Prime
Kabaka to address 29th session of Lukiiko today
Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi of Buganda Kingdom. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- The Kabaka is expected to give an insight into how the kingdom will progress in the new year amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II is expected to address his subjects today as he opens the 29th session of Buganda Kingdom’s parliament (Lukiiko).
The Speaker of the Lukiiko, Mr Patrick Mugumbule, says the Lukiiko will focus on promotion of health services in the kingdom.
“We will conform to the Covid-19 guidelines and every Lukiiko member is advised to come with a face mask,” he said in an interview yesterday.
The Kabaka is expected to give an insight into how the kingdom will progress in the new year amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
But at a time when his kingdom is at loggerheads with President Museveni, who recently called its land agency Buganda Land Board (BLB) ‘illegal’, the Kabaka may also be prompted to comment on the contentious issue.
Early this year, the government announced it was coming up with new land reforms, including scrapping Mailo land, which they say will protect interests of both landlords and bibanja holders (tenants) and also save the latter from arbitrary evictions.
Government attributes rampant evictions in Buganda to the 1900 Buganda Agreement with the British colonialists, which created dual ownership of land.
Kabaka has since openly criticised the move, saying it is intended to ‘weaken’ the kingdom.
The Lukiiko is the highest decision-making body in the kingdom and comprises kingdom elders, 18 county chiefs, ministers, youth and special interest groups’ representatives, delegates from districts and representatives from other ethnic communities in the kingdom.
Since the restoration of kingdoms on July 31, 1993, the Lukiiko has been opening immediately after the coronation anniversary celebrations in July.
However, this norm could not happen in 2020 due to the pandemic and it was not possible this year since the Kabaka was in Germany for further treatment, a few days after the coronation.
In his last major speech on July 31 as he marked his 28th coronation anniversary at Nkoni Palace, Lwengo District, the Kabaka criticised what he termed as provocation by the central government.
“All of us remember very well that the decision to restore cultural institutions in 1993 came through a protracted arrangement, which included our direct involvement in the liberation struggle to stop dictatorship and agreeing on the position of cultural leaders,” he said. Traditionally, the kingdom has three major annual functions namely the coronation, official opening of the Lukiiko session and the Kabaka’s birthday on April 13.
