By Sharon S. Tibenda

3^rd January 2011

Buganda Kabaka waving a dummy key

The Kabaka of Buganda, His Highness Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, may have used the New Year celebrations that he presided over at Lubiri to send a silent but clear 2011 election directive to his subjects the Baganda, an analyst has said.

During the New Year celebrations at Lubiri, several religious leaders took to the podium to condemn the incessant socio-political injustices that they said have been visited upon Baganda, Buganda, and Buganda Kingdom leaders in particular, by Museveni’s government over the last 25yrs.

One particular religious leader who wore a Cardinal’s hat opened the diatribe with this message:  “…Jesus told us that the truth will turn us into peaceful people.  Hatred, insults – indiscriminate insults; our Kabaka is being insulted; the Vice President [Prof. Gilbert Bukenya] is being insulted; their “Ssabbasumba” is being insulted”.

When his turn came, the Kabaka of Buganda His Highness Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II stepped forward majestically, like a true royal, and without uttering a word, picked a big gold coloured dummy key which had “2011” inscribed on it and waved it to thousands, upon thousands of his hysterically excited subjects.

He then talked about the closure of Buganda Kingdom’s Radio CBS by Museveni’s government amid deafening cheers from his subjects.  The Kingdom’s radio was closed in September 2009 following riots from Baganda youth who were protesting the regime’s decision to block their King from visiting Kayunga which is part of Buganda Kingdom.

But it was the Kabaka’s decision to wave the dummy key that caught the attention of one political analyst.  The key is the official symbol of the main opposition party the Forum for Democratic Change [FDC]; the same party whose leader Dr. Kizza Besigye is now challenging President Museveni for the presidency of Uganda.

According to this analyst, who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject, the Kabaka of Buganda traditionally doesn’t issue direct political directives to his subjects but can achieve the same objective through a simple gesture.

“…Throughout Buganda’s history, the Kabaka has never had to issue direct political directives to his subjects.  That is not to say that he has no private political views and preferences; because he has.  It is just that he is brought up to consider himself to be above petty party politics.  So he speaks loudest through his actions and his subjects know exactly what he means when he does something.  By waving the key, which is FDC’s official symbol, I think the Kabaka sent a silent but very clear election directive to his subjects”, the analyst said.

When Uganda Correspondent caught up FDC Party President Dr. Kizza Besigye over the weekend to seek his views on the matter, he could neither deny nor confirm this analyst’s view that the Kabaka had sent a silent directive to his subjects to vote for Dr. Kizza Besigye.

“…As a resident of Buganda, I am also His Highness the Kabaka’s subject.  So I wouldn’t want to put words into his mouth at all.  What I will say though is that it is obvious to everyone in this country that this government has treated Buganda very harshly over the last few years.  That is not in doubt”, Besigye said.

The IPC leader further added that “…although His Highness the Kabaka holds a special place in society, like any other citizen of this country, he must also be allowed to enjoy the freedom of association guaranteed by our constitution.

Our efforts to get a comment from Mengo where futile but a top NRM ideologue who is running for a parliamentary seat in Western Uganda simply said “…that is precisely why we are against religious and traditional leaders getting involved in partisan politics”.

Please click on the link below to watch Kabaka Mutebi’s New Year celebrations at Lubiri that is the subject of this news story.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8My9ulBS7co

Don’t forget to log into www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.