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Banyala ask Museveni gazette their cultural leader
Ssabanyala Baker Kimeze (L) displays a spear he was given by the Kamuswaga of Kooki Apollo Kabumbuli II (R) during the 16th anniversary to mark his coronation ceremony. PHOTO/ FRED MUZAALE
What you need to know:
- Mengo establishment has for long been contesting the Ssabanyala’s legitimacy with some Buganda kingdom officials claiming the Bunyala chiefdom is a creation of the NRM government with an intention of weakening Buganda and the Kabaka.
The Bunyala chiefdom leaders have asked President Museveni to clear the gazettment of their cultural leader, the Ssabanyala, so that he too can enjoy all the government benefits like other cultural leaders.
The Ssabanyala Maj Rtd Baker Kimeze Byarufu, who ascended to the throne in 2009 after the death of his father Nathan Mpagi has never been gazetted, which has made him to miss out on some of the entitlements given to all cultural leaders by the government, his subjects said.
Speaking during the Ssabanyala’s 16th coronation anniversary held over the weekend at Bbaale Hill in Bbaale Sub-county, the chiefdom premier Rev Wilson Galimaka said that even though the Banyala leaders had for a long time moved to all government offices “chasing” for the gazettment of their cultural leader, their demand has not yielded fruit.
“The Banyala like other ethnic groups have a right to have their cultural leader gazetted. We have moved to all government offices but we have been told that the only person with the key to the gazettment of our cultural leader is President Museveni,” a tough-speaking Rev. Galimaka noted.
“We have seen new cultural leaders being gazetted. The Ssabanyala cannot run his kingdom when he has no resources like the other cultural leaders,” he said.
The Ssabanyala Baker Kimeze (3rd R), the Kamuswaga Apollo Isansa Kabumbuli and other officials pose for a photo
Mengo establishment has for long been contesting the Ssabanyala’s legitimacy with some Buganda kingdom officials claiming the Bunyala chiefdom is a creation of the NRM government with an intention of weakening Buganda and the Kabaka.
In a speech read by the State minister for youth, Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi , President Museveni, who was meant to be the chief guest, commended the Ssabanyala for the steadfast and visionary leadership and for the good relationship with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) government which has been in power since 1986.
“The NRM government supports the right to cultural expression, all communities in Uganda have a right to organize and express their unique cultural norms and customs and languages. I commend you for utilizing your cultural influence to unite the people of this area,” the president said.
Mr Barugahara promised to remind the president about the gazettement of the Ssabanyala, noting that if the cultural leader remains ungazetted, it would mean that he (president) gave the Banyala “hot air”.
The fete was attended by a number of cultural leaders who included the Kamuswaga of Kooki, Apollo Kabumbuli II, the Samia-Bugwe cultural leader, representatives from Bunyoro kingdom and others.
The Kamuswaga urged the Banyala to remain united and not accept anyone who tries to pull them back.
The Ssabanyala, Baker Kimeze asked his subjects to unite and fight the harassment which has for long been inflicted on the Banyala.
He asked them to grow enough food for home consumption and for sale as a a way of fighting poverty in their households.
