By Mulengera Reporters
In this weekend feature (which is part 3 of our series), we are back to reflect on Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga’s service to his Kabaka. We begin by continuing with illustrious businessman Charles Mbiire’s relentless efforts to ensure the relationship between Museveni and Mutebi didn’t irretrievably break down and the details are as follows:
THE MBIIRE DETAILS
As we indicated in our Part 2 (published a few days ago on this website), Museveni had on 20th August 2004 called a news conference to announce he had given up on Buganda and vowed to show the world he could politically do without Mengo. In that presser, the man from Rwakitura (whose good works in the preceding decades had won him kudos at Mengo) specifically blamed the stalemate on then kingdom information Minister Charles Peter Mayiga (CPM) saying he was abusing him on CBS.
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Being an entrepreneur close to both Museveni and Kabaka, Mbiire felt the stalemate wasn’t good for business and to him, there was no winner in this war. It was one that would potentially produce two losers; Mengo and Kampala, two institutions he rightly believed needed each other. He reached out to Sr Counsel Apollo Makubuya, a close Kabaka aide and told him: “I believe what formal talks have failed can be achieved through informal efforts.” He offered to speak to the Museveni side and urged Makubuya to do his lobbying within Mengo colleagues.
Museveni was becoming isolated by his own Ganda supporters including outspoken ex-Mawogola County chief Kitayimbwa Mumiransanafu who assured him if faced with a dilemma choosing between him and Kabaka, he would choose the latter. Kitayimbwa, who had been with Museveni since days of UPM, told this to him on a public rally as the crowd cheered. Abdul Nadduli said the same subsequently and this was emboldening many other Musevenists to side with Mengo.
Makubuya met Mayiga and Wasajja and told them Mbire’s view. The trio (aka Kabaka’s young men) informed lawyer John Katende who secured Mutebi’s no objection. Mbiire brought Rugunda who brought in Mbabazi who would later lobby Museveni about this renewed effort. Mutebi and Museveni agreed there was a possibility to succeed with such smaller teams as Mbiire was proposing. The two Principals had seen dangers associated with very big formal teams and the subsequent very damaging media leaks which kept complicating the talks. The resumed talks were kept a secret and Musevenists continued attacking Mengo on radio not knowing something was underway. On realizing this “betrayal” by Museveni, Nsibambi who was PM castigated his boss for “turning us into political leapers.”
MOVIONG FOWARD
On 22/11/2004, Museveni insisted attending one of their meetings on strict condition he would only listen which was granted. The teams met for 8 hours and Mayiga jokingly told Museveni “but sir we are hungry give us some food.” Museveni smiled the food delivered. It were these resumed talks that resulted into the regional tier deal of 2005, a grand consensus that was initially seen as a win-win situation. Kampala would be in Buganda but administered by central government; Buganda would have one Lukiiko with an elected Katikkiro, Kabaka would appoint 15% of the Lukiiko (others would be elected), Mengo Municipality would be created as Kabaka’s Capital City and Museveni directed Constitutional Affairs Minister Janet Mukwaya to drop proposal for MPs to dethrone the Kabaka. This was the arrangement under which Mengo would have more political powers (a Federo of sorts) than it currently has.
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Museveni insisted on elected leaders, Lukiiko and Katikkiro as a way of enforcing political and financial accountability in Bulange that would now have direct access to public funds under a semi-Federo arrangement. The land issue remained unresolved because Museveni was unwilling to oust the District Land Boards’ jurisdiction over the 9,000 Square Miles replacing them with Buganda Land Board. As a compromise, a committee headed by Speaker Sekandi with Mbabazi and Kiddu Makubuya as members would work with Mengo to harmonize on this. Kabaka named Mayiga, Katende and Apollo Nelson Makubuya to represent Mengo on the Sekandi committee. Mulwanyamuli reported the deal to Lukiiko and cabinet days after the Kabaka had endorsed/signed it on 10th February 2005.
