{UAH} FOCUS ON MUSEVENI'S SCRAMBLE FOR BUGANDA'S "MAHOGORA" COUNTY
FOCUS ON MUSEVENI'S SCRAMBLE FOR BUGANDA'S "MAHOGORA" COUNTY
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Having been curved out of Buganda Kingdom's Buddu County by the 1900 Buganda Agreement, the Baganda call it Mawogola but the Banyankole pronounce it as Mahogora. Buganda Kingdom's Mawogola County is the present day Sembabule District which the Banyankole pronounce as Ishembabure. Buganda Kingdom treats it as one county but the central government having given it a district status in 1997, has split it into three counties of Rwemiyaga, Sembabule North and Sembabule South. It is located in the Cattle Corridor and is bordered by Mubende District to the North, Gomba District to the North East, Lwengo District to the South, Lyantonde District to the South West and Kiruhura District to the North West. Much of it's 2,470.5 Sq Km of land area is semi arid and it's estimated 300,000 population of Banyankole/Banyarwanda and Baganda are engaged in animal and crop husbandry respectively. The pastoralists dominate areas bordering with the Bahima stronghold district of Kiruhura (Sembabule North Constituency/country) while the cultivators dominate in areas bordering with Baganda stronghold of Buddut/Bukomansimbi (Sembabule South Constituency/County).
The immigration and settlement of the Bahima and Banyarwanda pastoralists into Mawogola dates to around 1920s. The 1973 - 1977 land pribatisation in Ankole's Kashari and Nyabushozi lead to many pastoralists leave and settle in the then Lake Mburo Game Reserve while others went to Mawogola. Then the influx of the same group that was displaced by the 1979 War in the North Western Tanzania region of Tanzania. The next influx by the same group was after they were evicted from Lake Mburo National Park in 1982 - 83. The post independence government of the 1960s was facilitated by the World Bank and USAID to set up the infamous Ranching Scheme. The scheme aimed at leasing out large tracts of grazing land in Ankole, Mawogola, Ssingo, Buruli and Bunyoro to private developers for the establishment of commercially viable livestock ranches. In particular, the Ankole - Masaka Ranching Scheme targeted the comunial grazing lands by the nomardic pastoralists in Nyabushozi and Mawogola. A total of 248,400 ha of pastoral land was leased out to 207 individual commercial ranchers for a period ranging from 49 -99 years.
The beneficiaries were the businessmen, bureaucrats, politicians and other elites who could prove that they had the capacity to carry out the anticipated development. What had all along been classfied as public land and used by pastoralist communities for comunial grazing was now private land. The commercial ranchers fenced off their land, dug dams, spraying dips and other amenities and payment of rent to access pasture and water in these ranches became the new relationship between the landlord and the squatters. Museveni who belonged to the pastoralist community was not happy with this arrangement and he embarked on mobilisation of the pastoralist squatters and nomads. He strategically bought land in Rwakitura and chose to contest for a Parliamentary seat for Nyabushozi on the UPC ticket. His campaign agenda was to fight the Ranching Scheme and it's brainchild, Hon. John Babiiha. Iddi Amin took over before the elections could take place and he fled to exile in Tanzania. After the fall of the Iddi Amin regime, he stealthy encouraged pastoralists from as far as Tanzania to flock and settle into those ranches and Mawogola in particular.
His 1981 - 86 Bush War established bases in such ranches in Ssingo and Bulemezi and these pastoralist squatters were at hand to offer a helping hand. Their sons took up arms in the ranks of his NRA. From Mawogola, a Munyarwanda refugee pastoralist Gregory karuletwa helped transport arms from Bujumbura to his NRA in the Luwero Triangle. Recently Museveni to travelled to Rwand to honor him for his contribution. His Bush War Ten Point Program had a provision for "resettlement of displaced people." Inmediately after taking power he decreed citizenship for all the Banyarwanda in Uganda. He abolished payment of rent to landlords in ranches by pastoralist squatters. He degazzeted 100 sq miles of Lake Mburo National Park and gave it to his pastoralists under the Kanyaryeru Settlement Scheme. In 1988 he set up the Prof. Mugerwa inquiry into the landlord - tenant relationship in the Ranching Scheme. The 1989 inquiry report recommended that 57 of these ranches be repossesed by government for redistribution to squatters and that another 50 ranches be repossesed if the owners fail to demonstrate ability to develop them in a year. In the meantime, a fresh influx of pastoralists from neighboring districts and even Tanzania had been flocking and settling in the Mawogola ranches.
