Is Suubi 2011 any different from Kabaka Yekka (KY)?

By Aisha Nankya
Posted Thursday, July 1 2010 at 00:00

Former Buganda premier Joseph Mulwanyamuli and some former kingdom ministers have formed a political mobilisation group called Suubi 2011 to support what they termed a ‘highly desired change in next year’s general elections’. Democratic Party MPs Erias Lukwago (Kampala Central), Betty Nambooze(Mukono north) and Dr Lulume Bayiga (Buikwe South) who are opposed to Norbert Mao’s leadership in DP have now joined hands with Ssegona Lubega and Mathias Mpuuga to form the group. The group, according to its coordinator Sseggona, will partner with all bona fide and legitimate forces of change.
They also said they would identify candidates for every electoral position but in the meantime, will engage with the Inter-Party Cooperation to identify areas of common interest. For starters, some members of this group are the same people who made all efforts but in vain to frustrate the renewal of DP leadership.
After being defeated in both Mbale and court, these people started panicking by scheming to deny Mao the Buganda votes which they claim to be in charge. The first move was to involve the two ex-Katikkiro’s who announced their support for Col. Kizza Besigye under IPC. They also sought to invoke the powers of the Kabaka to excite the Baganda into voting for IPC who will likely be led by Besigye. Little did they know that the Baganda will judge them more on their record during their service at Mengo. Mulwanyamuli is for instance already battling with explaining why he had settled for Regional Tier yet Buganda wanted federo. How different is he from Besweri Mulondo?
If this group was genuine, why have they left out other Mengo ex-ministers like NRM’s George Nsamba Kumama, Abdul Nadduli and independent JC Muyingo? How different is their group from Beti Kamya’s Uganda Federal Alliance and where does this leave her? What is annoying is that these people claim to be sacrificing for Buganda yet in the actual sense they are looking for jobs in Parliament. How much of their parliamentary salary have they offered to Mengo despite having gained entry by riding on Mengo’s back? Where do they get the mandate to speak for Buganda?
This group looks at the Baganda as passive participants in the 2011 elections which is reminiscent of the infamous Kabaka Yekka (KY) of 1962. They purport to think for the entire region and are in effect in fear of the people’s verdict. Serving at Mengo is not a guarantee that you love Buganda more but if they meant to sacrifice, they wouldn’t seek for higher pay in Parliament and leave the voluntary service at Mengo. In the spirit of building democracy as opposed to individualism, these people would push through their desired policies in their respective parties because the elections are going to be held under a multi-party system of governance.
Just like IPC, Suubi 2011 or Mengo is not going to appear anywhere on the ballot. Its either the registered parties or independent candidates. Mengo should once again distance itself from this group because the kingdom is for all of us. The Kabaka’s subjects are in all traditional and new parties and should not be alienated. Mengo has a duty to insulate our Kabaka from such politicians and above all, the whole 800 year-old kingdom cannot afford to fall with Suubi 2011 which is FDC/IPC in disguise when they lose elections. Long live Ssabassajja Kabaka, Long live Buganda.
Ms Nankya is a social worker based in London, UK
aisha_nankya@yahoo.com