President Yoweri Museveni held a follow-up meeting with Buganda clan leaders at State House Entebbe, despite previous objections from the Katikkiro, Charles Peter Mayiga, after their first meeting last year. According to a press statement from the State House Press Unit, the weekend meeting aimed to discuss the progress of the initiatives agreed upon in their prior engagement.
The delegation, led by the Minister of State for ICT, Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo, focused on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) wealth creation agenda. President Museveni urged the clan leaders to disseminate this message to their followers, emphasizing the importance of wealth creation for national development.
"This was a follow-up meeting, following an interaction between the two parties last year," the statement reads. "In the first meeting, the clan leaders requested the President to purchase land for them, a request he [Museveni] responded to in the affirmative. In today’s meeting, the leaders expressed their need to construct two buildings on the 2.2-acre piece of land that was gifted to them by the President. They said the buildings will house cultural resource centers such as a museum and a theatre."
The President agreed to facilitate the construction of these buildings using the Uganda People’s Defence Forces Engineering Brigade. Additionally, Museveni pledged Shs200 million to support the Bataka Sacco, demonstrating his commitment to the clan leaders' requests.
However, these meetings have not been without controversy. The Katikkiro of Buganda, Charles Peter Mayiga, has previously condemned such interactions, arguing that any engagement between the President and the Bataka should be structured and have a clear agenda to avoid misunderstandings between the central government and Mengo.
Critics within Buganda argue that meetings with the Bataka without the Kabaka's knowledge undermine the kingdom's authority, as the Kabaka is the Ssabataka. Mayiga has insisted that any such meetings should involve proper communication and coordination with the Kabaka’s office to ensure transparency and mutual respect.
Despite these concerns, the President's interactions with the clan leaders continue, with Museveni highlighting the importance of their role in promoting national unity and development. The ongoing collaboration between the government and the Buganda clan leaders is seen as a means to foster cultural preservation and economic growth within the region.
As the Buganda clan leaders move forward with their plans for the new cultural resource centers, the President's support is expected to play a crucial role in realizing these initiatives. The commitment to building a museum and theatre on the donated land reflects a broader effort to preserve Buganda's rich cultural heritage while promoting educational and economic opportunities for the community.
