By Mulengera Reporters
Currently the Buganda Katikkiro, Charles Peter Mayiga (aka CPM) has closely worked with his boss Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi without break since 1991. This makes it 31 years of uninterrupted service. As Katikkiro, Mayiga is simply Buganda kingdom’s most powerful man after the Kabaka. Katikkiroship has been his address since May 2013, meaning he has held this position for 9 years now. In this news feature, the first part of what is intended to be serialized articles, we reflect on Mayiga’s times at Mengo and how he came to be among Mutebi’s most trusted confidants.
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JOINING MENGO
Legendary city lawyer John Katende had a lot to do with CPM’s joining of Kabaka’s service. At Makerere Law School & LDC in the late 1980s, CPM closely related with fellow law student Francis Buwule. Whereas CPM joined the Ministry of Justice as a State Attorney with DPP, Buwule joined Katende Sempebwa & Co Advocates. This was 1991 and Katende, Buwule’s boss, was heavily involved in processes to restore Buganda Kingdom whose head Mutebi had just returned from exile. In fact the Ssaabataka Supreme Council (SSC which later became Lukiiko), that was spearheading the restoration processes, was sharing a building with his law firm. This was at Plot 32 Central Building Kampala Road where Katende was accommodating SSC which was all future Kabaka Mutebi had around him. Katende was SSC sole funder and legal advisor.
One evening Buwule heard him complaining of too much work and plotting to recruit an Administrative Secretary (AS) for SSC whose members were very busy men volunteering to do restoration-related work. Buwule alerted CPM about this opportunity imploring him to apply. Buwule had previously heard CPM rant that the DPP job he had held for 3 years wasn’t paying well and wanted to quit. Here was a young graduate with a lot of material needs to meet but the DPP pay was too inadequate.
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Buwule introduced CPM to Katende who asked him to apply formally whereafter he was interviewed. This was around July 1991. Having quit DPP work, CPM was running a grocery shop in Kikuubo. Katende insisted that to get the SSC job, CPM had to be interviewed. The panel had Katende, Besweri Mulondo (head prince who was Mzee Joseph Musoke’s vice chairman on SSC), SSC treasurer lawyer Henry Kayondo and Rev Dan Kajumba who was SSC General Secretary. In his illustrious book titled “King on the Throne,” CPM recalls Katende being harsh on him during the interview prompting him to subsequently nickname him “omubaya/the hard man.” Mulondo was friendly and CPM had studied with his son at St. Henry’s Kitovu.
Mayiga recalls the four men were smartly dressed and greatly inspired him into Kabaka’s service. Kajumba was more involved in running SSC secretariat and mentored CPM most. As Administrative Secretary, CPM was the contact person between SSC and Mutebi’s office initially located at Patrick Kiwanuka’s Komamboga home. Mutebi’s aides were EW Kiggundu (PPS), Joash Katende (ADC) and Peter Kitaka (bodyguard). CPM oversaw the running of the SSC office and was later to be in charge of three other staffers-David Ntege, Ethel Semweya Musoke and Lillian Nabwami Muhumuza (receptionist).
Micheal Kawooya Mwebe joined later in 1994 when CPM specifically brought him to fill the gap as he planned to combine SSC work with private legal practice. CPM’s salary was raised from voluntary contributions from SSC members who gradually metamorphosed into pioneer Buganda Lukiiko under Mutebi. Mutebi’s sister Sarah Kagere often interacted with CPM as the 90-year old Musoke often delegated her to chair SSC meetings on his behalf. CPM, considered to be the first civil servant in the Mutebi establishment, was a PA of sorts to Rev Kajumba who would assign him errands including opening up SSC’s first bank account in Teefe Trust Bank.
CPM later opened numerous SSC accounts in UCB branches across Buganda to facilitate Tofali-like contributions from Mutebi’s people upcountry. Each time they met Museveni, those days an enthusiastic supporter of restoration processes, SSC bosses carried CPM along. And our research shows his first time to meet Museveni was late 1991 for SSC business. It was State House Entebbe and CPM was astonished it wasn’t the glamorous place he thought it was. It was dilapidated and needed repainting, he writes in his book. He recalls seeing press secretary Afro hair-spotting Hope Kivengere (RIP) using modern recording gadgets. He recalls a smartly dressed Museveni talking of ex-President Lule’s “problematic” insistence on Federo in 1979 when Museveni was Military Commission boss.
ODOKI COMMISSION
When Museveni named Odoki Commission to collect views to guide subsequent Constitution-making process by CA (1994/5), Mutebi tasked the SSC to move around Buganda collecting views for submission to Odoki. Much of this work fell on the shoulders of CPM who was the only SSC full time worker. He moved around creating 400 groups of Cultural Representatives (CRs) based at Sub Counties and it was through these CRs (modeled to resemble M7’s LCs) that SSC reached grassroots to get views submitted to Odoki-over 90% demanding Federo.
