Four years may appear as a short period for anyone to be in a leadership position. However for Buganda’s outgoing Katikkiro, it has been a long time and nightmare to complete. Considering his personality, it is possible that he would have thrown the towel in long time ago.
According to Eng. John Baptist Walusimbi who has been at the helm of the kingdom for four years, Mengo, the kingdom’s administrative seat is full of sycophants and hypocrites. “I should assure whoever will replace me that this office is not easy as it may appear. I do not intend to intimidate anyone but he should be prepared for intrigue, egoism and hypocrisy characters,” Walusimbi said.
He said “Some people here pretend to love the kingdom yet they are the key saboteurs. They are the very people who block the kingdom’s plans to prosper for personal ends,” he said adding, “No leader wishes to promise what he will not fulfill but we face several challenges. I have done my part and I thank the Kabaka for entrusting us and guiding us though the challenges.”
Walusimbi’s reign
On his appointment, Walusimbi pledged to make tremendous investment changes at Mengo, the kingdom’s seat including the completion of Bulange Plaza, setting up a technical school, establishing a referral Buganda hospital and improving house hold incomes through community initiatives. Unfortunately, none of these have been completed.
His reign at Mengo was also widely seen from a negative angle because of the number of problems the kingdom experienced during his tenure. It was during his time that the kingdom’s most treasured heritage Kasubi Tombs were burnt down by unknown agents. The Kabaka, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi broke down into tears on seeing his ancestral mausoleum burnt to ashes. His term also saw the kingdom’s radio (Central Broadcasting Service /CBS) close over alleged promotion of sectarianism and inciting violence.
In the same period, central government blocked Kabaka from visiting Kayunga which resulted into bloody clashes between the two institutions. The clash left at least 27 people dead and over 600 people arrested.
Despite the several challenges, the outgoing Katikkiro has managed to make several achievements but blames his failures on inefficient kingdom funding, external factors as well as cliques who practiced double standards against him and the kingdom.
Who will be the next Katikkiro?
As he quits the second highest office in the kingdom, the search for his successor has started already. Sources at Mengo said that Walusimbi’s closing remarks have sparked a new quest for his successor.
Walusimbi 69, was appointed the Katikkiro by the Kabaka on a four year contract in 2008. He replaced Mr Dan Muliika who ruled for barely 10 months before he was dropped on grounds of being so “controversial”.
Traditionally, the Kabaka appoints his Katikkiro, and the Lukiiko, the highest decision making body approves him. The Kabaka reserves the right to reappoint the outgoing Katikkiro but makes the appointment after several consultations from his confidants.
According to the Gganda culture, the Kabaka makes the final decision after several consultations with the kingdom elders [Bataka], clan heads, religious leaders, the royal family and closest opinion leaders in the region. Sources inside the royal family said the appointment of the new Katikkiro is also mixed with several other factors including the bond between the Kabaka and the appointed premier and the personal mobilisation and management skills of the candidate among others.
“The Katikkiro should be a true friend to the Kabaka. He must be someone he can trust with anything about him as a person and his office,” a source who preferred anonymity said. The chairman Batakka Council Eng. Waliggo Nakirembeka said the cultural norms and values should be maintained to get the best option. “This kingdom has survived for over 700 years because of its strong cultural values and structures. They can hardly be broken to destroy our roots as Baganda,” Eng. Waliggo said.
Apart from tribe, religion and politics, several factors however will be considered to determine the next Katikkiro including age, popularity, and politics of the day among others.
A section of people at Mengo argue that the next Katikkiro should be youthful [of the current generation] to change the face of the kingdom and weave new structures to its prosperity while other look at it from the religious point of view, citing that he should be a Muslim.
“Traditionally, the Katikkiro was supposed to be an Anglican but this has since shifted to Catholics which prompts Muslims to feel like enjoying it as well,” a source said.
According to sources, the Kabaka is likely to choose a replacement from the following; the first Deputy Katikkro Emanuel Ssendaula, the kingdom Attorney General Apollo Makubuya, Kingdom Cabinet Affairs Minister Peter Mayiga among others.
11th May: Buganda Lukiiko convened and passed several resolutions regarding the Land Amendment Bill that was passed into an act by the Ugandan Parliament on the 26th November, 2009 and has now been signed into law by the president.
24th June: Kabaka reshuffled his County Chiefs
12 July: The New Vision publishes a false story about the Kabaka alleging that he had mortgaged Bulange title deed for his personal interests.
17 July: Buganda Kingdom denied all allegations that it was consulted and consented to the extension of Kampala city to cover areas of Kyadondo, Wakiso and Kyaggwe.
20 July: Lukiiko convenes and resolves to boycott anything associated with the New Vision Group until it comes out publicly to apologise to the Kabaka and the Kingdom of Buganda over the alleged false publication.
24 July: Kabaka sues the New Vision Group for publishing a ‘fabricated defamatory’ article about him after failing to apologize to him.
31 July: Elders from Bushenyi condemn acts of insulting the Kabaka and his subjects.
4 Aug: The New Vision publicly apologises to the Kabaka .
5 Aug: Lukiiko lifts ban on New Vision.
10 Aug: Kabaka finally withdraws case against New Vision.
16 Aug: A general prayer for the Kingdom is held at Mengo palace to commemorate the 16th coronation anniversary. During the prayers, Kabaka Mutebi calls for truth and justice in the way people are governed both in Buganda and Uganda as a whole.
25 Aug: Kabaka opens the 17th Lukiiko session with a call for peace and reconciliation among people.
10 Sept: Katikkiro and his cabinet are blocked at Sezibwa Bridge from proceeding to Kayunga to make final preparations for Kabaka’s visit.
-Riots broke out in all parts of Buganda for three days.
-Government switches off CBS radio and other three radio stations including Akaboozi, Ssuubi and Sapientia for allegedly inciting violence.
11 Sept: Kabaka cancels his trip to Kayunga due to the riots and government’s plan to block him at all costs.
30 Sept: Kabaka meets president Museveni at Entebbe State House after the riots.
9 Nov: Lukiiko convenes and commends the Kabaka for his brilliant leadership through the difficult periods the kingdom is going through.
2010
Feb 22: Museveni blames Mengo for what he calls a selfish habit of suppressing other people’s cultures.
March 10: Mengo supports a petition lodged with The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC), seeking the indictment of President Museveni over the September 2009 riot killings in Kampala and parts of Buganda.
March 16: Kasubi Tombs goes up in flames, completely razing the building that houses the graves of four former kings of Buganda Kingdom.
March 17: President Museveni visits Kasubi Tombs in the morning.
-Two protesters are shot dead by Police after they tried to stop the president from visiting burnt tombs
- Kabaka also visits the place
March 29: Joseph Musoke confesses to torching Kasubi tombs
March 31: Mengo dismisses Musoke’s claims as being very strange
November...: Katikkiro John Baptist Katikkiro ends his term of office
