Of Museveni’s fear, hate of Baganda

The National Resistance Army (NRA) fought against the governments of Milton Obote and Bazilio Olara-Okello in many parts of Buganda and the war was supported by the Baganda. The districts of Luweero, Kiboga, Kyankwanzi, Wakiso, Nakasongola, Nakaseke, and others, formed the Luwero triangle whose people suffered the most. Apart from Baganda, the Luweero triangle also had a significant number of Banyarwanda who supported the NRA war.   

According to the 1980 census, Luwero triangle had 1.5 million inhabitants at the start of the war, in 1981. Recorded estimates indicate that at least 700,000 people lost their lives while their properties were completely destroyed. Those who survived the killings returned to their homes and started life from zero.

Since the people in Luweero triangle sacrificed their lives for Museveni, one would have expected a return of the favor and trust among the Baganda as people who helped him get to power. This has not happened up to today. Instead, Museveni looks at the Baganda as his enemies.

In Buganda we have a saying that, Gwowonya eggere yalikusambya (the person you help to treat a foot uses it to kick you). This is what Museveni has done to our people.  In the last elections, Buganda witnessed the worst brutality committed by Museveni’s security agencies against the people of Buganda.

More than 50 innocent people were killed while hundreds were arbitrarily arrested and brutally tortured. Their crime was that they supported a Muganda presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine. In 2018, the driver of Kyagulanyi Yasin Kawuma, was shot and killed by police in Arua town, while Kyagulanyi himself went through ordeals of arrests and torture.  

The Lord Mayor of Kampala Elias Lukwago is another Muganda who has been on the elimination list of Museveni’s ‘pigs.’Lukwago was arrested and tortured numerous times. In May 2020, high court judge Henrietta Wolayo ordered the court to award UgShs 50 Million as compensation to the Mayor over his brutal arrest by police at his home at Wakaliga back in 2017.

The arrest was supposedly to prevent him from joining other opposition leaders in Kampala to protest against the Age Limit Constitutional Amendment that was before parliament at the time. In June 2021, transport Minister Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, a respected Muganda politician and senior military officer, was shot at and injured. But his daughter, Brenda Nantogo, and driver, Haruna Kayondo, were killed in the attack. The suspects were, again, Musevini’s ‘pigs’ who want to eliminate Katumba over Uganda airlines corruption cartels that have links to statehouse.

Secondly, Gen. Katumba who is popular among the Baganda and has not been implicated in corruption scandals, is viewed by Museveni as a threat to his presidency. Museveni is planning to make his son, Gen. Muhoozi Keinerugaba, rule Uganda after him. Insiders say that Museveni put Katumba on a watch list when he declined to participate in NRM sensitization efforts in Buganda.

Other prominent Baganda killed by Museveni’s government include Sheikh Abdul Kadhir Muwaya, leader of the Shi’ite Muslim sect in Uganda who was gunned down on Christmas in 2014, police spokesperson AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi, gunned down on March 17, 2017, and Buyende Police DPC Muhammad Kerugmata, killed in September 2018.

Dr.  Andrew Lutaakome Kayiira, who was the leader of the Uganda Freedom Movement, was killed on March 9, 1987. Kayiira was liked by many Ugandans as an intelligent man. Political analysts believe that Museveni eliminated him because he was considered as a big threat to his rule.

It is a known fact that the Baganda who Museveni brings close to himself are in the category of the current Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja who are incompetent and sycophants so as to help him entrench his “Ngamba Nyenka” politics.  Principled Baganda refused to bend to Museveni in order to be given job positions. The Baganda know what they want and they cannot be fooled that Museveni likes them.

The writing is on the wall. The people of Buganda are tired of Museveni’s government which is built mainly on nepotism and grand corruption. In the last elections, 12 ministers from Buganda who supported Museveni were defeated, including Vice-president Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi.  Government chief whip Ruth Nankabirwa; trade minister Amelia Kyambadde; state minister for primary education Rose Sseninde; agriculture minister Vincent Ssempijja; state minister for water, Ronald Kibuule, and state minister for higher education, John Muyingo, were also among those badly defeated.

Museveni hates the Baganda because they have always posed a threat to his government by voting for the opposition. He eliminates the prominent ones because he fears that they have the potential to bring about his political demise. The infamous derogatory saying: “A good Muganda is a dead one,” used in the 1960s and 80s speaks to what is currently happening. The same hate and discriminatory mindset was resurrected under Museveni.

In Buganda we have a saying that, “nazina obulungi ava muddiro”(even the best dancer has time to leave the dancing floor). If Museveni refuses to read the mood of Ugandans and leave in peace, he will leave Uganda in pieces Fellow Ugandans be ready to pay the price.