By Aggrey Baba
NUP leaders on Monday made an appearance at the Buziga Palace where they joined other mourners to pay tribute to the late Tooro King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru, but, notably, left their familiar anti-Museveni political rhetoric outside the palace gates.
The delegation, led by NUP Acting President John Baptist Nambeshe, included Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake, NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya, party lawyer Sam Muyizi, musician Mathias Walukaga and other party officials.
Ordinarily, appearances by the NUP leaders provide an opportunity for the opposition figures to take fresh jabs at President Yoweri Museveni and his government, particularly on matters of governance, democracy and the political future of Uganda, but at Buziga, the political punches were conspicuously absent.
Instead, the NUP leaders spoke almost exclusively about the life, work and legacy of the fallen Tooro King, who died at a relatively young age after years of serving as one of Uganda’s most visible cultural leaders.
Nambeshe used his tribute to convey condolences from NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, saying the party leader was separated from the mourners by distance but was with them in spirit.
“And above all, I bring condolences from His Excellency Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu, who is separated with us by distance, but is with us in spirit and is equally saddened by the demise, the premature demise of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru IV,” Nambeshe said.
Rather than turning the occasion into a political platform, Nambeshe concentrated on the late King’s activism, particularly his work involving young people, children, HIV/AIDS and environmental conservation, describing Oyo as a global ambassador in the fight against HIV/AIDS and said his aggressive promotion of youth empowerment would remain part of the monarch’s legacy.
“He had actually become the global ambassador on the fight against HIV/AIDS. He is going to be remembered for the aggressive promotion of youth empowerment,” Nambeshe said.
He further described the late King as a defender of children’s rights and an advocate for environmental conservation, saying Uganda had lost a young leader from whom much more was expected.
“As a country we shall miss the warmth with which he would engage in all these engagements that I have just mentioned, and we shall be at a loss, given that he has gone at a very premature age, when we expected much more from him,” he said.
He prayed for the late King’s soul to rest in eternal peace.
NUP lawyer Sam Muyizi also steered clear of partisan politics, instead presenting King Oyo as a voice whose influence had long moved beyond the geographical boundaries of Tooro.
Muyizi argued that while Tooro gave Uganda its King, Oyo in turn used the institution to speak for a much wider constituency.
“A king who didn’t represent just Toro. Toro just gave us a king, gave us a leader, and gave us someone with a voice,” Muyizi said.
According to Muyizi, Oyo used his kingship to amplify the voices of Tooro, Uganda and Africa, while paying particular attention to young people and marginalized communities.
“He has used his portfolio to amplify the voice of Toro, the voice of Uganda, the voice of Africans, and the voice of young people, especially those marginalized,” he said.
Muyizi also pointed to Oyo’s international profile, saying the late King had become sufficiently prominent to attract extensive international media attention, arguing that the King was seen widely publicized in international media.
“That says a lot. It means he has not died in vain. We just need to carry on his legacy,” Muyizi said.
The NUP delegation’s visit was part of a wider stream of political, cultural and religious leaders who have been heading to Buziga to pay their final respects to the late King.
But for observers of the country’s opposition politics, what stood out about the Kavule-based politicians’ visit was not merely who attended, but what they chose not to say.
There was no opposition campaign rhetoric, but instead, the NUP leaders appeared united with other mourners in putting politics aside and celebrating the legacy of a young King whose death has plunged Tooro and Uganda into mourning. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
