Regional assemblies should be restored

BY AHMED KATEREGGA MUSAAZI   

Summary: The Great Buganda Lukiiko is over seven hundred years. The famous session was held at Nnono, Magonga in Busujju County now present day Mityana District convened by Kabaka Kintu, the founder of the present dynasty of Buganda.   

After the Military Commission chaired by the late Paulo Muwanga seized power from Uganda National Liberation Front government under Godfrey Lukogwa Binaisa on May 12th 1980, Prof. Edward Rugumayo, who had self-exiled Kenya via through Tanzania, was replaced as Chairperson of National Consultative Council by Alex Waibale. He presided over NCC from May to December. His picture deserves also to be included among the speakers.

While we are celebrating 100 years of legislature, with an exception of an eight-year Military rule of Idi Amin, who had assumed legislative and executive powers from 1971 to 1979, and six months of Gen. Tito Okello Lutwa from July 1985 to January 1986, where
legislative powers were vested in a Military Council, we should also be mindful that before the British brought here their Westminster parliamentary system, Ugandans had their traditional ones even before colonialism.

The Great Buganda Lukiiko is over seven hundred years. The famous session was held at Nnono, Magonga in Busujju County now present day Mityana District convened by Kabaka Kintu, the founder of the present dynasty of Buganda. It was attended by all clan leaders (Abataka) and it laid down the unwritten constitution of the Kingdom of Buganda.

Since then, anything traditional or cultural is referred to as “eky’ennono”, implying that it was passed at Nnono.

Ever since, the Kabaka ruled his kingdom through seeking advice from Lukiiko (Council) which was initially made up of clan leaders, but as the Kabakaship consolidated at the expense of the  Bataka, Kabaka Ssemakookiro over centralized all the powers to the Kabaka, clan
leaders could no longer hold political offices so were members of the Royal family.

So ever since, the Lukiiko became composed of the ministers; Katikkiro (Prime Minister), Kimbugwe (Keeper of the Kabaka’s Umbilical Code), and chiefs, all appointed, and sacked by the Kabaka.

By the time Arab traders like Ahmed Bin Ibrahim arrived in Buganda in 1844, during the reign of Kabaka Ssuuna Kalemansinjo, and European explorers like John Henning Speke in 1862 at the reign of Kabaka Mukaabya Walugembe Muteesa l, and Henry Murton Stanley in 1875, the
Lukiiko was very significant in determining state matters, as it was convened to permit them to enter Buganda, and sessions were held in their honor.

However, the Buganda Agreement of 1900, standardized Lukiiko’s membership of three ministers, Katikkiro, Omulamuzi (Judge) and Omuwanika (Treasusrer), 20 saza chiefs, 60 notables and six Kabaka’s nominees.

The composition remained so with some modifications, until kingdoms and federal states were abolished in 1967. For example, by 1955 Agreement, the number of ministers was doubled to six including those of Education, Health, and Natural resources, and by 1966, they
were seven, including that of Local Governments.

The Rukurato of Bunyoro Kitara was older than even that of Buganda as some titles like Katikkiro and Saza were borrowed by Buganda from ancient Kitara under Abatembuzi and Abachwezi.

But like Buganda, the Bakama became absolute and the Rukurato, became a rubber stamp. It was also retained by the colonialists and was abolished in 1967. Thebreakaway kingdom of  Tooro from Bunyoro also had a similar structure where the Prime Minister was called Omuhiikirwa. It also did not survive 1967.

In Nkore, there was Eishenngyero under Omugabe although, the Prime Minister (Enganzi) was a copy paste by Nuah Mbaguta from Buganda. It was also abolished. There was no separation of powers in Western sense; Legislative, executive and judicial, but even powerful rulers like the Kabaka could be subject to a trial by Omutaka Nadduli Kibaale (Leader of Mpeewo
Clan) and could even beat him.

There was also Omutaka Kasujju Lubinga who used to settle disputes in the Royal Family on behalf of the Kabaka. Royal Officials like Namasole (Queen Mother) and Nnaalinnya (Princess
Royal) were equally powerful and in the early years of Kabaka Muteesa
l (1856-1884), the Namasole was more powerful than the Kabaka.

Katikkiros like Kayiira under Ssuuna ll (1820-1856),  Mukasa under Muteesa ll and Mwanga (1856-1880s) and Sir Apollo Kaggwa under Mwanga ll and Daudi Chwa ll (1890s-1927), were more powerful than the Kabakas.

Elsewhere, there were no centralized systems as most of the pre-colonial societies were decentralized under clan leaders and war lords, and were centralized by the colonialists in form of districts that later had native councils in Busoga, Bukedi, Bugisu, Kigezi,
Lango, Acholi, West Nile, Madi and Sebei.

So, even before colonialism, there was legislation in pre colonial Uganda’s nation states in forms of Lukiiko in Buganda, Orukurato in Bunyoro, Ishengyero in Nkore, to mention but a few. Even in non-centralized societies like Busoga, Bugisu, Teso, Acholi, Lango, there were councils of elders which exercised legislative and executive powers.

It is my humble request, that those regional assemblies be restored under Regional Governments and the regions should be specially represented in a senate or a National Council of State.

Haji Ahmed Kateregga Musaazi is a veteran journalist and a
Communications Assistant with Government Citizen Interaction Center
(G.C.I.C.), Ministry of ICT and National Guidance.