By Ahmed Kateregga Musaazi
In 1975, Radio Uganda announced the assassination of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia by one of his relatives who was a mental case. The then President of Uganda Idi Amin Dada went for burial, and the late King was succeeded by his brother and crown Prince Khalid who also declared his brother Fahd as a new crown prince.
In 1982, Khalid passed on and was succeeded by King Fahd. One of our Nnambiriizi mosque imams in Mawogola now Ssembabule District , Sheikh Twaha Sseggiriinya, who migrated to Kakumiro in former lost counties, admired the Saudi Arabian orderly succession.
I also nodded with affirmation but little did l know that Saudi Arabia was an absolute monarchy where a king also doubles as a Prime Minister and his crown prince is his second in command of government and armed forces. By then there was not even Shura (Advisory Council) which was set up in 1991 after the Gulf Crisis, which members are appointed by the king and which advice he can ignore.
In the case of the kingdoms of the Great Lakes Region of east and central Africa, especially Buganda, there is no crown prince. While European monarchies including England, have a practice of a first son or daughter succeeding his/her father or mother as king or queen, and even among European families they have a practice of primogeniture, where a first son succeeds the estate of his parents, in Buganda, the first son of the Kabaka known as “Kiweewa” was not the most favored successor.
Although under abnormal circumstances, the Kiweewas became Kings the recent one being Kiweewa Mutebi, whom a combined force of Muslims and Christians imposed on the throne after dethroning Kabaka Mwanga ll who had plotted to eliminate them.
That was a short lived reign as Muslims took over and alienated the Kabaka from the Christians and when he became reluctant to convert to Islam, he was killed and replaced by Nuuhu Kalema a Muslim Kabaka. The Christians combined forces with the Traditionalists and drove Muslims from the capital to Kijungute on Buganda-Bunyoro-boarder and re-enthroned Mwanga.
According to traditions, customs and norms of Buganda, the Kabaka is elected by Lukiiko from sons, brothers and nephews of the incumbent Kabaka. The Lukiiko has passed through metamorphosis. While the Lukiiko, Kabaka Kintu, the founder of the ruling dynasty, held at Nnono in Busujju county, Mityana District 0ver 700 years ago, was predominantly of clan leaders (Abataka).
At the peak of succession wars, Kabaka Ssemakookiro over-centralised the kingdom where the Kabaka overpowered clan leaders who are also hereditary leaders and royals. The Bataka and royals ceased to be appointed officials or chiefs. All saza chiefs were allocated roles in the Kabaka’s court so that their allegiance was checked. This was in contrast with Bunyoro which was governed as a federation. Royals there were appointed chiefs and they kept on seceding, starting with Kimera in Buganda (according to Banyoro traditions), Kaboyo in Tooro and Kamuswaga in Kooki among others.
In my view, Buganda was more successful than her neighbours when it came to succession because, there was no crown prince who could even be harmed by internal and external enemies, however, in absence of the Kabaka, there were laid out procedures.
Likewise, the framers of 1995 constitution deleted a provision of a presidential running mate which was in the Odoki Draft, and retained a Vice President appointed by the President subject to Parliament’s approval. They may have been right because what later happened to Ghana where a President fought with his deputy whom he had no power to sack and recently in Kenya where a President anointed an opposition leader as his successor other than his deputy, who would later contest and win.
According to the Constitution of The Republic of Uganda 1995 as amended, in absence of the President, the Vice President acts for at least six months.
The order of precedence is President, Vice President, Speaker, Chief Justice, Deputy Speaker, Deputy Chief Justice and Prime Minister.
I think in a modern republic like Uganda, we should not declare a “crown prince or princess” because they can be harmed by internal and external enemies. But we should have our presidential material in strategic positions in government and the ruling party.
Haji Ahmed Kateregga Musaazi is a veteran journalist and Deputy Resident City Commissioner Masaka City in charge of Kimaanya Kabonera City Division.
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