Having appreciated his great work, big-name lawyer Henry Kayondo (RIP) surrendered his Merc Benz 280SE to CPM and it was his first car. Shortly before Buganda views’ submission to Odoki, Serwanga Lwanga who was Museveni’s PPS addressed a public function and scorned SSC efforts wondering how Kabakaship would be restored when some Buganda officials had connived to sell off Bulange. He claimed it had been sold and wondered where a restored Kabaka would operate from.
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CPM was ordered to use his CRs structures to mobilize Baganda to denounce anti-Mutebi propaganda by the likes of Serwanga. The situation became so tense & communication broke down between Museveni and Mutebi’s team. On 1/8/1991, then Constitutional Affairs Minister Sam Njuba convinced Museveni to meet and make up with SSC officials. In that meeting Museveni distanced himself from propagandists like Serwanga-Lwanga and said he was still open for dialogue with SSC. Unfortunately Njuba (in whom SSC had confidence) was fired for criticizing Odoki report for omitting Federo.
THE MASAKA CONSENSUS
The Masaka event also exposed young CPM’s growing influence at Mutebi’s palace. It took place on 9th January 1995 at the height of the CA debates which left Museveni on very bad terms with Buganda. It was at Masaka State Lodge. Museveni asked Mutebi to come with few officials having seen larger numbers complicating things at previous meetings. He carried Katikkiro Mulwanyamuli, Peter Mulira, Besweri Mulondo, Joyce Mpanga, Damiano Lubega, Senteza Kajubi, CPM, Miti Kabazi and Prof Apollo Nsibambi.
Museveni had Moses Byaruhanga, Sam Kutesa, Steven Kavuma, VP Kazibwe, Kategaya, Moses Kigongo, Kintu Musoke, Bidandi Ssali, Jotham Tumwesigye, Zimula Mugwanya and Kezimbira Miyingo. Mutebi made opening remarks and left to meet Masaka Bishop Adrian Ddungu saying he didn’t want to participate in political discussions. The Mutebi team made demands and Museveni rejected most of them. The 1995 Constitution was almost ready and Museveni wanted to work out quick compromises so that Mengo doesn’t lose out completely.
Museveni agreed to grant them Mengo Municipality as Mutebi’s capital and insisted Kampala would be indicated in the Constitution as not part of Buganda. In the end Museveni named a committee to fine-tune what was agreed. Mutebi was contacted to name his and Mayiga was on it. Led by Kintu Musoke, this committee stipulated what Museveni was willing to grant Mengo including a super Kabaka district headquartered in Mengo Municipality whose boundaries were agreed as well. CPM subsequently faulted Museveni for disregarding things agreed at Masaka meeting.
The Charter of Cooperation for Buganda districts wasn’t reflected in the final 1995 document as per the Masaka consensus. Mind you this Masaka meeting came after Buganda’s Federo bid had collapsed on 28/3/1995 the day Ssaabalangira Besweri Mulondo opposed the Federo motion simply because chief mover John Eresu was a diehard UPC!
THE MULONDO FIASCO
Mayiga notes that until his death some years ago, Besweri Mulondo remained a very tormented man. Baganda never forgave him and never actively participated in Buganda activities after March 1995. Ironically 6 days earlier (on 22/3/1995), Kabaka (was now king having been enthroned in July 1993) called a meeting at his Kololo Prince Charles Drive residence where he spoke to his closest officials including CPM. UPC had just declared readiness to table the Federo motion in CA and Mutebi, whose dad Mutesa II died a sad man in UK after being exiled by Obote/UPC, wanted views.
At the Kololo meeting, Senteza Kajubi and Besweri spoke loudest insisting there was no harm backing the UPC motion. The duo likened shunning the UPC motion to Christians fleeing the church because witchdoctors have converted to Christianity. Besweri was that time a Museveni minister as well and vowed before Mutebi: “My king I will support this Federo motion even if it means being fired [by M7]” who was clearly anti-Federo.
D-day came (that stormy CA session) at Conference Center and Besweri betrayed the cause saying he had a change of heart because UPC had a hidden agenda. It was the worst day in Buganda-with people (who expected Federo to come through CA) mourning everywhere. Apollo Nsibambi, a CA member who like many others took Besweri to be defacto deputy Katikkiro, was among the most dismayed. He almost collapsed in his seat in that CA session. Besweri was also the Royal clan head (Ssaabalangira).