The Baganda ranch owners in Mawogola under their umbrella organisation Masaka Livestock Farmers Association by(MALIFA) protested why 19 ranches were to be repossesed from Masaka while only three were to be repossesed from Ankole. They threatened to go to court to seek redress. The unborthered Museveni moved his National Executive Committee to reaffirm the government policy of distributing ranchand to pastoralist squatters. Two weeks later, a violent conflict broke out between the landlords and the pastoralist squatters in Mawogola. The squatters seized the ranches, set up roadblocks to block reinforcements and other defensive measures. Lives were lost and property destroyed in what looked like a well coordinated action by the squarters. With Museveni's approval, Gen. Ssejusa who was the then Minister of State for Defence and a resident of Mawogola is said to have been behind the squatters action. A battalion of soldiers was deployed in Mawogola and it took charge of management of public affairs by forbidding the judiciary, police and local council leaders from any role in handling the conflict.
Museveni chaired a three day special session of the then parliament NRC to debate the matter. He downplayed and dismissed the violence as the work of opportunists but added that the killings had been the work of organised terrorists. During the highly charged debate, the issue of the Banyarwanda featured prominently. Members advocated for the exclusion of indigenous Ugandans from benefitting from ranches restructuring. Hon. Matembe accused the NRM gobernment of being behind the attacks on ranches. He accused the government of harboring a sinister plan of pushing indigenous people off their land bringing in foreigners. She informed the house that Gen. Ssejusa was behind the attacks by squatters. When Gen. Ssejusa took to the floor, he bragingly told the house that there was bound to be an explosion because the squatters were now different - more enlightened, armed and powerful. The then Mawogola County Member C.W. Kasujja disclosed that squatters in Mawogola were undergoing military training. The then Nakasongola County Member Muruli Mukasa disclosed that the squatters in his Constituency originated from Rwanda and Burundi and that his people were asking as to where they were the same people to benefit from the ranches restructuring.
The determined Museveni created of a Ranches Restructuring Board (RRB) headed by David Pulkol and comprised of among others Bahima and Banyarwanda army officers. In Mawogola, the board deprived the Baganda landlords of their ranches and redistributed it to the pastoralist squatters. Musevi next step was to take political control of Mawogola. Since coming gto power, Mawogolal/Sembabule had been administered as a subdistrict of Masaka. In the NRC it was being represented by Dr. Higiro Ssemajjege for Rwemiyaga County and C. W. Kasujja for Mawogola County. During the Constitutional Assembly delegates elections, Sam Kuteesa who had earlier in 1980 elections defeated Museveni in Nyabushozi, relocated to Mawogola County where he became its CA Delegate. The other country of Lwemiyaga was represented by Dr. Higiro Ssemajjege who played a key role in winning citizenship for his fellow Banyarwanda during the CA.
During the first general elections of 1996, Sam Kuteesa won the Mawogola county parliamentary seat unopposed. He also helped his cousin Sam Rwakoojo to defeat Dr. Higiro Ssemajjege for the Lwemiyaga Parliamentary seat in 1996. In 1996 was appointed a cabinet Minister but was censored on corruption charges in 1999. In 1997 Sembabule gained it's District status and Sam Kuteesa became the kingmaker. In 2001 he again won the Mawogola seat unopposed and Museveni reappointed him to the cabinet. In 2001, Dr. Higiro Ssemajjege is said to have supported Ssekikubo to defeat Sam Rwakoojo in Lwemiyaga marking the beginning of bad blood between the two, Kuteesa and Ssekikubo. Anifa Kawooya Bangirana (a Mukiga) took up the Sembabule Woman M.P.
