Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi Sabatataka, while celebrating the 30 years of his Kabakaship on July 31, 2023, spoke about a number of issues, including his concealed demand for a federal system of government, accusing the army of controlling fishing on lakes, spies in his kingdom, and youths taking off for abroad.
According to the Kabaka, he has never regained the authority to carry out duties as they were with his forefathers.
“Even if the Kabakaship was restored, it never got authority to carry out its duties like it did in the past; our forefathers had the heart of working together. It’s through that background that we have achieved what we have and can do better with the authority of Federal system. In it, every section will develop itself; that is how Uganda will expand,” Kabaka said.
However, Lukka Mulondo, a royal who disputes Kabaka’s assertions, believes Kabaka has forgotten the agreement he signed with the central government concerning the federal and should not be misleading his subjects to demand something he already discussed and agreed on.
“Kabaka agreed to be a ceremonial King, with the Kingdoms’ duties handled by the Prime Minister, a thing that we have all witnessed over the years. That is why Owek Mayiga has been running all the Kingdom affairs, here and aboard,” Mulondo noted.
He added that it is not the first time Buganda mentions Federal. Stating that Uganda does not only house Buganda but over 50 other tribes. These tribes were actually betrayed by the greedy chiefs of Buganda during colonial times, who sold off Uganda’s freedom in exchange for cheap things like Mirrors, guns, gun powder, and beads.
Mulondo added that the effects have lived on, where youths in Buganda sell off their land to purchase Boda, Bodas, and air tickets to go abroad, hang around in cities, eat the money, and when it’s done, start stealing instead of tilling the land and making it more productive.
Bassajja Mivule, a Journalist, patched holes in Kabaka’s statement where he claimed the army had caused a drastic change in the fishing activists and forced the youth out of business.
“Whoever wrote the Kabaka’s speech should be fired, who does not know that fishing is the second country’s national budget contributor, all this was made possible under the watchful eye of the army, which has controlled illegal fishing, use of wrong fishing gear, allowing fish to mature and be harvested at the right time, making the industry grow,” Mivule noted.
Mivule believes the Kakaka has spoken a lot too late, concerning the youth not selling land: Most of the Land in Buganda is not owned by Buganda, our youths have sold land and run abroad, where they waste a lot of time, and end up in homosexuality activities for quick money.
“Take, for example, Afande Kere, he was employed here, and making comedy, but because he was too lazy, like all the other youths of Buganda, he took off to become homosexual,” Mivule said.
The Kabaka is incorrect in believing that his grievances are with the central government rather than with the youth who refuse to work and want easy money. The central government has provided for both the kingdom and its subjects by implementing poverty alleviation projects such as PDM and Emyooga, and it is the Kabaka’s responsibility to educate his subjects to work hard and rise beyond poverty.