In his book, Mayiga recalls Sewava Serubiri weeping in the subsequent Lukiiko session and says this sad day was only comparable to the day Land Act 1998 was passed and 1999 when the rebel Nalinyas disputed Mutebi being Mutesa II’s son. Besweri had been a pillar of the restoration process meant to culminate into the Federo grant. Nevertheless CPM argues CA wasn’t totally a lost cause; Buganda achieved something including forcing framers to put a whole chapter on traditional rulers rather that belittling them under mere miscellaneous provisions. Article 246 gave Kabaka a legal personality and Article 246 decriminalized prostrating and excessive allegiance to the Kabaka. The same Article ratified Kabaka’s coronation of two years earlier.
RWAKITURA MTG
This too showed how much Mutebi trusted CPM. It came after the 1995 Constitution had been promulgated and Bataka/Clan heads, operating under the Clan Heads Council, made public utterances denouncing Museveni as a traitor totally rejecting the 1995 Constitution. Museveni sought dialogue and called this meeting weeks after promulgation. He told the Mengo delegation, CPM inclusive, he was open to continued dialogue on the Buganda Question. “The Constitution didn’t prohibit dialogue,” he told them. Not much progress was made in that meeting but parties agreed to keep talking.
A frustrated Museveni, who was nervously facing his first ever general election the following year (1996), directed Buganda LC5 chairpersons to meet Katikkiro Mulwanyamuli and see how the Charter of Cooperation (districts coming together) would be operationalized. The meeting was in Mpigi and the chairmen, led by Luwero’s Deo Nsereko told Katikkiro they wanted his guidance. Mulwanyamuli created a committee headed by Kaaya Kavuma with CPM as its secretary.
Inside CPM existed a fear if Mengo totally boycotted the Charter talks, the chairmen, patronized by Museveni, would go ahead and use it to undermine the kingdom. Mutebi bought this view and on 15/3/1996 created the Abu Mayanja-led committee which took on saboteurs operating under Deo Nsereko. CPM was its secretary and it documented Mengo’s fears on the Charter. Their document proposed a compromise but had to be approved by the Lukiiko where Sr Counsel Godfrey Lule, a member of radical Bazukulu Ba Buganda pressure group, shot it down. He maintained the Charter, even when improved in the manner the Abu Mayanja draft proposed, would weaken Kabaka.
There was a stalemate once again. Mutebi didn’t give up. He called the 25/3/1996 meeting at his Banda Palace to chat way forward. CPM was among the few invitees to that meeting. Mutebi carefully told his guests he didn’t want resolutions but views and cautioned against media leakages. At that meeting some argued Museveni be shunned since PK Semogerere was winning the May 1996 elections and give Buganda full Federo. It was argued Buganda should produce pro-Federo MPs against Museveni ones. The matter returned to Lukiiko again where CPM was Secretary. The 1/4/1996 Lukiiko session complicated things further with resolutions denouncing the 1995 Constitution and its promoter Museveni who was facing elections. The anti-Musevenists inside the Lukiiko argued this was time to favor Semo who he eventually floored with 75%.
GETTING BACK BULANGE
This is another restoration/pro-Mutebi aspect in which CPM participated. It was part of the greater Ebyaffe struggle. It required protracted negotiations with Museveni. First target was Bulange which Obote had renamed Republic House and was now defense ministry headquarters with (Nakasero hospital owner) Dr. Mbonye serving as PS. The other target was Mengo Palace which was now a barracks.
SSC had been releasing many CPM-drafted press statements denouncing Museveni for refusing to return Ebyaffe. In Tofali-like fashion Bulange had been built in 1955 under Mutesa II using contributions from Baganda. It cost 235,300 Pounds. Museveni, who had reaped a lot of political capital from Mutebi’s return, felt pressured and on 14/4/1992 called Army Council meeting in Gulu which voted to restitute Lubiri and Bulange back to Mutebi. Mutebi set up the Ebyaffe Committee chaired by Apollo Nsibambi. Lawyer Andrew Kasirye was its secretary.
Museveni tasked Gen Elly Tumwine to lead his team to work out modalities with Nsibambi committee. Museveni launched joint committee on 21/11/1992 and that day he praised Tumwine for understanding both politics and military. Serwanga-Lwanga, Gen Muntu and PS Mbonye were members. The Gulu meeting pleased many; you had pro-Museveni jubilations everywhere. CPM was tasked to work with Lukiiko member/lawyer Joseph Balikuddembe (now deceased) to organize a Kampala procession thanking Museveni. Cossy Odomel was IGP and had banned the demo claiming it was anti-government.
