
“He invited the team to celebrate at the palace. It was a full-day celebration, and the entire community was allowed to join him. It showed how much he treasures his people,” Mr Kakande says.
Ms Elizabeth Nakachwa Tamale, 84, of Mulajje Village in Bamunanika Sub-county, considers the palace a cultural anchor that has kept the community connected to the Kabaka. “We celebrated for a full week after his coronation at Naggalabi in 1993.
We were allowed into the palace to watch traditional dancers perform. Those celebrations helped us heal from the pain of Mutesa II’s death,” she recalls.
Ms Nakachwa has actively contributed to the palace’s restoration.
“We collected reeds for the perimeter wall and later carried bricks on our heads out of love for our Kabaka. The ongoing renovations bring me great joy, especially as he marks his 70th birthday,” she shares.
Mr Livingstone Kategaya, 70, from Kamira Sub-county, first visited Bamunanika Palace as a student in the early 1970s. The Palace was then a smaller but respected cultural symbol for the people of Buganda.
“The soldiers had withdrawn from the palace and the area looked abandoned because we did not have the Kabaka at that time. But surprisingly, we all respected Bamunanika Palace despite the destruction of some of its infrastructure,” he says.
“We are celebrating 70 years of our Kabaka but the new shade of the Bamunanika Palace gives us a bigger smile,” he adds.
Next to the palace are coffee and banana plantations. Locals say Kabaka Mutebi has always encouraged agriculture and allowed the community to utilise nearby land for development.
“These projects are on Kabaka’s land. His generosity in granting us access has empowered many,” says
Mr Twaha Abujere Kavuma, the LC2 chairperson of Bamunanika Town. According to Ms Annet Nakiranda Ssentongo, a resident of Mulajje Parish, there are long-standing plans to develop Bamunanika Town into a model settlement under the Kingdom’s guidance.
“We haven’t achieved the full plan yet, but we already have piped water, electricity, and other essential services, thanks to Kabaka Mutebi,” she says.
She adds that the Kabaka even donated a school to the area, reflecting his commitment to education and development. Mr Edward Gideon Kalibala, a resident of Luteete Village, remembers the Kabaka’s frequent jogging sessions in the early 1990s, before his coronation. “He would jog through villages such as Kyampisi, Mulajje, Luteete, and Butto.
Nowadays, due to his busy schedule, his visits are less frequent—but when he comes, he waves to his people and walks among them,” Mr Kalibala says. Mr Issa Ssekito, the spokesperson of Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) and a native of Bamunanika, fondly recalls seeing the Ssabataka on his regular visits in the early 1990s.
“I still remember how he would greet people along the roads. As he turns 70, we celebrate his life and wish him good health,” he says. Luweero District chairperson Erasto Kibirango says he was inspired by the Kabaka’s character in his youth.
“His visits and encouragement to work hard influenced me to work for the Kingdom. We’ve always admired his humility and leadership,” he shares. Hajj Abdul Nadduli, a former Luweero District chairperson, in the early 1990s mobilised the residents to contribute bricks for the construction of a perimetre wall at the palace following a fire that destroyed a section of it in the 1990s.
“We decided to take on the job of constructing the permanent perimeter wall because we are Buganda. We also discovered that it was our obligation as people of Bulemeezi to give the palace a new look. I wish the Kabaka of Buganda happy birthday celebrations,” he says.
Bamunanika Palace was established in 1934 by Ssekabaka Daudi Chwa II. His son, King Edward Muteesa II, spent considerable time there before the 1966 invasion that forced him into exile. Today, the palace remains guarded by the Kabaka’s security detail, known as Bambowa.
