Kabaka gets dad’s Rolls Royce as birthday gift

The Rolls Royce Phantom IV on display at Bulange Mengo on July 17, 2022. It was given to Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi as his birthday present.  PHOTOS/SHABIBAH NAKIRIGYA

What you need to know:

  • The car was moved to the museum in 2013 until government handed it over to the kingdom in 2020.

Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II yesterday received a rebranded Rolls Royce Phantom IV, which was previously used by his father Edward Muteesa II, as a birthday gift.
The then government bought the car in 1964 for Kabaka Muteesa, who was also the president.

However, Milton Obote’s forces confiscated the car, among other kingdom properties, during the 1966 raid on the Lubiri palace. 
For years, the vehicle languished at State House in Kampala, before it was moved to the museum in 2013.

The Kabaka (centre) welcomes the gift. He is flanked by Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga(right) and another kindgom official.

This newspaper understands that there were about four cars of a similar make but their whereabouts are unknown. Speaking to journalists during the celebrations to mark the Kabaka’s 67th birthday at Bulange-Mengo yesterday, the Katikkiro, Mr Charles Peter Mayiga, said in September 2020, the government returned the car as a sign of a strong partnership between the kingdom and the latter. “Buganda Kingdom got the idea of restoring the vehicle and the Kabaka accepted it. We announced the plans to repair and rebrand the Rolls Royce, which the central government handed back to us after several years of reminding them,”  Mr Mayiga said.

He added that after handing over the vehicle to Prince Daudi Kintu Wasajja, the kingdom constituted a seven-member committee headed by Mr John Fred Kiyimba to spearhead the car’s restoration process.
“The budget for the whole restoration was Shs500m and the first fundraising lunch of 48 Buganda officials made Shs300m. The committee paid the balance of Shs200m,” Mr Mayiga said.

Kabaka Ronald Mutebi cuts a cake during his birthday celebrations at Bulange-Mengo on July 17, 2022.
  
 

Efforts
The Buganda premier also said a similar second-hand car, manufactured 48 years ago, had to be imported to get spare parts.
The latest model of Rolls-Royce Phantom 2020 costs between $705,900 (about Shs2.5b) for the basic trim level Sedan Phantom (base) and $1.1m(about Shs4b) for the top of the range Sedan Phantom EWB.

The Kabaka’s birthday celebrations have been marked with several activities, including the birthday run, which was held on July 3, and in-house and private celebrations.
The Kabaka was supposed to celebrate the birthday on April 13 but was away in Europe.