Prime
Kabaka asks subjects to continue fight for kingdom’s demands
The Kabaka waves to his subjects at Bulange, Mengo in Kampala, where he had arrived to approve new members of the Lukiiko (parliament) yesterday. He asked his subjects and the largely youthful new Lukiiko to continue agitating for the kingdom’s demands like federalism.
Kabaka Ronald Mutebi yesterday asked his subjects to stick to and continue making a case for the kingdom’s demands, including federalism, and urged that the monarchy’s values be inculcated into the younger generations.
Addressing a fully-packed Lukiiko (parliament) yesterday in Bulange, Kampala, in which he approved 136 new members, the Kabaka said it is important to impart the kingdom’s tradition and norms to the next generation to enable them articulate what “hurts their kingdom”.
“It’s very important that we encourage our young ones to love their kingdom, keep it in their hearts and be ready to strongly demand what belongs to them and coherently speak out about what affects their kingdom,” he said.
The Kabaka said the new Lukiiko, that now has a total membership of 180 representatives as opposed to 150 of the outgoing one, has a duty to fight increasing poverty, poor education standards and health system and unemployment in the kingdom.
Duty calls
Buganda Information Minister Charles Peter Mayiga said the new Lukiiko has come at a time when the kingdom is faced with new challenges and are expected to take immediate assignments.
He said the youth dominance in the newly-appointed Lukiiko was a show of passing on responsibility to youngsters and speed up kingdom activities.
The new Lukiiko appointees were drawn from the academia, the Asian community, Baruuli, Banyala, Basamia, Basoga, the business community, special interest groups and women representatives.
Some of the notables include Prof. Badru Katerega, the proprietor of Kampala University, Dr Frederick Golooba, a Makerere University researcher, veteran journalist Kalundi Sserumaga and businessmen James Mukasa and Edward Nkugwa.
More members from the 18 counties of Buganda were appointed to represent their areas, including the contested Bugerere and Buruuli counties.
With Buganda opposed to the cultural leaders Bill that will be tabled soon in Parliament, the new Lukiiko has its work cut out. The Bill, according to government, will check partisan roles of cultural leaders but Mengo insists it is uncalled for.
The other “pressing” needs of Buganda besides federo are the reclamation of its 9,000 square miles of land, assets under central government, ownership of revenue arrears in form of rent not remitted to it by the State.
Tight security
Security outside the meeting venue was beefed up, with all people entering the premises being subjected to checks. Vehicles were not allowed inside the premises.
The Kabaka last addressed the Lukiiko, which reconvenes today, on August 24, 2009, during the opening of the 17th session. Traditionally, the Kabaka addresses the Lukiiko once a year.
