KAMPALA – President Museveni has on behalf of the government pledged a sum of UGX300M towards the renovation of the Kasubi Tombs.
He said that the government will also hand over Mutesa’s car, a Rolls Royce, that has been kept in the Uganda Museum for years.
The president was on Monday evening speaking at the ceremony held in memory of Ssekabaka Edward Mutesa ll at Sheraton Hotel Kampala.
At the same ceremony, Ssekabaka Mutesa was post-humously awarded the Independence Golden Jubilee Medal while Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi received the Nalubale Medal.
In his speech, Museveni said that in the aftermath of Independence, he was a member of the Democratic Party before the disagreements.
“From the very beginning, we did not agree with the Kabaka Yeka Party because of the unacceptable demands they had tabled, including having a state within a state,” said Museveni.
He said that, however, President Milton Obote lied to them that if they supported him, he would meet all their demands, something that never happened.
Museveni said that this created disagreements, starting with those relating to the army and its sectarianism.
“Mutesa, however, supported the East African Federation in association with the Grace Ibingira negotiating team. He was a Pan-Africanist, close to Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and other leaders in the region,” said the president.
“Perhaps if we had linked up with Sir Edward Mutesa as leaders of the young student movement, the situation would have been different,” he added.
He said “But we later allied with the elder Yusuf Lule, who was our chairman during the struggle. In 1981, we met Kabaka Mutebi who loves his country passionately and supported our struggle. We discussed with him how kingdoms would work and unify Africa by placing emphasis on linkages.”
The president called for working towards prosperity, strategic security and fraternity to achieve unity.
