By Hon.Betty Nambooze Bakireke (MP Mukono Municipality)
I have been following the exchanges between Buganda Kingdom Premier Owek.Charles Peter Mayiga and Social activist Frank Malingumu Gashumba. These are all Kabaka’s subjects, no doubt.
In my opinion, I think we should call upon the Clan heads Namugeera Kakeeto of Omutima clan and Katongole of Nte clan to reconcile their grandchildren.
Of course it’s very bad for any subject of the Kabaka to attack the Katikiro, it’s also very sad for the Katikiro to use his privileged position to attack Kabaka’s subjects especially when such an attack is to shut up people asking for clarification on the activities of the Kingdom.
We know that Katikiro Mayiga is a reasonable man who chose the theme transparency ( Obwerufu) as the backbone of his Katikiroship. I have listened to both Katikiro’s speech and Gashumba’s reaction and my feeling is that Gashumba failed to present his issues in a civil manner. I think there was a better way to present his grievances.
Gashumba should know that Buganda has an elaborate structure through clans where issues against Katikiro ought to pass…and I strongly advise him to take that route. Equally our Katikiro ought to have handled those people diffirently, ordinarily Press Conferences are not good platforms to indict and extend caution to the people one leads.
However for anyone to say that Gashumba attacked “Obwakabaka” might not be a wise thing since the words that upset him were not resolutions of the Buganda lukiiko but personal opinions by Katikiro Mayiga.
The whole incident traced from where it started is regrettable.
That is why some of us think that the best way out is to take this matter to the Battaka.
And for us as politicians we have no mandate whatsoever to be judges in a matter involving Mengo, for we are just subjects like anyone else.
Not even Buganda caucus can have any role to play here as some were suggesting.
We as politicians are bound to be misunderstood and Katikiro Mayiga’s guidance to us has always been that we politicians must not meddle or peddle in Mengo issues because we are partisan by nature. That’s why we’re always silent on many issues for fear of contravening our good Katikiro’s clear guidance.
However, I should add that any style of leadership that looks eliminative, or to put it in simple terms, when a leader leaves other people out,he is likely to be the loser in the end, because a leader needs every one along.
So in my view, only the clan heads can bring these two together. Byebyo ebyange.