The fight for supperimacy in Sembabule District beyond Kuteesa and Ssekikubo feud but between pastoralist Hima, Banyarwanda and the cultivators (Baganda and Bairu). Its a battle for the total claim of Mahogora or Ishembabure as a pastoralist territory. This argument is supported by the ethnic composition of the original feuding camps and their geographical strongholds. One one hand you had Kuteesa, Anifa Kawooya and the Elly Muhumuza who was seeking to oust Herman Ssentongo from the district chairmanship. On the other hand there was Ssekikubo, Herman Ssentongo and Joy Kabatsi who had allied with Ssekikubo simply because she wanted to unseat Anifa Kawooya. Baganda district technocrats like the Chief Finance Officer and CAO Walakira were failed by the Kuteesa's camp and had to flee. The Kuteesa camp is also said to have bribed 10 out of the 17 district councillors to oppose Herman Ssentongo',s Chairmanship leading to the district running without an executive for years. The Ssekikubo camp was accused of not being NRM enough before Herman Ssentongo fled to Masaka Municipality leaving the district to Kuteesa's favourite Elly Muhumuza.
In 2015 a new constituency of Mawogola South was curved out of Kuteesa's Mawogola Constituency. The new constituency catered for the cultivators in the mainly Baganda sub-counties of Leebitakuli, Matete and Matete Town Council that neighbour with Masaka and Lwengo districts. Indeed a Muganda Joseph Ssekabiito won the 2016 parliamentary elections on the NRM ticket. However, the Kuteesa camp feels that Mawogola South is not NRM enough since it allegedly overwhelmingly voted for Dr. Besigye in 2016 and has now opted to send the District Woman M.P Anifa Kawooya to contest against Ssekabiito in 2021. The District Woman M.P seat has already been allocated to their own, a one Mary Begumisa. In the same regard, Joy Kabatsi has opted to turn against Ssekikubo by seeking to dislodge him from Lwemiyaga. She accuses Ssekikubo of demonizing Museveni and therefore wants to "liberate the Constituency." She had thrice tried without success to dislodge Anifa Kawooya from the District Woman seat. The most fierce fight was in 2006 before Museveni appointed her Presidential Assistant on Legal Affairs. She came back in 2011 and 2016 but lost again. This time round Museveni opted to boost her profile by appointing her Minister of State for Animal and later Minister of State for Works. Obviously, he must have blessed her "liberation" of Lwemiyaga from Ssekikubo. They wanted him to relocate to Makindye Ssebagala Constituency in Kampala. In 2010 the Kuteesa camp fronted a Patrick Nkalubo, Michael Agaba and Robert Baguma against Ssekikubo but he defeated them all.
It against the above struggle for supremacy in Sembabule that in September 2019 Sam Kuteesa announced that he handing over the Mawogola North Constituency to his daughter Shartsi Musherure Namatovu Mukundane Kuteesa. During the declaration, Sam Kuteesa tickled Museveni the wrong way by saying;.
"The time is now for the young generation to take over."
Museveni who construed this statement as directed as his 35 years hold on power decided to deploy his young brother against Kuteesa's daughter. Geofrey Aine Sodo Kaguta declared his intention to view for the Mawogola North Constituency parliamentary seat. In January 2011 Joy Kabtsi switched from the Ssekikubo camp and joined Kuteesa by openly declaring support for his daughter's bid for the Parlimentary seat. Hon. Anifa Kawooya also declared her support for Kuteesa's daughter. Museveni's son Gen. Muhoozi also came out to declare her support for Kuteesa's daughter who his sister in law. Also in the race is a one Salim Kiseka (a Muganda) who had for 15 years had been behind Kuteesa's political fortunes amongst the Baganda constituents. He felt betrayed when Kuteesa decided to bring his daughter.
