Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi of Buganda has stopped Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga from leading guided tours of his ancestors’ burial grounds, the Amasiro.
In a communication in Luganda the Kabaka says the Amasiro is under reconstruction and that the pace is slow, with officials not knowing what to do and when.
By press time it was not possible to establish the actual cause of the Kabaka’s directive but the Royal Tombs have in the recent past been plagued by fires, with the first on in March 2011 the Amasiro went up in flames, after which a Commission of Inquiry led was instituted by government. Then again in July 2013 another fire broke out at the same place, destroying two huts in which Buganda Kingdom regalia that was saved from the 2011 fire was being kept.
According to the communication, since then the Katikkiro has been taking stakeholders on guided tours but the Kabaka now says that must stop. Further, according to the communication, the Buganda minister in charge of culture and tourism will be in charge of security at the Amasiro, and will be charged with informing the Katikkiro of any developments there.
‘Olwensonga eyo era ne Katikiro tajja kuddamu kulambuza bantu mulimu gw’okuzimba Amasiro we gutuuse nga bwe gubbade ebbanga lyonna emabega era nga waakuddamu okulambuza ng’okugazimba kuwedde,’ the Kabaka’s communication reads in part.
According to the Kabaka’s communication, the Amasiro will also remain out of bounds for the Kabaka’s other relatives and Mmengo officials, and that at the reconstruction stage will only necessitate the presence of technocrats at the site.
‘Abaami b’oku Masiro, Nnalinya, Katikkiro, Kaggo ne Mugema nabo bayimirizidwa okugenda mu kifo kino okutuusa ng’omulimu guwedde,’ the communication adds.
It further states that the ‘wives’ of his ancestors will remain in their usual places of abode, catered for by the kingdom’s office in charge of the Royal Tombs.
