Seven family members of the Kooki cultural leader (Kamuswaga), Apollo Sansa Kabumbuli II, including his mother, Lovinsa Namatovu Mazinga, have opposed his plan to sell the cultural institution’s land in Mutundwe and Rubaga to the central government.
The Observer reported this week that Kabumbuli II had written to the government asking it to buy the land, which he holds in trust, because he could not access it as it’s encumbered with many tenants (Kooki chief sells his land to government, The Observer, February 1-3, 2010).

“We are totally opposed to this sale because he did not consult us,” Prince William Kayemba, a younger brother to the Kamuswaga, told The Observer this week. Kayemba revealed that the Kamuswaga had not consulted his immediate family as well as his subjects and had taken a unilateral decision to sell the land.

Other members opposed to the sale include Prince Kitayimbwa Jackson, Prince David Mazinga, Princess Mazinga Eva, Princess Nakabiito Ruth and Prince Sebastiane Kitayimbwa Mumiransanafu.

The land in question, Kayemba said, measures about two acres and could fetch more than Shs 2 billion if sold. The family now suspects that the Kamuswaga could pocket this money while his Kooki chiefdom wallows in poverty.

Since the Kamuswaga is still considered a Buganda Kingdom Saza chief, the family has written to the Kabaka, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, asking for his intervention. In a letter dated January 14, 2010, family members accuse the Kamuswaga of having sold many proprieties in the past without consulting them.

“He sold land at Nabbingo and at Bunjjako along Mityana Road which belongs to Kooki chiefdom and no one knows where he put the money realised from the sales,” they wrote.
They also accuse him of having taken long without visiting Kooki, spending most of his time in Luwafu, Makindye, in Kampala.

They write that he has neglected their ageing mother, Namatovu, who they say is as poor as a church mouse.

Yet more significantly, they allege that Kamuswaga rarely attends Lukiiko meetings and he has confided in some people that he does not believe Buganda has any responsibility over him. In fact, his security has been beefed up and of recent it has become difficult for even close relatives to meet him.

The relatives request the Kabaka to meet them at his convenience so that they can discuss these matters at length. Mengo has severally accused President Museveni of propping up cultural leaders within Buganda as a way of undermining Buganda Kingdom’s authority. We failed to get a comment from the Kamuswaga as his telephone was switched off.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Comments (9)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Show/Hide comments

Show/Hide comment form