Buruuli tasks govt to fulfil pledge of building palace
Buruuli cultural leader Isabaruli Mwogezi Butamanya (centre) and Queen Maria Leonora Torres Maharlika of Philippines at the former’s 19th coronation anniversary celebrations in Nakasongola Town Council. PHOTO/DAN WANDERA
What you need to know:
- Buruuli cultural leader Mwogezi Butamanya calls for operationalisation of the 2013 agreement between the Kabaka of Buganda and President Museveni.
The Buruuli cultural institution has asked the government to fulfil the different pledges made to the cultural institutions to enable them implement different projects targeting the social and economic transformation of Ugandans.
Among the pledges is the recent presidential directive for a monthly Shs60m to the cultural institutions and support in the construction of office and palace premises.
While celebrating his 19th coronation anniversary in Nakasongola Town Council on Sunday, Buruuli cultural leader Mwogezi Butamanya called for operationalisation of the 2013 agreement between Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II and President Museveni.
“The different clauses that sought to protect the land belonging to Buruuli from illegal activity, including eviction, are not operational,” he said.
Members of Parliament from Nakasongola District led by Mr Noah Mutebi Wanzala (Nakasongola County) and Ms Victoria Zawedde (District Woman), said the government pledge to help Buruuli construct its palace and administrative block is long overdue.
“President Museveni has on different occasions directed the construction for palace and office promises for other cultural institutions and the directives are enforced, but pledges made to Buruuli are at snail speed and often ignored despite the mass support for the NRM government,” Mr Wanzala said
“We believe that the Shs60m pledge for cultural institutions that is supposed to be released to the different cultural institutions on a monthly basis be used for both capital development and help running the different cultural activities,” Ms Zawede said.
Ms Betty Amongi, the minister of Gender, who represented President Museveni at the function, said her ministry has already made proposals for construction of two palaces.
“Buruuli cultural institution is among the young cultural institutions that need support. We had already made proposals for the construction of two different palaces, but we shall include Buruuli in the budget framework paper,” the minister pledged.
For the Financial Year 2024/2025, the Shs60m monthly payment for cultural institutions will be submitted to the Cabinet for consideration, she added.
Ms Amongi commended Buruuli for hosting key government installations and institutions such as UPDF, the Uganda Prisons and the Immigration Training Academy, among others.
In August 2013, President Museveni and the Kabaka of Buganda signed a Memorandum of Understanding where the central government returned several properties belonging to the kingdom. At the same time, Buganda Kingdom agreed to a clause in which the land where the different cultural intuitions have established their headquarters remain property of the respective cultural institutions.
But Buruuli cultural institution insists that the 2013 agreement has never been operationalised despite repeated reminders to the concerned parties.
Although Nakasongola (Buruuli) is constitutionally among the 18 counties of Buganda, the cultural leader of ethnic Baruuli insists that they are an independent cultural institution .
Background
According to the Traditional or Cultural Leaders Act, 2010, Kamuswaga and Isabaruuli are listed among the 13 traditional leaders in Uganda. Both ethnic Baruuli and Banyala have for long been pushing for secession, which Buganda Kingdom opposes.