The immigration and settlement of the Bahima and Banyarwanda pastoralists into Mawogola dates to around 1920s. The 1973 - 1977 land pribatisation in Ankole's Kashari and Nyabushozi lead to many pastoralists leave and settle in the then Lake Mburo Game Reserve while others went to Mawogola. Then the influx of the same group that was displaced by the 1979 War in the North Western Tanzania region of Tanzania. The next influx by the same group was after they were evicted from Lake Mburo National Park in 1982 - 83. The post independence government of the 1960s was facilitated by the World Bank and USAID to set up the infamous Ranching Scheme. The scheme aimed at leasing out large tracts of grazing land in Ankole, Mawogola, Ssingo, Buruli and Bunyoro to private developers for the establishment of commercially viable livestock ranches. In particular, the Ankole - Masaka Ranching Scheme targeted the comunial grazing lands by the nomardic pastoralists in Nyabushozi and Mawogola. A total of 248,400 ha of pastoral land was leased out to 207 individual commercial ranchers for a period ranging from 49 -99 years.
The beneficiaries were the businessmen, bureaucrats, politicians and other elites who could prove that they had the capacity to carry out the anticipated development. What had all along been classfied as public land and used by pastoralist communities for comunial grazing was now private land. The commercial ranchers fenced off their land, dug dams, spraying dips and other amenities and payment of rent to access pasture and water in these ranches became the new relationship between the landlord and the squatters. Museveni who belonged to the pastoralist community was not happy with this arrangement and he embarked on mobilisation of the pastoralist squatters and nomads. He strategically bought land in Rwakitura and chose to contest for a Parliamentary seat for Nyabushozi on the UPC ticket. His campaign agenda was to fight the Ranching Scheme and it's brainchild, Hon. John Babiiha. Iddi Amin took over before the elections could take place and he fled to exile in Tanzania. After the fall of the Iddi Amin regime, he stealthy encouraged pastoralists from as far as Tanzania to flock and settle into those ranches and Mawogola in particular.
His 1981 - 86 Bush War established bases in such ranches in Ssingo and Bulemezi and these pastoralist squatters were at hand to offer a helping hand. Their sons took up arms in the ranks of his NRA. From Mawogola, a Munyarwanda refugee pastoralist Gregory karuletwa helped transport arms from Bujumbura to his NRA in the Luwero Triangle. Recently Museveni to travelled to Rwand to honor him for his contribution. His Bush War Ten Point Program had a provision for "resettlement of displaced people." Inmediately after taking power he decreed citizenship for all the Banyarwanda in Uganda. He abolished payment of rent to landlords in ranches by pastoralist squatters. He degazzeted 100 sq miles of Lake Mburo National Park and gave it to his pastoralists under the Kanyaryeru Settlement Scheme. In 1988 he set up the Prof. Mugerwa inquiry into the landlord - tenant relationship in the Ranching Scheme. The 1989 inquiry report recommended that 57 of these ranches be repossesed by government for redistribution to squatters and that another 50 ranches be repossesed if the owners fail to demonstrate ability to develop them in a year. In the meantime, a fresh influx of pastoralists from neighboring districts and even Tanzania had been flocking and settling in the Mawogola ranches.
The Baganda ranch owners in Mawogola under their umbrella organisation Masaka Livestock Farmers Association by(MALIFA) protested why 19 ranches were to be repossesed from Masaka while only three were to be repossesed from Ankole. They threatened to go to court to seek redress. The unborthered Museveni moved his National Executive Committee to reaffirm the government policy of distributing ranchand to pastoralist squatters. Two weeks later, a violent conflict broke out between the landlords and the pastoralist squatters in Mawogola. The squatters seized the ranches, set up roadblocks to block reinforcements and other defensive measures. Lives were lost and property destroyed in what looked like a well coordinated action by the squarters. With Museveni's approval, Gen. Ssejusa who was the then Minister of State for Defence and a resident of Mawogola is said to have been behind the squatters action. A battalion of soldiers was deployed in Mawogola and it took charge of management of public affairs by forbidding the judiciary, police and local council leaders from any role in handling the conflict.
