Kooki-Buganda Impasse: The 126yr-Old `Agreement` and the 10yr-Old Deadlock amid the Two Cultural Institutions

And we the undersigned Mwanga, King of Uganda [Buganda] and the Kamuswaga, hitherto independent King of Kooki, agree that we will submit this agreement to her Britannic Majesty’s representative in Uganda in order to petition that he, acting on behalf of Her Majesty’s government, may approve it and comfort it;

Yesterday Saturday 23^rd July 2022 evening, news made rounds on social media and later, the mainstream, about the foiled football match supposedly between Kooki and Butambala County. This came on heels of other reports about the arrest of Buganda Kingdom Masaza Cup Tournament Boss, Hajji Suleiman Ssejjengo. Him and four others had been detained by police in Rakai, for allegedly defying lawful orders.

Basing on this brief and preventive detention, some elements started splashing alarming audios on social and electronic media reports, claiming the Mengo officials were `brutally arrested`. This gave credence to already existing intel that the same wanted to incite Kabaka subjects into a Kayunga-like situation. However, the `brutally arrested` Hajji Ssejjengo appeared on evening bulletins in one piece, proudly announcing Kooki`s suspension out of Masaza Cup, on technicalities.

It is important to note, that whereas yours truly is the CEO of the 9-yr old Investigator Website, and, the Editorial Director at that, the 10-yr long conflict between Kooki and Buganda has never been reported in-here. Management was of the view that readers might look at us as a biased lot. This stance, because I not only serve as the information minister, but the official spokesperson of Obwakamuswaga bwa Kooki. Now, upon authorization of this column, I am writing in the latter capacity, and one will definitely be pardoned for taking my write-up as an official stand by Kooki.

For starters, Kooki is not counted as a part of Buganda by mistake. It is indeed, a constitutionally recognized cultural institution located in Central Region, which is Buganda at large. My reader would also need to learn that Kooki and Buganda have peacefully co-existed for over 120 years. But the current standoff is only 10 years old. Counting backwards, it’s easy to note that it’s as old as the current regime at Mengo, under the stewardship of Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga. Nothing beyond.

This article serves as an introduction to several informative missives that I will put on record in these pages. But it is important to start from where the said relationship between the two cultural institutions commenced. Prior to that though, on September 25^th 2014, the Kamuswaga announced how he had banned all official representation of Kooki to Mengo. This stance, until Mengo addressed four issues he raised. This announcement was not out of the blue. It was out of a backlog of several issues and more which for now, can await other series.

The four concerns he raised include among others; Mengo returning the thirteen Land Titles which, Central Government had erroneously passed onto them, upon the Kabaka and President Museveni`s `peace pact`. Kooki Lands minister, Owek. Issa Kisoro informs me that the person of Kabaka (not Buganda Kingdom), owns only 100 acres of land in Kooki. This land is found at Kagona, Lwamaggwa Subcounty. I can therefore, authoritatively state that giving Kooki Land Titles to Mengo by Government, save for that of the person of Kabaka, was invalidly done.

Other concerns were; returning of Kamuswaga`s official chair in Mengo Lukiiko, Mengo indefinitely suspend the parallel administrative structure which Owek. Katikkiro of Buganda imposed on Kamuswaga in Kooki and, lastly, the Kamuswaga tasked Mengo to unveil the alleged 1896 agreement between the two institutions, for a possible review. He counseled that most of the issues which are only, verbally claimed to be in this agreement, are outdated and needed immediate evaluation. He called on Mengo to convene a select committee to be joined by that of Kooki and they address the matter.

It is therefore, a little disappointing when, propagandists put across claims that Kamuswaga want to call Kooki and Mengo relations off. Who would want away, and proceed to demand for his seat in Lukiiko! Who would want away and demand the removal of a parallel structure but and, instead have his chosen officials serve Mengo purposes? Who would want away, and peacefully demand for land that is lawfully belongs to them, instead of seeking redress from Courts of Law? Eight years down the road, Mengo is yet to respond.

In the same breadth of attempted violence incitement, a copy of the alleged agreement started making rounds. For starters, I can categorically state that I have seen about three different copies of this said agreement, with equally different phrasing. Our efforts to find it from Government Archives in Entebbe failed. Not because of any human error or reason, no. It has never been filed in-there, at any time in the 126 years it has reportedly existed.

However, Kooki administration was even willing to review whatever Mengo would produce as the authentic copy. The said agreement that was dropped in circulation yesterday premised from one of Buganda`s known social media forums called Buganda Think Tank. This forum has a membership of 243. Most of them include Mengo top officials, save for Katikkiro, and all Members of Parliament from Buganda Region. Below, we reproduce the same agreement below, verbatim:

“THE 1896 AGREEMENT BETWEEN KOOKI (KAMUSWAGA) AND BUGANDA (MWANGA)

The agreement between Kooki and Buganda in full reads as follows: To all whom it may concern, be it known that the undersigned, Mwanga king of Uganda [Buganda] and Kamuswaga, King of Kooki, have this day made the following agreement:-

Whereas I, Kamuswaga, hitherto independent King of Kooki, I am desirous on behalf of myself, my chiefs and people, that county of Kooki shall become part of the Kingdom of Uganda [Buganda] and be included therein as a new province and thereby enjoy and profit by the advantages secured to that Kingdom through the presence, guidance and assistance of British officials.

And whereas I, Mwanga, King of Uganda [Buganda] with the full concurrence of my government, I am ready and willing that the county of Kooki shall be so included in my Kingdom and its inhabitant become Waganda [Baganda] subjects.