This was after JPAM wrote to Mengo disclosing that Museveni and Cabinet had endorsed everything. It was this deal that Abu Mayanja & Co rejected (as revealed in our previous article) leading to anxiety which ushered in Dan Muliika after Mulwanyamuli’s exit. The Abu Mayanja group castigated and branded the trio (Mulwanyamuli, Mayiga and Katende) traitors for confusing the Kabaka into endorsing the regional tier deal which Abu Mayanja likened a rope being to the Kabaka to hang himself. In the end, the Mbiire effort flopped but was an additional opportunity for Mayiga, Makubuya and Wasajja to contribute towards de-escalation and the ultimate resolution of the Buganda question which has been elusive since independence.
MAYIGA & CBS
The incorporation of what has since grown into the leading radio brand in the country is another area where CPM’s contribution was visible. The truth is that after coronation in 1993 there had been frustration and the euphoria was beginning to wane. Baganda expected a lot from the Kabaka but were seeing nothing. The institution was broke and Kabaka couldn’t do much. As a remedy, Mengo leaders (CPM inclusive) incorporated something called Buganda Economic Bureau (BEB), a think-tank whose work was to generate ideas on how poverty would be fought in the kingdom.
Mayiga undertook to recruit young graduates whom he interested in working for Kabaka under BEB. These were Kawooya Mwebe and David Kyewalabye Male. They became BEB Administrative Secretaries. The BEB BOD was headed by Leo Kibirango and members included Sudhir Ruparelia, Mike Mukula and others. BEB young Turks conceived many development ideas including formation of BUCADEF, Buganda Investments & Cultural Undertakings (BICUL), Central Technical Services (CTS which made roads), CBS and many others. The idea was you needed a radio to mobilize Baganda towards development. Other motivations to found CBS were political and had a lot to do with both Mayiga and his boss Mulwanyamuli.
Katikkiro Mulwanyamuli sent Mayiga to appear on UTV’s Face the Press program to articulate Buganda’s views as tabled before Odoki Commission. It was a pre-recorded show whose contents were first taken to State House whose bosses insisted on editing it omitting the most important points. Mulwanyamuli had days earlier had his recorded program cancelled by Eria Kategaya who was NPC. Kabaka’s functions would take weeks to be aired on UTV and radio Uganda. This created frustration at Mengo prompting the Lukiiko to endorse Eng Hubert Kibuuka’s proposal to found own radio.
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On 10/1/1995, the Lukiiko voted to start CBS. A steering committee was created with Mustapha Mutyaba, Kawooya Mwebe being chairman and secretary respectively. Being the 4th private FM radio station in Uganda, CBS went on air on 22nd June 1996. In the 10/1/1995 Lukiiko session, Dan Muliika and Asher Kiwanuka Nteyafa spoke loudest defending proposal to begin CBS. Some were skeptical fearing it would air inflammatory stuff and provoke the central government to bomb Bulange again. Unknown to Lukiiko, Eng Kibuuka had started on the work much earlier on including approaching Greenland bank owner Suleiman Kiggundu for initial funding. Mayiga became pioneer BOD member with others like Sebugwawo, Sarah Bagalaliwo and Sebaana Kizito. Rev Dan Kajumba, for whom Mayiga had previously been PA, became pioneer General Manager for CBS.
Mayiga also sat on CBS’ sub committees of Finance and Editorial. Kaaya Kavuma became pioneer CBS MD and it was him who recruited Peter Sematimba and founding Programs Director Abbey Mukiibi Nkaga. The CBS success inspired incorporation of the Njuba Times newspaper which was launched on 19/12/1997 to coincide with the return of Mengo palace. CBS had 51% shareholding in the newspaper and injected $33,330. There was a vacuum after Grace Semakula’s Ngabo newspaper, which had been pro-Mengo, had folded and collapsed. Mayiga sat on Njuba Times steering committee chaired by Katende. Mayiga later became the paper’s executive director and Katende was Chairman BOD. Grace Semakula was editor in chief and Moses Serwanga and Paul Waibare were news editors. Sematimba was managing editor. Kabaka specifically liked Njuba Times and had a lot of hope in it having practiced newspaper journalism in UK.