Museveni chaired a three day special session of the then parliament NRC to debate the matter. He downplayed and dismissed the violence as the work of opportunists but added that the killings had been the work of organised terrorists. During the highly charged debate, the issue of the Banyarwanda featured prominently. Members advocated for the exclusion of indigenous Ugandans from benefitting from ranches restructuring. Hon. Matembe accused the NRM gobernment of being behind the attacks on ranches. He accused the government of harboring a sinister plan of pushing indigenous people off their land bringing in foreigners. She informed the house that Gen. Ssejusa was behind the attacks by squatters. When Gen. Ssejusa took to the floor, he bragingly told the house that there was bound to be an explosion because the squatters were now different - more enlightened, armed and powerful. The then Mawogola County Member C.W. Kasujja disclosed that squatters in Mawogola were undergoing military training. The then Nakasongola County Member Muruli Mukasa disclosed that the squatters in his Constituency originated from Rwanda and Burundi and that his people were asking as to where they were the same people to benefit from the ranches restructuring.
The determined Museveni created of a Ranches Restructuring Board (RRB) headed by David Pulkol and comprised of among others Bahima and Banyarwanda army officers. In Mawogola, the board deprived the Baganda landlords of their ranches and redistributed it to the pastoralist squatters. Musevi next step was to take political control of Mawogola. Since coming gto power, Mawogolal/Sembabule had been administered as a subdistrict of Masaka. In the NRC it was being represented by Dr. Higiro Ssemajjege for Rwemiyaga County and C. W. Kasujja for Mawogola County. During the Constitutional Assembly delegates elections, Sam Kuteesa who had earlier in 1980 elections defeated Museveni in Nyabushozi, relocated to Mawogola County where he became its CA Delegate. The other country of Lwemiyaga was represented by Dr. Higiro Ssemajjege who played a key role in winning citizenship for his fellow Banyarwanda during the CA.
During the first general elections of 1996, Sam Kuteesa won the Mawogola county parliamentary seat unopposed. He also helped his cousin Sam Rwakoojo to defeat Dr. Higiro Ssemajjege for the Lwemiyaga Parliamentary seat in 1996. In 1996 was appointed a cabinet Minister but was censored on corruption charges in 1999. In 1997 Sembabule gained it's District status and Sam Kuteesa became the kingmaker. In 2001 he again won the Mawogola seat unopposed and Museveni reappointed him to the cabinet. In 2001, Dr. Higiro Ssemajjege is said to have supported Ssekikubo to defeat Sam Rwakoojo in Lwemiyaga marking the beginning of bad blood between the two, Kuteesa and Ssekikubo. Anifa Kawooya Bangirana (a Mukiga) took up the Sembabule Woman M.P.
The fight for supperimacy in Sembabule District beyond Kuteesa and Ssekikubo feud but between pastoralist Hima, Banyarwanda and the cultivators (Baganda and Bairu). Its a battle for the total claim of Mahogora or Ishembabure as a pastoralist territory. This argument is supported by the ethnic composition of the original feuding camps and their geographical strongholds. One one hand you had Kuteesa, Anifa Kawooya and the Elly Muhumuza who was seeking to oust Herman Ssentongo from the district chairmanship. On the other hand there was Ssekikubo, Herman Ssentongo and Joy Kabatsi who had allied with Ssekikubo simply because she wanted to unseat Anifa Kawooya. Baganda district technocrats like the Chief Finance Officer and CAO Walakira were failed by the Kuteesa's camp and had to flee. The Kuteesa camp is also said to have bribed 10 out of the 17 district councillors to oppose Herman Ssentongo',s Chairmanship leading to the district running without an executive for years. The Ssekikubo camp was accused of not being NRM enough before Herman Ssentongo fled to Masaka Municipality leaving the district to Kuteesa's favourite Elly Muhumuza.
In 2015 a new constituency of Mawogola South was curved out of Kuteesa's Mawogola Constituency. The new constituency catered for the cultivators in the mainly Baganda sub-counties of Leebitakuli, Matete and Matete Town Council that neighbour with Masaka and Lwengo districts. Indeed a Muganda Joseph Ssekabiito won the 2016 parliamentary elections on the NRM ticket. However, the Kuteesa camp feels that Mawogola South is not NRM enough since it allegedly overwhelmingly voted for Dr. Besigye in 2016 and has now opted to send the District Woman M.P Anifa Kawooya to contest against Ssekabiito in 2021. The District Woman M.P seat has already been allocated to their own, a one Mary Begumisa. In the same regard, Joy Kabatsi has opted to turn against Ssekikubo by seeking to dislodge him from Lwemiyaga. She accuses Ssekikubo of demonizing Museveni and therefore wants to "liberate the Constituency." She had thrice tried without success to dislodge Anifa Kawooya from the District Woman seat. The most fierce fight was in 2006 before Museveni appointed her Presidential Assistant on Legal Affairs. She came back in 2011 and 2016 but lost again. This time round Museveni opted to boost her profile by appointing her Minister of State for Animal and later Minister of State for Works. Obviously, he must have blessed her "liberation" of Lwemiyaga from Ssekikubo. They wanted him to relocate to Makindye Ssebagala Constituency in Kampala. In 2010 the Kuteesa camp fronted a Patrick Nkalubo, Michael Agaba and Robert Baguma against Ssekikubo but he defeated them all.
