By Ahmed Kateregga Musaazi
On July 6, 2022 we went to Kalangala district headquarters where Minister for Presidency Milly Babirye Babalanda and Katikkiro of Buganda Charles Peter Mayiga launched a Crusade against HIV-AIDS scourge in Sese islands.
The Islands have an alarmingly 26 percent population infection.
The Minister a company of all Resident District and City Commissioners and their deputies in the Greater Masaka sub-region. Mr Mayiga was also flanked by officials and chiefs of the Kabaka.
My area of interest was the harmonious relationship at the Saza estate for Kweba (Saza Chief) of Sese islands, which he without rift shares with Kalangala District Local Government.
The site has the old Buganda kingdom administrative blocks that were built in colonial times including the residence and office of the Saza Chief and the Lukiiko Hall. Then there is Kalangala District Local Government blocks whose construction was started by Idi Amin regime in 1974 when it declared Ssese a district, under South Buganda Province.
The state-of-the-art state block that was built under NRM Government after a district status for Kalangala was granted in 1989 is also something to make us happy.
Ever since President Yoweri Museveni and Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi ll signed a memorandum of understanding in 2013, on eve of the occasion to mark 20th anniversary of the coronation of the Kabaka, under which Official Mailo estates including Saza and Gomblola estates were returned to the Kabaka, there have been divergent views.
Those in support say that land is traditional and cultural and hence Official Mailo estates have to be part of the traditional and cultural institution of Buganda where the Kabaka is the Ssaabataka (Head of all Baganda clan leaders and their estates).
Opposing views say, that Official Mailo estates were part of the Buganda Agreement of 1900 for local administrations, then Saza, Gombolola, Muluka and Batongole chiefs and their councils, and not for traditional or cultural purposes like Lubaale worship (African Traditional religion), , last funeral rites or initiation ceremonies.
Under 1995 constitution as amended in 2005, they are under Buganda Land board that is set up by Buganda Government, democratically elected in accordance with the provisions of the constitution. All district land board chairpersons in Buganda Region are members of Buganda Land Board and, the latter is also represented on the district land boards in Buganda.
Unfortunately, after comprehensive negotiations, Mmengo rejected the implementation of the proposals, and however much the Omukama of Bunyoro, Solomon Gafabusa Iguru, and the late Kyabazinga of Busoga, Henry Wako Muloki, the Acholi and Lango parliamentary caucuses, among others, demanded for the operationalization of regional governments, parliament has never debated and passed a bill that was tabled by the then Minister for Presidency and Kampala Affairs Dr. Beatrice Wabudeya, in 2006.
In some areas, district and sub county local governments have been ejected by Buganda Land Board limited from those estates, over failure to negotiate for rent or lease, where local governments think that they are part of the kingdom and the region and should not be forced to pay rent or lease. This happened in Masaka where district headquarters were thrown out from Saza headquarters and are
renting in Masaka city which is no longer even part of the district.
In others, they have negotiated, have leased or are paying rent. Then in others like Ssembabule District, much of Saza and gombolola estates were encroached on by “squatters” some got leases before the traditional institutions and their property were restored in 1993, and are contesting the whole matter.
Others like at Mijwala in Ssembabule Town Council and Bigobyamugenyi in Ntuusi sub county by land grabbers some locally powerful and cases are in courts of law.
After the launch of the Parish Development Model, parish SACCOS are supposed to have permanent offices. Ideally these should have been Muluka halls (Bitaawuluzi\0 at every parish headquarters, which part of saza and gombolola estates, but which may now not be owned by local governments.
My humble appeal is that, following the harmonious relationship between the Kabaka’s saza chiefs in Ssese jointly utilizing saza and gombolola estates, the Kingdom of Buganda should accommodate all Muluka SACCOs at Bitawuluzi, headquarters of every Parish. Both the Central Government and traditional institutions are for economic and social transformation of the citizens, and they should jointly support the Parish Development Model.
Haji Ahmed Kateregga Musaazi is a veteran journalist and Deputy Resident City Commissioner Masaka City in charge of Kimaanya – Kabonera Division.
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