CPM went met the IGP and explained it was actually pro-Museveni. Odomel permitted it and over 0.2m matched on Kampala streets all the way to Parliament where they chanted pro-Museveni slogans. Lukiiko endorsed this and matchers, led by clan heads, waved pro-M7 placards. Unsure how Museveni thought about the match, all government ministers fled Parliament and demonstrators camped in the parking chanting Museveni’s name until they left. Nobody came to meet them from government side. In a 15/3/1993 Lukiiko session, organized by CPM, Nsibambi reported progress made on getting back Bulange. He blamed Tumwine of not being enthusiastic and Lukiiko denounced him.
Museveni fired Tumwine replacing him with Kintu Musoke. In fact Nsibambi had quit talks protesting Tumwine’s complicated nature. Museveni had to meet Mutebi to restart talks. Tumwine wanted Defense withdrawal from Bulange to be gradual, something Museveni considered poor negotiation skills. There was also stalemate on the $700,000 Defense was to pay Buganda in rental arrears. There was also a proposal for the civilian Defense Ministry staff to remain on 2nd floor and leave gradually. This was agreed but Bulange was burnt days before the eventual withdrawal.
Lukiiko members were tired of meeting in Rabbi Ezekiel Mulondo’s EA General Insurance Building on Kampala Road. Lack of meeting space increased agitation for Bulange return. Kabaka too lacked a good place of work/office and Rogers Ddungu had to give him his Radiant House with no befitting furniture. CPM worked with Ebonies bosses to organize the 17/1/1993 fundraising music gala at Bat Valley raising money to buy furniture for Mutebi’s newly acquired offices. Museveni ministers (Abu Mayanja, Semo & Levi Zzimbe who was CEO of a gov’t parastatal) attended the fundraiser. SSC bosses later approached Sembule Electronics begging for a befitting TV set for Mutebi’s office but were denied, a thing that created PR problems for Sembule.
At Bat Valley Mutebi’s speech castigated Museveni for delaying to return Bulange and Lubiri. Eventually two months to 31/7/1993 coronation, Museveni handed over Bulange. On 3/5/1993, CPM was tasked to organize a Lukiiko session during which speakers saluted Museveni and Ente clan head recruited him. It was Nsibambi’s day to shine having led the Bulange talks. Museveni made Baganda happier by chairing a special NRC session during which the Traditional Rulers (Restitution of Assets &Properties) Statute was enacted ratifying Bulange return. The Statute also returned Lubiri, Butikkiro, Buganda Court Buildings & Kabaka’s 350 Square Miles.
On 6/5/1993, Defense PS Dr. Ben Mbonye took CPM and other Mutebi aides on a Bulange guided tour ahead of the ceremonial hand over. This means CPM was among the 1st Baganda entering Bulange since 1966 crisis. Preparatory cleaning of Bulange started under Administrative Secretary CPM’s supervision. However, Lukiiko/SSC business relocated to Bulange in October 1993, three months after Coronation. CPM was still the first Kabaka/SSC official to operate in Bulange. Many still shunned Bulange in case NRA left behind some explosives. 7/10/1993 was CPM’s very first day operating in Bulange. His sister Maria Namukasa’s car was used to transport files, typewriters from Katende’s building to Bulange.
There was no salary and CPM, David Ntege and others had to survive on tips from well wishers. Bulange had no power, no telephone lines. This meant CPM had to daily walk 3kms to his SSC superiors’ offices for instructions regarding the day’s errands. He had no car and Boda Bodas were rare. In 1994 after coronation anniversary festivities, Administrative Secretary CPM organized a dinner in Bulange gardens which Kabaka and Museveni attended. This demystified explosives-related fears many still had. Days after, Kabaka tasked Jolly Lutaaya (who died recently) to head a fundraiser for Bulange furniture-CPM & Co had been operating on bad small chairs.
In the 1st Lukiiko session inside Bulange it was resolved each member contributes $6 towards remuneration of the staff working under CPM. One militant Lukiiko member ordered Nsibambi to go to Army headquarters and forcefully return Bulange furniture soldiers had taken. On 2/8/1993 CPM was tasked to organize Lukiiko session which Museveni triumphantly attended and members showered him with praises for righting Obote’s wrongs. Kabaka created Ebyaffe Board headed by JB Kawanga to follow up on remaining properties and to also get documentation for Bulange and Lubiri. The NRM good will continued and in 1994 the Ebyaffe Board became Buganda Land Board with James Mulwana as its first chairman. In a subsequent NRC session Museveni rejected the idea of leaving the remaining properties to be handled by CA. Bidandi Ssali, then very powerful Minister, supported him. To be continued! (For comments on this story, call, text or whatsapp us on 0705579994 [whatsapp line], 0779411734, 0200900416 or email us at[email protected]).
