Monitor, June 9, 2005
Buganda has little to thank the Movement for
F.D.R. GUREME
I propose to be candid here, in order to put straight matters in which the perpetrators of falsehoods have repeated them so often that they themselves now seemingly believe them. "Great speech sir, the one you made last Saturday!" sang the sycophant to his political mentor. "I particularly admired the straightforward manner in which you twisted the issues!"
I read with consternation, and not without considerable disbelief, the content of the front page report regarding what the President had said about Mengo: clearly meaning the volunteers in the once GREAT Lukiiko and His Majesty's non-salaried ministers: titled "Movement to clean up Mengo" (New Vision, June 1).
Not only was the irony of the Movement government, as we know it today, "cleaning up" (as they are cleaning up the Treasury?) non-remunerated Baganda patriots, such an absurdity; but the forgetful or deliberate manner in which t he President twisted the facts of history, and the profanity of the language used against these Baganda nationalists (dabbed "wolves") was shocking.
Pray, tell me, how does the "wolf pack" of Mengo compare with the huge pride of lions prowling within the walls of the Cabinet room and the clan of majority hyenas gleefully laughing within the Chamber, or the trailing jackals and vultures benefiting from the leftovers of the kill?
I have repeatedly said, that I did not take interest in the governance of this country until I entered S4 at King's College Budo in1944, thanks to Mzee Apollo Kironde. I have also said, and reiterate, that I have known no corruption (both graft and embezzlement), no prodigality with public funds, no untruths perpetrated, no malice, no vendetta and no shamelessness as I see under the monocracy of the phantom currently styled the "Movement." For oppression and intimidation Idi Amin and Paul Muwanga only exceed it. So who qualifies to label Baganda, who volunteer to make the best out of a bad job, "wolves"?
At one time I attributed crudity and sycophancy to ill breeding. But then how do we explain the unprincipled comportment of Apolo Nsibambi (said to have been the precentor of the praise songs at the reported meeting) and his relative, New Vision's praise-named "Uganda's leading columnist" extenuating his boss' tactless profanities; both of whose godly fathers (Nsibambi's and Nagenda's) conceived, sowed and spread the seed of Bulokole (Revival) in the early 1930s?
However, Museveni is said to have sounded bitter that his restoration of the Buganda monarchy had not been appreciated. Listen! Truth to tell, Museveni, the self-styled Ssabagabe, has no love for monarchies and monarchs: the reason monarchies should be wary of the ekisanja project.
Those of us mature and attentive enough around 1981-1986 will remember the popular mantra of his warriors: "We did not go to the bush to restore kingships." It did not take his agents long to inform Museveni of the reservoir of votes held by monarchist areas: for him to frantically push for the restoration of kingdoms "where they were popular."
This was about the time the Constitutional Assembly (CA) was preoccupied debating various articles of the Constituti on. Museveni realising that, with the Obote legacy still pervasive, antagonism against kingships in "republican" areas would throw out such proposal. Thus, for self-interest, he audaciously eschewed the abstracted CA and restored Buganda and other kingdoms through the Army Council; for an NRM-dominated CA to endorse later.
Remember too that although Museveni restored kingdoms he did not fund them: so that the former wealthy and autonomous Buganda kingdom, whose ebyaffe have yet to be fully returned, has had to tout the beggar's plate, for gifts from its citizens and well-wishers, through charity certificates: to sustain its bare framework, as the ever-increasing district councils get sufficient funds to spend and or steal.
Whereas the British had prudently arranged districts according to common interests such as language, the president, whenever elections are looming, grants district status at virtually the clan level (including today's rat-chewers): assuredly ta king Parliament's endorsement for granted. Without detailing the costs of running a legion of districts, consider the so many councils from the village to LC5 that we have; you may, however remotely, perceive the vast sea area in which the president fishes for votes.
Remember also, the fairly recent, and hastily withdrawn white paper proposal where his cabinet recommended that kings precariously reign at the whim of parliament where incumbents "violate the Constitution!" That is the love and respect the president radiates towards kings and kingdoms, eh?
Yes, the quest after votes denied highly educated and sagacious John Barigye kingship because leading Protestants, some surfacing from the bush, but still reeking of Ankole UPC's primitive 'science' and 'syndicate' ethnicity syndrome, which had sprouted in 1944, when ethnic majorities assumed advantageous significance, at the birth of district councils, told Museveni the unfounded fib that the majority Banyankore d etested the kingship. Thus Barigye lost out on his throne purely because he was his father's son.
And Ankole missed having the widely travelled king, with the most impressive profile of all regal candidates, as their re-unification hub. Museveni, who swallowed the fib against James Kahigiriza's carefully researched submission, and loves being "winner," organised a meeting of the inventors of the fib and LC5 chairmen at his country home of Rwakitura, where the drilled toadies were "unanimously opposed" to the restoration. Yet Kahigiriza had meticulously paced Ankole and verified that at least the DP majority was largely in favour of restoring the monarchy. I doubt that we have seen the last of this issue!
Yes, the quest after votes, which gave women and youth (constituting the greater nationwide majorities) plus the disabled - and the army, special representation in Parliament: permitting him to bag two birds with one stroke: by gaining their votes and winning world ac claim as leading champion of affirmative action.
Yes, the quest for votes, which gives Uganda relatively one of the largest councils of ministers - and parliament - worldwide; to ensure that every part of Uganda is thankful to him for partaking of the national cake. Yes, the tail-wagging Movement majority parliament, that rubberstamps appointment of discarded cadres as advisers: who may not see, forget meet, the president they "advise" ever.
Indeed, the quest for votes, which spurred H.E. to arbitrarily legislate upon taxes, levied on boda boda riders. And presently abolishing graduated tax without any clear alternative income earner for the numerous districts he is in the process of creating, as he uses state funds to carry out his party's and presidential campaigns in the guise of inspiring "riches for all:" occasionally dragging his office in the murk by donning dry banana leaves, etc, all in the quest for votes.
Reading between the lines one sees that the so called regional "tier" decoy has the effect of firmly placing kingdoms' and federal regions' finances at the pleasure of State House. The President is reported to have said: "Those who have been at Mengo will not be returned - unless they are voted." This is correct: in that they will not be returned.
Indeed the peasants who, for close to twenty years, have been thoroughly brainwashed, by listening to no views except the gospel according to saint Museveni, who gave them sleep - in more ways than one - would never return them. Beware! If Lukiiko elections were held in Buganda today the regimented peasantry might exclusively return Movementists - including the Katikkiro. Buganda nationalists must go out NOW; and tell their people whom their friends and foes are.
Clearly, Buganda and other prospective regional "tiers" have been led down the garden path; and the Mengo team which negotiated with the President betrayed not only the interests of Buganda but of all kingdoms and prospective regions; now going to be virtually under the mercy and control of State House. Now, tell me, what it is that Buganda should feel thankful to the President about!
Space, dictates that we discuss VP Gilbert Bukenya's soap opera, and its social and legal implications, at the next available opportunity; when, time and space permitting, I should also give my perception of the ideal "federo" system, and how a combined opposition may defeat the Movement at the polls.Contact: 077 401173
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