Kabaka specifically appreciated the need for Mengo to have its own newspaper and regularly rang Mayiga to check on the progress being made. This was Mengo’s 2nd attempt at newspaper business. Previously, it was Akiika Embuga of 1992 which was edited by Arthur Bagunywa Nkalubo. CPM and others used to put personal money doing Njuba Times work the very reason why his family cried when it collapsed. Although it collapsed, largely because its promoters over relied on the Baganda goodwill and didn’t properly plan, the bi-lingua Njuba Times had a good start; sold 20,000 copies on first day and did advertising business of $172,000 in its first six months. It folded after 2 years of great struggling.
The thing is there is a lot they didn’t know and miscalculated including circulation challenged, the distribution networks etc. In his book, King on the Throne, Mayiga submits that the unveiling of CBS was one of the three major events of the Mutebi era that brought unprecedented enthusiasm in Kabaka’s people; the other two being coronation and Kabaka’s wedding of August 1999 (to be discussed shortly).
OTHER COMPANIES
Mayiga enumerates these Kingdom companies in his book as Central Technical Services (CTS Ltd) which contracted to make roads in Buganda districts and grew its turnover to over $1m within its first year. It later folded due to limited capitalization otherwise Buganda districts LGs were initially very supportive giving it civil and road works. Mayiga’s campus friend Francis Buwule was CTS Board chairman.
The other company was Kabaka Foundation (KF) which did charity amongst women and vulnerable children mostly those on the streets and the HIV-infected. Mutebi rightly believed that the pre-1986 instability had created many widows and orphans and sought to use his Foundation to impact on their lives. In 1996, as Minister for children/youth affairs, Mayiga and others convinced the Kabaka to use his 3rd coronation anniversary to reach out to these vulnerable groups. A huge children bonanza was organized at Lugogo Indoor stadium where the Foundation Board members Hope Mukasa and Andrew Kasirye ensured Mutebi, who was Foundation Board chairman, came to meet 1000s of street children.
In a rare show of humility, Mutebi breached the century –old norm of Kabakas not eating in public and publicly took soda from a disposable wrapping before 1000s of cheering street kids and took photos with them. Mayiga says the gesture showed Mutebi’s solidarity with and affection for street children. KF also had model homes in Bukalango Wakiso district where rehabilitated street kids lived.
The other entity was the Nabagereka Development Foundation (NDF) which largely was an advocacy platform for society problems; inflicting women and children. BEB also conceived the idea to found BUCADEF which, using USAID funding, worked to develop agricultural programs to ultimately achieve poverty eradication and environmental protection. It addressed food security, social services delivery and in some way resembled Gen Museveni’s Prosperity for All program. BUCADEF, on whose Board Mayiga sat, was launched in July 1996 to mark Mutebi’s 3rd coronation anniversary. Pioneer Board Chairman was Duncan Kafeero, leading members like Sarah Bagalaliwo, Joyce Sebugwawo, Peter Mulira and others. Kyewalabye Male, a CPM blue-eyed boy up to this day, was the BUCADEF programs officer.
BEB also conceived Buganda Kingdom Development Strategy (BKDS) which was a 10 year-development plan, a blue print of sorts, articulating the development agenda that Buganda kingdom was espousing besides the politics of Federo advocacy. Mayiga submits in his book that BKDS was a strategy to demonstrate what Buganda aspired to economically do for its people once Federo was granted.
THE ROYAL WEDDING
It was on 27th August 1999 in Mengo palace which Museveni had returned to Mengo 2 years earlier. The background to the royal wedding was that Mutebi returned from exile (in 1989) aged 31 years and was deemed too old to still be a bachelor. It was actually the 2nd Christian royal wedding in Buganda’s history spanning centuries. First was Chwa (Mutebi’s grandfather) who on 19th September 1914 wedded Drusilla Namaganda. Otherwise all preceding Kabakas had engaged outside church the way they wished including Kabaka Ssuuna (of pre-colonization period) who had 20,000 wives.
Mutebi’s prolonged bachelorhood was considered abomination (kyakive) as many opinion leaders and his advisors felt he had a social obligation to begin on the journey to get the Kingdom an heir by getting married. Even if he wasn’t himself a product of church marriage, many (including Namirembe’s Bishop Misaeri Kawuma) felt that in the era of Christianity, it was obligatory for Mutebi to undergo holy matrimony as something good even for his own Public Relations. The heir dilemma was a serious one because his son, Andrew Crisp Kiweewa Jjunju, was culturally barred from succeeding him as King because his mum wasn’t a Muganda.