It against the above struggle for supremacy in Sembabule that in September 2019 Sam Kuteesa announced that he handing over the Mawogola North Constituency to his daughter Shartsi Musherure Namatovu Mukundane Kuteesa. During the declaration, Sam Kuteesa tickled Museveni the wrong way by saying;.
"The time is now for the young generation to take over."
Museveni who construed this statement as directed as his 35 years hold on power decided to deploy his young brother against Kuteesa's daughter. Geofrey Aine Sodo Kaguta declared his intention to view for the Mawogola North Constituency parliamentary seat. In January 2011 Joy Kabtsi switched from the Ssekikubo camp and joined Kuteesa by openly declaring support for his daughter's bid for the Parlimentary seat. Hon. Anifa Kawooya also declared her support for Kuteesa's daughter. Museveni's son Gen. Muhoozi also came out to declare her support for Kuteesa's daughter who his sister in law. Also in the race is a one Salim Kiseka (a Muganda) who had for 15 years had been behind Kuteesa's political fortunes amongst the Baganda constituents. He felt betrayed when Kuteesa decided to bring his daughter.
In the recently concluded NRM primaries, a one Bitakaramire defeated Patrick Nkalubo for the District LC 5 Chairmanship.
Museveni's brother who is associated with the gold mining in Mubende, recently bought land near the long settled Museveni's aunt a one Ssenga Kibazibira in Lwentale village of the newly created Sub-County of Kawanda from Lugusulu Sub-County. The two camps have repeatedly had violent clashes that have left some people killed, several injured and property destroyed. The development prompted for the NRM Vice Chairman Hajji Moses kigongo to travel to Ssembabule in an attempt at diffusing the tension. The DPC of Ssembabule and other two Police officers attached to Lwemiyaga Police station were trnasfered a few days to the September 4 primaries. The Police Chief Gen. Sabiiti Muzei pitched camp in the area to back up the heavy security deployment. Both camps have denostrated their political, military and financial muscles. The army warned against misuse of security details before hreatening to withdraw security' guards from contenstant. The NRM Electoral Commission suspended the primary elections are exercise for Mawogola North. Museveni had to rush to the same area where he shed crocodile tears. Otherwise if he could force Hajji Nadduli, Capt Babu, Col. Bantariza from the CEC race, why not talk to his brother out of the parliamentary race!!!!
The crossing of Joy Kabatsi from the Ssekikubo to the Kuteesa camp coupled by the move by Anifa Kawooya to dislodge Ssekabiito from Mawogola South constituency demonstrates a well calculated move strenghening the Banyankole and Banyarwanda alliance in Sembabule for the 'liberation' of the entire Mahogora. Moreover, in 2008 the Banyarwanda in Sembabule , Mubende and kiboga plotted to create their own Bamooli Kingdom and to install a Ssebamooli as their King with headquarters in Sembabule. The so-called clashes between Kuteesa's daughter and Museveni's young brother is just a smokescreen for covering up the bigger scheme. The systematic grabbing of the Buganda Kingdom land in Mawogola by the Sembabule district administration is another clear demonstration of a more sinister scheme to 'liberate' Mahogora from Buganda. It's just a matter of time before total liberation is irreversably realized.
--
Rehema
Patriot in Kampala,East Africa:Assalamu Alaikum
Patriot in Kampala,East Africa:Assalamu Alaikum
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