Election of Kabaka Muteesa as president of Uganda in 1963

There is another purpose the Kabaka’s election served. Ever since 1949, Buganda had sought to separate itself from the rest of the colony. Among the tasks Sir Andrew Cohen, as Governor, came to do was to counter the separatist tendencies of Buganda. It was in the process of handling this that the 1953 crisis erupted.

In 1961, Buganda actually filed for separate independence from the rest of the colony. It is the KY/UPC alliance which got Buganda to participate in the election of 1962. Making the Kabaka president was getting Buganda to be more involved in the politics of Uganda.

It is in this vein that Obote made a statement which was reported in the Uganda Argus of March 1, 1967. “The moment the Kabaka held the Bible and took the oath of office I knew he was in. But he never realised it until last year and therefore he wanted to kick me out and I was humble.”

The other reason for having the Kabaka become Head of State is what has been well-argued by Prof. Gordon Wright: “What can be the functional equivalents of monarchy in countries like the United States and India which have lost that institution irretrievably? One such [used by the Soviet Union in its constituent republics] is the ceremonial presidency which can be safely bestowed upon some prestigious and cooperative member of the former ruling elite for the vicarious satisfaction of the rest of the group. Indians never tire of pointing to the late President Zakir Husain, Chief Justice Hidayatullah and a covey of state governors from the Muslim minority.

These men may be ineffective, or unwilling to be real representatives of their community, but they do seem to lend the state some of the desired legitimacy in the eyes of the minority. They constitute a kind of “tokenism” for the downwardly mobile.

If the American presidency had developed in the direction in which it seemed headed under Eisenhower, it might have become a harmless sop of this sort for the Wasps in their decline.”

How was the Kabaka to become Head of State? An election procedure of some sort was contrived. In this procedure, it was Constitutional Heads who were qualified to contest.

The heads of kingdoms including the Kyabazinga of Busoga automatically qualified. In order not to have those districts or nationalities without Constitutional Heads feel left out, the position of Constitutional Heads of each district was created and filled. Teso District refused to fill its position. With the positions of Constitutional Heads filled, elections were then held.

Prior to the elections, the UPC caucus discussed the matter. The majority of UPC members came up in support of their Vice President, William Wilberforce Nadiope, the Kyabazinga of Busoga, leaving their President of the UPC with the Kabaka without support.

After prolonged deliberations, with Obote threatening to resign as leader, the UPC caucus grudgingly accepted to support Muteesa. Muteesa has given us his take of the arduous struggle Obote went through to get him elected President in his book, The Desecration of My Kingdom: “In October I was elected president.

Though important in my life and career, this moment was not so significant as a political straw in the wind as some thought. There were rumours that I must have made secret concessions to Obote over the lost counties, and that the Prime Minister was reversing his anti-Buganda policy, which was by now clear, if not threatening. These held no truth.

“Sir Walter Coutts had become Governor General after independence, but this was always meant to be a temporary appointment by the National Assembly. Indeed a few months before he said to me at a dinner in government house, where the next head of State would live, “And when are you coming here?” Genuinely misunderstanding, I replied, “On Saturday for lunch. Don’t you remember?”

Kabaka Muteesa further wrote: “He probably took this as a diplomatic manoeuvre to avoid answering. After discussions, it had been decided to elect one of the rulers for a five-year term. In that case there was little choice either for Obote or for me. He was not in a position to snub the Baganda, who would have been enraged if any other ruler was chosen, as the new president would have precedence over the Kabaka even in Buganda. Similarly, it was difficult for me to refuse.

“I was told of the possibility of the election when I was in Ndaiga. The only factor which caused me to hesitate was wondering whether there would be a conflict between my duty as President and my duty as Kabaka. I decided that I could separate the two roles as I could separate my position as Commander-in-Chief from the position as colonel in the Granadiers, to which I had just been promoted.

Secret negotiations
“I sent a word to the Katikkiro, still Michael Kintu. This illustrates my relationship with the Lukiiko. I would have felt free to refuse without referring to anyone, but I asked for permission to accept. Negotiations were secret as this was merely to allow my name to be put forward, a necessary manoeuvre to avoid the embarrassment of my being elected and then refusing. Kintu sounded public opinion through the chiefs, found it favourable, and I accepted nomination, knowing that in this case I had the full support of the Prime Minister and thus almost certain to be elected. Still there was some comedy before the election.

“One of the candidates was the Kyabazinga of Busoga, Sir William Wilberforce, known as Uncle Billy, who was also Vice President of UPC. Perhaps in an unguarded moment someone had made him some promise. In any case, when the time came for the election he insisted on remaining in the National Assembly, though it was suggested that as an interested party it might be more tactful for him to leave.

As he sensed things were not going his way, he rushed up to the Prime Minister, who feared a physical attack and backed round the table. They completed two or three circuits with Obote explaining at a safe distance that all would be well and he must calm down.

A special title of Vice President was created for him, but do not think he must have found his duties onerous. I was elected by more than two thirds majority, but it was a secret ballot so it is not certain how many members of DP voted for me and how many of UPC against, in spite of Obote having made his support clear...” Muteesa said.

Continues Tomorrow.

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HIS LIFE & REIGN

Early life. Maj. Gen. Sir Edward Frederick William David Walugembe Mutebi Luwangula Muteesa II was Kabaka of Buganda from November 22, 1939 to 1969. He was the 35th Kabaka and the first President of Uganda. Muteesa was born in Makindye Division, a Kampala suburb on November 19, 1924. His mother was Lady Irene Drusilla Namaganda.
Education. Kabaka Muteesa studied at King’s College Budo before he went to England to complete his education at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he joined the University Officer Training Corps and was commissioned a captain in the Grenadier Guards.
Reign. After the death of his father on November 22, 1939, Muteesa, aged 15, was proclaimed Kabaka, and was installed outside the Lubiri at Mengo on November 26. He reigned under a Council of regents until he came of age. He was crowned at Buddo, on November 19, 1942, on his 18th birthday.
Family. Muteesa married Lady Damali in 1948 and is recorded to have fathered at least 11 sons and seven daughters. He died in London in 1969.