Kabaka traditionally takes his mum’s clan and Jjunju’s mum wasn’t from any of the 52 clans. (Kiwewa is actually a title for a sitting Kabaka’s 1st son-editor). Newspaper gossip pages made Mutebi’s unenviable dilemma even more complicated as they kept speculating on whether he would wed Dr. Catherine Ssozi but he didn’t. In his book, Mayiga is cautious not to go into this discussion and calls it Kabaka’s private arena. Mutebi always reacted very apprehensively whenever anybody discussed his prolonged bachelorhood. But Misaeri Kauma and Sr Counsel Godfrey Lule were among those who never feared upsetting him.
Whereas Kauma raised the issue in his homily whenever Mutebi prayed in his Namirembe Cathedral, Lule tactfully always raised bachelorhood as something Mutebi couldn’t overcome for as long as Museveni’s central government continued refusing to return Buganda’s things (Ebyaffe) including Mengo palace which comprises of his official residence Twekobe. Mayiga is one confidant with whom Mutebi discussed almost everything but his bachelorhood is something CPM was always fearful to prompt his boss into discussing. Whenever he wanted to raise it he would go through John Katende.
One time Mayiga arranged for VOA’s Shaka Ssali to interview Mutebi and when he asked about when he would get married, the king pensively said: “you will be the first to know when that time comes.” In his book, Mayiga jokingly promises to ask Ssali if Kabaka kept his word on this. Those pressurizing Mutebi would often tell him his 4m subjects (as of 1989) had a right to know why he was still a bachelor. But Mayiga says Kabaka silenced whoever raised the matter in private meetings with “an impatient gesticulation of his hand and in a firm uncompromising voice.” Others who never kept quiet on this prolonged bachelorhood issue, even if it meant annoying Mutebi, were his PPS EW Kiggundu and Besweri Mulondo. And when time came, Mayiga thickly participated in the Royal wedding including coordinating the Royal Wedding Souvenir published in the New Vision of 27/8/1999.
Mayiga wrote the editorial for it (Souvenir) and reviewed the royal wedding song composed by Henry Katamba. It was entitled “Omutanda afunye omubeezi [king has found his rib].” By that time Mayiga had served his Kabaka for 9 years. One of the stories in the wedding Souvenir shows that when public questions (protesting Kabaka’s prolonged bachelorhood) became too much for him, CPM would refer such questioners to Katikkiro Mulwanyamuli. In July 1994 Zulu King Zelethisini was here for 2nd coronation anniversary and as the day’s MC, Mayiga said (referring to Zulu king’s wife) that spectators would enjoy a better function if the two kings had been accompanied by their two queens. As he drove back home after the event, Kabaka Mutebi told Patrick Kisule, who was his Press Secretary, that: “Mayiga spoke well today and he had his point there.”
Five years before he eventually wedded in August 1999, Kabaka was interviewed by BBC and was asked what would happen to the kingdom if he died without heir. In a long elaborate answer, he said Buganda has three officials-Katikkiro, Kasujju Lubinga and Mugema who would decide next king. He angrily reacted to BBC’s question: “are you searching?” Prolonged bachelorhood nearly caused a row between prominent Ganda families that would strategically parade their beautiful daughters at public functions hoping to catch Mutebi’s eye. Mayiga reveals in his book that even at upcountry functions, beautiful young girls would be brought as ushers “to arouse Kabaka’s appetite to quit bachelorhood.” But the flamboyant king remained indifferent. Before officially wedding, the Kabaka had children who included Jjunju, Princesses Victoria Nkinzi and Joan Nassolo whose mothers Mayiga doesn’t disclose saying the matter is purely personal.
UNVEILING NAGGINDA
After 13 years of anxious waiting, sometime in late 1998 Kabaka traveled with Katikkiro Mulwanyamuli to UK to attend a meeting of Baganda in Diaspora. While there, one evening at a social event, he introduced what Mulwanyamuli says was “a slander graceful young lady” to him. She smiled and knelt to greet him. Mutebi was now 44 years. On return, on 14/2/1999, the Kabaka called a family meeting which Katikkiro attended in Banda Palace and introduced to them Nagginda as his wife-to be. It was Valentines Day, something CPM says reveals how Kabaka was big on romantic ideas.
