Katikkiro, clan leaders clash over Museveni Shs9b land

The Katikkiro (Prime Minister) of Buganda, Mr Charles Peter Mayiga, has criticised an act by a section of clan leaders (Bataka) in Buganda, who is said to have secretly received a piece of land from President Museveni without the kingdom’s knowledge.

Katikkiro Mayiga, while addressing the first session of the 31st sitting of the Buganda Lukiiko, said the officials, who were led by the State minister for ICT, Ms Joyce Ssebugwawo, made a grave mistake and will soon be summoned over the matter.

Minister Ssebugwawo once served as Buganda Kingdom’s minister of women, community development and mobilisation.

“Everyone is asking me about the same [President Museveni’s] meeting, but today, I want to make it clear that it was a grave mistake for the clan leaders to engage in such meetings without the knowledge of the Kabaka,” he said.

Katikkiro Mayiga added:“We shall have a meeting so that the clan leaders explain why they went to the President to ask for land yet each clan has got its ancestral land where clan offices are situated.”

He was responding to a question posed by Mr Henry Mubiru, who represents Ssuubi Lya Buganda in the Lukiiko, who disclosed that a number of clan leaders had shunned the kingdom activities as the Kabaka opened the 31st sitting of the Buganda Lukiiko on August 21, since it coincided with a meeting they had convened at a hotel in Entebbe to discuss how to share land, worth Shs9 billion, donated by the President.

“We have information that last week, a section of clan leaders received a piece of land from President Museveni following their earlier meeting at State House Entebbe. It is alleged that the land will be used for Buganda Kingdom activities,” Mr Mubiru said.

“This matter is not known to us yet we are leaders, we, therefore, ask the katikkiro to brief the Lukiiko whether the activities between the President and clan leaders were guided by the Kabaka or the katikkiro?” he added.

However, Mr Mayiga said the kingdom was not aware of such a meeting.

The premier reiterated that if the President wants to extend any assistance to the kingdom, there are formal procedures to be followed.

Ms Ssebugwawo yesterday confirmed the said meeting and added that there was no need to consult the katikkiro since it was meant for clan leaders.

“Leaders should not be selfish because meeting the President and him giving them land is for the good of clan leaders and Buganda,” she said on telephone .

When contacted for a comment, Mr Sandor Walusimbi, the presidential press secretary, said the President had not issued any official communication concerning his meeting with the clan leaders.

“I think if the meeting was there, it was a closed-door meeting. What I know, if it was an open one, we would have issued an official communication about it,” he said.

Daily Monitor learnt that last week, the President handed over a 2.2-acre piece of land worth Shs9b on Kabaka Anjagala Road in Mengo, Kampala, to the Buganda clan leaders.

The land will reportedly be used to set up a mega building for clans’ offices with a commercial section.