No one can remove Buganda from Uganda map –Mayiga
Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga during the launch of Kabaka Birthday Run campaign on February 26, 2025. PHOTO/ COURTESY OF Buganda Kingdom
What you need to know:
- Buganda, the largest of the medieval kingdoms in present-day Uganda, became an important and powerful state during the 19th century.
Officials at Mengo, the seat of Buganda Kingdom are again up in arms over the omission of Buganda from the national map showing regions in the country.
“….only to hear that Buganda has been removed from the map of Uganda. How can you remove Buganda from the map?That's the first question. Has it gone to Tanganyika[Tanzania]? Did someone lift it to Zaire[Democratic Republic of Congo]? How did they remove it? Do you see that? First, you can't say Buganda is not on the map of Uganda. It's like saying Bulange is not in Mengo yet everyone can see that it is there. I want to assure you that Buganda is on the map of Uganda. No one can remove Buganda from Uganda because Buganda is the cornerstone on which Uganda was built. I'm not making this up ,but that's how it was,” Katikkiro (prime minister) Charles Peter Mayiga said on Tuesday as he received contributions for the forthcoming Kabaka’s Birthday Run at Bulange- Mengo.
Not first time
Mr Mayiga recalled the same situation in 2018 where Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) released the map of Uganda, describing part of Buganda as Central North and the other as Central South. “Yet Ankole, Busoga and other sub regions were there. When we were celebrating Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi's 63rd birthday, he (Kabaka) raised the issue. In four days, officials from UBOS came here and apologised saying it was not intended. We accepted their apology and the issue was sorted. So, I want to assure the people of Buganda that Buganda is still on the map,” Mr Mayiga emphasized
His remarks came hours after the kingdom’s information minister, Mr Israel Kazibwe said this is not the first time Buganda is removed from the national map and asked government to investigate the motive behind it.
“Whatever was done to remove Buganda from the map of Uganda was intended to divert us from our mission to promote and protect our heritage and this will not let us down,” he said.
The said national map from UBOS where the over 800-year-old kingdom is excluded has been circulating on different social media platforms in the past days. Instead of Buganda, it is Central North and Central South which are featuring on the map yet other regions like Busoga , Ankole, Acholi, Lango are clearly labelled.
This has drawn mixed reactions from Kabaka’s subjects with majority demanding an explanation from the central government.
Ubos reacts
However, UBOS spokesperson, Didacus Okoth told our sister television station, NTV Uganda that they were not aware of the said new map.
“I was also surprised seeing that social media rumor claiming that Buganda is not on the map. I would like to clarify and also refer you to our 2024 national population and housing census report which was published on December 31. It clearly indicates all the regions in this country. I would encourage members of the public to read that census report and get clear facts about the presence of all the regions in the country,” Mr Okoth said.
Background:
This is the second time in seven years this contentious issue of Buganda being excluded from the map of Uganda is being raised.
In April 2018, Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II during his birthday celebrations in Masaka District raised the same fears after realising that Buganda was omitted from the national map showing regional vaccination coverage in the country.
“All other parts of Uganda we know such as Busoga, Karamoja, Ankole, Bunyoro and others are existent on the national map but Buganda is not indicated. This is why I ask what the motive is. I have not yet known the motive,” the Kabaka said at the time.
Soon after the Kabaka’s speech, social media commentators shared a Ministry of Health map that displays basic vaccination coverage by region. The maps, which were released by the Ministry of Health also showed all the traditional regions of Uganda as West Nile, Acoli, Karamoja, Bunyoro, Lango, Teso, Elgon, Bukedi, Busoga, Bunyoro, Tooro, Ankole, but omitted Buganda. In the place of Buganda there is South Central and North Central.
However, the Ministry of Health downplayed Kabaka Mutebi’s fears with the permanent secretary, Dr Diana Atwine, saying : “land cannot be transferred from one place to another”.
“You cannot transfer districts or land from one place to another. Places remain wherever they have been before. Uganda remains Uganda, one nation,” Dr Atwine added then.
Origin
Buganda, the largest kingdom in present-day Uganda, became an important and powerful state during the 19th century. Established in the late 14th century along the shore of Lake Victoria, it evolved around its founding king Kabaka Kintu, who came to the region from northeast Africa and conquered , defeating the last indigenous ruler ,Bemba Musota, to establish his new state.
