By Ahmed Kateregga Musaazi
As Ugandans mourn for loss of national leaders like Gen. Elly Tumwine and Mzee Yona Kanyomozi, Kenyans cerebrate for their Supreme Court ruling declaring Dr. William Ruto President elect.
Who remembers that Gen. Elly Tumwine was one of the defunct Ankole kingdom’s royals? Who remembers that Tumwine was the Government Chief Negotiator during Ebyaffe talks and the late Prof. Apollo Robinson Nsibambi was Buganda’s Chief negotiator? The talks concluded in return of palaces, Bulange (former Republic House), royal tombs, etc…
Who remembers that Prince David Kintu Wassajja and Princess Diana Teyaggala, last born of Sir Edward Muteesa ll were mothered by Ankole princesses and therefore relatives to Gen. Elly Tumwine?
Equally Gen.David Sejusa, who officially retired from UPDF last week, a Munyankore by ethnicity but born in Nnambiriizi village, in Mawogola county now Ssembabule District, in Buganda region is married to an Ankole princess and both were the leading voices for the restoration of Obugabe bwa Ankole, and coronation of the late Prince John Barigye which government declared nuII and void as it was not supported by district councils’ resolutions of Ankole sub region.
So, as one of the national heroes that sacrificed and shed blood for the liberation of Uganda and restoration of institutions of traditional/ cultural leaders, Buganda should not have feared the social media gangs that were castigating him, but would have issued, at least, an official condolence message.
However as some have suggested, it may be timely for a truth and reconciliation commission. At the funeral of former President, Milton Obote at Parliament in October 2005, President Museveni had promised to set up one, but challenges in the country including insurgency in the North , that was still going, may have diverted his attention.
However, others say that there is no need for a truth and reconciliation commission when we had a commission of inquiry into the violation of human rights in Uganda from 1962 to 1986 chaired by the late Justice Arthur Oder, which suggested many of the recommendations were implemented including setting up a Uganda Constitutional Commission and a Uganda Human Rights Commission.
They also say that public debates and hearings in Uganda Constitutional Commission, Constituent Assembly chaired by the late James Wapakhabulo and Prof. Victoria Mwaka and Constitutional Review Commission chaired by Prof. Fred Sempebwa, were no other than a truth and reconciliation commissions.
They may be right. The good thing is that the new Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs and a Democratic Party President General , Chairman Mao Norbert, is set to name another Constitutional Review Commission and it is expected to conduct public hearings.
There was also loss of Mzee Yona Kanyomozi, with whom l interacted with as a parliamentary correspondent when he was a member of National Resistance Council. l last saw him in July last year when l was appointed a Deputy City Resident Commissioner Masaka City and l was having lunch with my senior colleague Fred Bamwine, my wife Fatuma and a driver, and he and Mzee Chris Rwakasisi bypassed us at a Welcome to Masaka restaurant at Nyendo. Mr. Bmawine and my wsife told me that Rwakasisi was so keen looking at me.
l was so critical with Rwakasisi over his past record and we had never met. They were going to Bushenyi for burial of the wife of “Sir Rich” Kaijuka, at the peak of lockdown. Kanyomozi belonged to UPC Science faction led by the late Dr.Adonia Tiberondwa and Ambassador Francis Butagira who were critical of Obote’s excesses.
In Kenya, Dr.William Ruto has been declared President elect of the Republic of Kenya. As the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga declined to form government until Mzee Jomo Kenyatta was release hardly a year, after independence, invited the opposition leaders, including Daniel arap Moi, Ronald Ngala and others to cross over from opposition Kenya Africa democratic union (KADSU) to the ruling party, Kenya Africa National union (KANU) and later appointed Moi Vice President and named him his successor, and as the late President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga managed to lead a successful coalition government for five years that enabled Kenya to have a new constitution, this time President Ruto should borrow a leaf from Oginga Odinga, Kenyatta, and Kibaki, and share power in an African communalism, to borrow, from the late Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana.
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