Eggs Target Buganda Premier Allied With Museveni

Moreover, Walusimbi was accused of accepting a “bribe” from the Museveni government to pave the way for Baganda support heading into the 2011 presidential election. Some people, including lawyers in the audience, shouted that the Central government owed the Kingdom millions.

[View From London]

The dignitary was not greeted with flowers.

The prime minister of Buganda, the largest indigenous monarchy in Uganda, had his car pelted with eggs during a London visit and he was accused of betrayal to the Ugandan dictatorship.

The conference hall itself was raucous and a skirmish broke out when the organizers called London’s Metropolitan Police.

Far from being a display of displeasure with the Buganda monarch himself, HRH Kabaka Ronald Mutebi, the Baganda in attendance, who are actually loyal to the king, regard the prime minister as a “sell out.”

Katikiro John Baptist Walusimbi –Katikiro is prime minister in Luganda—was hoping for a better reception from Baganda residents in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.

He had turned-up Saturday, June 27, at Duncan House, University of East London, to speak to the Kingdom’s subjects, but was instead heckled and labelled a “traitor” and “corrupt,” over his alleged close association with the dictatorship of Yoweri K. Museveni.

“I was not picked from the street,” a clearly infuriated Walusimbi, snapped to the crowd, asserting that he doesn’t even need the job. “I had a consultancy firm. I will get back.”

The Baganda, as with several other ethnic groups in Uganda, including the Acholi, have denounced the Museveni government’s proposal to change the country’s laws governing land. They say it is an attempt to grab private or communal land which would then be awarded to top government and military officials who would then sell them off to speculators or investors.

Moreover, Walusimbi was accused of accepting a “bribe” from the Museveni government to pave the way for Baganda support heading into the 2011 presidential election. Some people, including lawyers in the audience, shouted that the Central government owed the Kingdom millions.

“Katikiro is a traitor who abandoned the Kabaka on his Bululi tour and a corrupt official trying to impose Buganda onto NRM bondage,” said one lawyer, referring to the National Resistance Movement dictatorial regime of Museveni.

 “It was my initiative to ask for five billion shillings; for the President to help my program and I was given two billion,” said Walusimbi, adding: “This money is not a lot. It can only buy one tractor on a sub-county, but I had to take it to help my poverty stricken people.”

“I’m going to get more and more money. My name is Walusimbi and money will continue following me,” the Katikiro asserted, yet quickly contradicted himself with: “If you’re poor you can’t even negotiate.”

The Katikiro also had harsh words for dissenters who have criticized him on e-mail messages and online postings.

“Some people just sit in their tinny room then write and post about something with no knowledge about it,” he said. “People are indisciplined even if you grant then Federo, they can’t run it. We have to change their way of thinking.”

The reference was to Baganda –and a cross section from throughout Uganda—who favor a Federal system of government that would devolve power to the regions.
When his critics would not back down, the Katikiro became undiplomatic and asserted that those who denounced him could benefit from psychiatric assistance.

Miwambo writes for The Black Star News from Europe.

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