Buganda Clan leaders to present land Museveni gifted them to Kabaka
President Museveni (right) interacts with Buganda Kingdom clan leaders during a meeting at State House Entebbe in March 2023. PHOTO/PPU
What you need to know:
The members of the Buganda Lukiiko on Monday expressed their concern that setting up offices near the Kingdom headquarters without the knowledge of the Kabaka is like creating a parallel administrative unit to the Kingdom.
The 52 clan leaders in Buganda (Bataka) have resolved to present the contentious 2.2 acre land gifted to them by President Museveni to their appointing authority, His Majesty Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II who through the Katikkiro said is not aware of the meeting between the clan leaders and the President.
During a special meeting held at Bulange, Mengo on August 31, the Bataka passed four resolutions and among others they agreed to embark on preparations to officially present the land they received from the President to the Kabaka.
In same meeting, they defended their meeting with the President saying it aimed at discussing the continuous encroachment on their clan lands as well as the financial challenges they face.
"The clan leaders meeting welcomed the land gift from President Yoweri Museveni and this land is for all the clan leaders. The clan heads also send great thanks to the President for fulfilling his pledges towards resolving the issues raised by the Bataka," reads part of the Bataka joint statement, signed by their secretary, Mr Aloysius Lubega.
They added: "The Clan leaders (Bataka) are preparing to present this land to the Kabaka."
The Bataka noted that during the meeting at Statehouse, they urged the President to assist them reclaim clan lands which have been grabbed by the some people including soldiers.
"A number of clan lands have been grabbed and some of the affected clans include, Ffumbe clan (whose land is now guarded by gunmen), Kinyomo clan and Babiito clan. Therefore, during our meeting, the president pledged to handle all these matter one by one," the Bataka said through yesterday's joint statement.
"To improve our earnings and working conditions, the President secured for us a piece of land near Buganda Kingdom head offices in Mengo where we shall put all clan offices and commercial businesses to widen financial bases for the clans," they added.
The Bataka also used yesterday's meeting to commend the Kabaka for accepting to open the 31st sitting of the Buganda Lukiiko on August 21. It is alleged that majority of the clan leaders shunned the Kabaka's August 21 ceremony as they convened in a hotel in Entebbe prior to their meeting with the President the following day.
This week, the clan leaders have been in a spot light being accused by the Katikkiro (Buganda premier), Charles Peter Mayiga, the former Katikkiro, Dan Muliika and the members of the Buganda Lukiiko for meeting the President without the knowledge or approval from the Kabaka nor the Katikkiro.
Addressing the Buganda Lukiiko on Monday, Mr Mayiga said it was a mistake for the clan leaders to meet the President without following the right procedures, something he said to be against the Kingdom norms and likely to breed frictional factions with the Kingdom.
In her defense for the meeting, Ms Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo, the Minister for ICT who led the clan leaders to the President told this Publication on Monday that; "there was no need for clan leaders to inform the Katikkiro because all the meeting proceeds are for the good of the clan leaders and the Buganda Kingdom."
However, the members of the Buganda Lukiiko on Monday expressed their concern that setting up offices near the Kingdom headquarters without the knowledge of the Kabaka is like creating a parallel administrative unit to the Kingdom.
