Le Kabaka Mutebi refuse de parler au menteur Museveni

Kabaka misses Museveni meet

Robert Mwanje & Al-Mahdi Ssenkabirwa

Mengo

The Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Mutebi II has turned down yet another invitation by President Yoweri Museveni to a long-anticipated meeting at which it is hoped the strained relationship between the kingdom and central government will be discussed, Sunday Monitor has learnt.

Credible sources within the kingdom’s palace told Sunday Monitor that President Museveni had agreed to meet at State House Nakasero, reportedly on Thursday afternoon but the Kabaka called off the meeting almost at the last minute, citing other commitments.

 “They had agreed to meet on Thursday but the Kabaka cancelled the meeting because he had other commitments. They are now likely to meet towards the end of this month or early October when the President is also back from his foreign trip,” a source inside the royal family said on condition of anonymity because he is not supposed to talk to the press. Another source at Mengo, the seat of Buganda Kingdom, yesterday said the king was reluctant to meet the President since similar past meetings  have  not yielded much by way of Buganda’s wishes to regain federal status, among other demands.

“The Kabaka has not got enough reasons to meet the President because the central government has kept lying to him. This seems to have prompted the Kabaka to doubt other meetings with the President,” another source attached to the Buganda prime minister’s office said.

Presidential Press Secretary Tamale Mirundi yesterday said: “The President has expressed the need to meet the Kabaka but the Kabaka had other commitments and could not meet him. But the President must meet traditional rulers to advise each other”.

Last week, President Museveni complained that he had unsuccessfully failed to reach the Kabaka over the phone for two years. It was only on September 9, just before the riots that rocked Kampala, that Kabaka Mutebi finally answered the President’s call. Mr Museveni said during his telephone conversation with the Kabaka, he asked him why the kingdom radio, CBS, was abusing and “demonising” him and his ruling NRM party.

The kingdom Attorney General, Mr Apollo Makubuya, yesterday said while Kabaka’s meeting with the President can take place; it’s not for the Kabaka to discuss the kingdom’s specific concerns like the controversial land question, federalism and return of the kingdom’s property. The kingdom’s Deputy Information Minister, Medard Lubega Sseggona also said any such talks should be held in an “acceptable” environment.