Prime
Nakasongola belongs to Buganda, Mengo tells Buruuli cultural leaders
Disputed. Buganda loyalists reconstruct the Kabaka’s Palace fence that fire gutted in Buruuli recently. PHOTO BY DAN WANDERA
What you need to know:
- Postponed. Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde last week halted the reconstruction of Kabaka’s Palace in Buruuli to allow government time to ascertain its true ownership.
- The palace was recently torched by unknown people but Buganda Kingdom officials point fingers at Buruuli loyalists who they accuse of being behind the fire.
LUWEERO. Buganda has maintained that the disputed piece of land in Nakasongola Town Council, which houses the district headquarters, belongs to the kingdom.
The land is claimed by Buruuli cultural leaders in Nakasongola District. They are pushing for the removal of the Kabaka’s Palace from the land.
The palace was recently torched by unknown people but Buganda Kingdom officials point fingers at Buruuli loyalists who they accuse of being behind the fire.
However, Mr Noah Kiyimba, the minister of information in Buganda Kingdom, yesterday ruled out confrontation as a means of resolving the standoff between Mengo and Buruuli cultural group over ownership of the disputed land.
Mr Kiyimba said Buganda Kingdom will wait for the central government to give its findings regarding ownership of the land on which the palace is located.
“We learnt about the directive issued by the Security minister [Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde] halting construction works on Kabaka’s Palace in Nakasongola District.
His [Lt Gen Tumukunde’s] promise that investigations will not delay gives us hope and since we are law abiding citizens, we shall follow the ministerial directive. We shall remain non-confrontational in the interest of peace and unity of our people as we wait for government’s response,” Mr Kiyimba told Daily Monitor.
Last week, Gen Tumukunde halted the reconstruction of Kabaka’s palace in Buruuli County, Nakasongola District that was destroyed by fire early this month until government ascertains its true ownership.
Interestingly, Buruuli chiefdom minister for information, Mr Samuel Kawesi, last week said Nakasongola District Land Board acting on a resolution of the district council in 2013, allocated the same piece of land to Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC)- Buruuli Radio to construct an office and station premises although management of the radio station never took up the land due to lack of funds.
Mr Gerald Kyanjo, the Buganda Kingdom chief in charge of Buruuli County, last week told the Daily Monitor that all Kabaka’s sub-county chiefs in Nakasongola were mobilising funds to have a perimeter wall constructed around Kabaka’s palace to protect the property from vandalism.
“About Shs400m is needed to construct a perimeter wall at the Kabaka’s palace in Nakasongola District. Buganda Kingdom also plans to construct more structures in the palace, including a modern office block,” he said.
Both Buruuli cultural leaders and Buganda Kingdom officials have for long been at loggerheads over ownership of the said land at Nakasongola District headquarters.
