Buganda and Kooki should co-exist in Uganda

The Katikiro of Buganda Charles Peter Mayiga has unveiled plans to travel to Kooki County, for the etoffaali programme.

Under a century-plus old arrangement, Kooki and the Buganda Kingdom are supposed to enjoy fraternal relations, with the former subordinate to Buganda but enjoying semi-autonomous administrative responsibilities.

The Buganda Kingdom had almost similar arrangements with the Baruuli of Nakasongola and the Banyala in Kayunga but persistent suspicions among the above-mentioned groups have cast these relationships in bad light.

Needless to say therefore, there have been times when the country has witnessed uncalled-for verbal exchanges, mostly when officials from Buganda plan to visit those areas occupied by the Bakooki, Baruuli and Banyala.

And indeed, the information seeping through this time round is that the hereditary Chief of Kooki, the Kamuswaga, has distanced his administration from all the activities related to the visit of the Katikiro. And this is worrying. Why?

Because of the bickering taking place ahead of the planned visit, one cannot be sure that the Kamuswaga’s words might not kick off frenzied action among his people, something that will make the Katikiro’s visit untenable even for the security personnel deployed to counter any would-be ugly scenes.

According to the Kamuswaga, he has not been officially informed of the planned visit by the Katikiro and sadly, the Buganda Kingdom Spokesman Dennis Ssengendo just brushes off the concerns raised by the Kamuswaga, with arguments that all that going on is legal.

It is important to realize that Kooki recognizes that it is part of the Buganda Kingdom. Of importance too is the realization that under the laws of Uganda both the Kingdom of Buganda and Kooki are recognized as distinct cultural entities and this means that they must be accorded the respect that accrues to them, as enshrined in the Constitution.

And, this begs the question: what is wrong with officially informing the Kamuswaga if any such move would help sooth the tensions that are being created by two parties?

Both Buganda and Kooki must mutually co-exist in Uganda.