Mutebi’s Valentines Day revelation was strictly private and the matter only became public on 15th March 1999 when Kabaka authorized Mulwanyamuli to officially break the news to Lukiiko. There was emotional excitement and Lukiiko members proclaimed this as evidence that Mutebi indeed cared about perpetuity of his kingdom.
Next were committees being created including the General Planning & Implementing Committee (GPIC) which James Mulwana chaired with Mayiga as Secretary. Nagginda was then 36 years old having been born on 2nd November 1963. GPIC had sub committees which included Robert Sebunya’s reception committee; Sarah Nkonge’s construction committee; Wavamunno’s transport committee; Prince Kassim Nakibinge’s Royal Wardrobe committee and William Kalema’s Nabagereka Wardrobe Committee. The different subcommittees had 500 members whose major work was resource mobilization. In a period of 2 months, over $0.6m was raised. It’s said this is when Mayiga discovered the potential such public fundraising can have hence his contemporary Tofali approach which saw him realize billions in such a short time.
As part of the fundraising for the royal wedding, Katikkiro Mulwanyamuli would stand in a Bulange tent every day to receive thousands of excited Baganda coming to make their contribution in form of cash, cattle and other things. UPC, which stood condemned for abolishing monarchy, sent its propaganda chief Amos Kajoba to deliver its cash contribution to what New Vision called the biggest wedding in East Africa ever. Kajoba rang Mayiga who consulted Kabaka and Katikkiro if it was okay to receive UPC’s contribution. Kajoba was fearful Baganda might react angrily and harm him but Mayiga ensured safe passage for him.
KABAKA’S BIG DAY
Then came D-Day and Mutebi’s wedding attire cost $48,000 from India-and was paid for by John Katende. Nabagereka’s cost $30,000 from USA. At Namirembe Cathedral, the bride came 30 minutes late creating anxiety. Museveni, who was still a darling everywhere in Buganda, attended both church and reception in Twekobe. In his speech, a widely smiling Museveni who personally contributed $6,700 & 10 heads of exotic cattle, urged Mutebi to quickly impregnate his newly wed Queen because Baganda had waited for too long. There was prolonged laughter on this confirmation that Museveni had also noticed the dangers Mutebi’s prolonged bachelorhood posed for the kingdom. The royal wedding was a moment of great reconciliation as Bunyoro’s Solomon Gafabusa, whose kingdom had historical animosity with Buganda, donated 10 heads of cattle similar to Museveni’s.
Sitting on 265 acres, the entire Mengo palace was availed for general reception area where Sewava Serubiri (now of ANT party) was the MC. Sewava welcomed the Kabaka to the open reception after the king had served a sumptuous meal to his over 5,000 VIP guests inside newly built Twekobe. Tens of thousands of cattle were slaughtered and served to millions of Kabaka’s subjects in the general reception area. Sewava Serubiri permitted only one speech by Katikkiro Mulwanyamuli who excited the crowd when he renewed calls for Federo in the presence of Gen YK Museveni. Almost a decade later (on 28th January 2003) Mayiga, Mulwanyamuli and other Mengo bosses were to lead the Federo match of over 200,000 chanting Baganda to submit their renewed Federo demands to the Sempebwa Constitutional Review Commission. The views delivered had been collected by Buganda Constitutional Review Commission (BCRC) for which Mayiga was Secretary.
Sempebwa’s CRC was based at Conference Center (now Serena) and as they matched, the 200,000 Baganda still reflected on Mulwanyamuli’s speech at the Royal Wedding many years earlier. In our subsequent reporting, watch out for 100 key people and entities in Kabaka Mutebi’s life-and their respective contributions since the days of the Kabakaship restoration project of the early 1990s. (For comments on this story, call, text or whatsapp us on 0705579994 [whatsapp line], 0779411734, 0200900416 or email us atmulengera2040@gmail.com).
