By Nansubuga Shadia
President Yoweri Museveni has on Tuesday hosted Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II at State House, Nakasero.
This comes after the two have recently disagreed on Buganda’s mailo land system.
The president confirmed the meeting on his official Twitter handle.
“I have held a meeting with His Majesty the Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II at Nakasero State Lodge. His Majesty was in the company of Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga and Prince David Wasajja. We discussed matters of mutual interest,” Museveni said without giving details.
However, it is suspected that among the key issues on their agenda was the Mailo land system that has brewed controversy in the past few months.
Speaking at the heroes day celebrations in June, President Museveni castigated the Mailo land system that he termed as a bad land policy.
“It’s not anywhere else in Uganda. It is really very bad and not fair but some people support it. How do you allow these things to happen? Landowners should be entitled to full ownership of their land like elsewhere in Uganda. In Ankole, nobody can chase you away from your land. You even fear.”
Commenting on the matter, Kabaka said that Buganda’s spirit of welcoming people from all walks of life is being interpreted as weakness.
“We condemn those who deliberately create a situation to derail us from reminding government on what belongs to us. We have heard many people discuss about land in Buganda and many have said it is curtailing Uganda’s development. This is not true. Those who say this want to weaken the kingdom of Buganda,” Kabaka said during his 28th coronation anniversary ceremony held at Nkoni Palace in Lwengo District.
“Such things bring sorrow to our hearts and make us question why land in other parts of the country is not mentioned ( as it is with Buganda). Buganda does not or has never wished to split from Uganda, neither has it and will never kick other citizens out(of Buganda). Why is the Buganda spirit of welcoming everyone being misinterpreted as a weakness?”
Kabaka said that the suggested reforms will mess up the cultural values and interests of the Kingdom and the subjects whose heritage is hinged on land as one of the key principles of their existence.
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