Now, therefore, I Kamuswaga, hitherto independent King of Kooki, hereby declare and make known, on behalf of myself, my chiefs and people that our country of Kooki become from this day forth part and province of the Kingdom of Uganda [Buganda] and passes under the sovereignty of Mwanga, King of Uganda [Buganda].

And I, the said Kamuswaga, do hereby of my own free will and choice surrender my position as an independent King, and recognising myself to be henceforth a subject of the King of Uganda [Buganda], accept and assume the position of a Muganda saza of the first class, whose province shall be Kooki and whose powers, privileges rights, duties, obligations and position generally shall be those of the other Waganda [Baganda] sazas of the same rank.

And I recognise that henceforth the sovereign of Kooki is Mwanga King of Uganda [Buganda] and after him, his heirs and successors. And I recognise further that all treaties, international agreements, laws and regulations of every kind, as well as tribute and other obligations of every kind at the time and the future in force or leviable in Uganda are henceforth similarly applicable stand leviable in Kooki which now becomes an integral part of the kingdom of Uganda [Buganda].

And I Mwanga, king of Uganda [Buganda], hereby pledge myself and my government and my heirs and successors to recognise Kamuswaga, hitherto independent King of Kooki, as a Muganda saza of the first class whose province shall be Kooki, which henceforth becomes part and province of the Kingdom of Uganda [Buganda].

And I the said Mwanga pledge myself, my heirs and successors that the said Kamuswaga shall enjoy all the powers, privileges and rights which belong to the position of a Muganda saza of the first class and further that the welfare and prosperity of the province of Kooki shall be the objects of all our care and solicitude equally with the welfare and prosperity of our Kingdom of Uganda [Buganda].

And we the undersigned Mwanga, King of Uganda [Buganda] and the Kamuswaga, hitherto independent King of Kooki, agree that we will submit this agreement to her Britannic Majesty’s representative in Uganda in order to petition that he, acting on behalf of Her Majesty’s government, may approve it and comfort it;

And we freely agree and recognise that if at any time, any question should arise regarding the interpretation or meaning of this agreement or any part thereof, this English text of the agreement shall be considered true text and Her Majesty’s representative shall be its interpreter, whose decision on any point in question regarding it or any part of it shall be final and binding upon us both, in faith whereof we hereunto set our hands and seals, in public baraza at Kampala this 18th day of November in the year 1896 of Christian era.

Done in duplicate both in English and Luganda at the place and date above mentioned.

Signed:

# Mwanga Kabaka

# Kamuswaga

# Apollo Kagwa

# Stanislaus Mugwanya

Witness to the above signatures

# Kago Pozo

# George Wilson

# Pokino Sebowa

# Mukwenda Yona

# Zakaria Kangawo

# Kabandagara Katikiro of Kamuswaga

# Mugara Sabadu of Kamuswaga.“

The Masaza Cup Fate in Kooki

To start with, looking at this alleged agreement, and the others I have chanced a glance at, they leave a lot to desire. I will dwell on that in other articles. Even then, Obwakamuswaga were willing to review any of them, anyway! Back to yesterday`s minor incident. On July 20^th2022, Kooki officials led by Deputy Prime Minister (Katuukiro), Owek. Godfrey Kimbugwe went for a meeting at Mengo. The meeting was convened in the Cabinet Room on the first floor of Bulange. It commenced at 11:10AM after singing both anthems ofEkitiibwa Kya Buganda andEttendo Lya Kooki. It was chaired by Owek. Patrick Mugumbule, the Buganda Lukiiko Speaker.

In attendance on Mengo side was the Attorney General, Owek. Christopher Bwanika, the Youth and Sports Minister, Owek. Henry Kiberu Ssekabembe, the Pokino of Buddu, Owek. Jude Muleke, a one Maj. Musaazi for Security and their Secretary, Ms. Annette Nakanjako. This meeting followed another in Kooki earlier on Monday where, the same officials had gone to meet the Rakai District RDC, Hon. Sarah Kiyimba. They wanted her to give them permission to have Masaza Cup played in Kooki, in total disregard of Kooki administration.

In her wisdom, the RDC felt Kooki needed to be represented. She invited Owek. Kimbugwe, not to mention the short notice. It is out of this meeting that Mengo suggested a follow-up one in Bulange. At Mengo, it was resolved that of the four demands mentioned above, one was crucial. This was Kooki`s much-desired suspension of the parallel structures. Without this coming to pass before yesterday (Saturday), Mengo was advised to either hold the match on a neutral ground in the neighboring Kyotera, or postpone the same to Wednesday this week. They promised to get back to us, after further consultations.

Whereas they never made good on their promise, we are aware they consulted. Another judicious official offered off-record, that their resolve was never to do, what they termed as `bowing to Kooki demands`. In the aforementioned agreement between Kabaka and President Museveni, it was agreed that Kabaka, or Mengo officials, were never to perform any activities in Buganda territories that harbor cultural leaderships, without the latter`s consent and approval. Whereas Mengo has severely breached the said agreement with Kooki and still counting, they are more enthusiastic to abuse even the one they made with Central Government, and onto the same, they convincingly made the person of Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, to append his signature. Welcome to Kooki-Buganda Files…

Owek. Stanley Ndawula is the Minister of Information and Official Spokesman of Obwakamuswaga bwa Kooki. He can also be reached via WhatsApp +256772621522

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Stanley Ndawula: Stanley Ndawula is a two and a half decades’ seasoned investigative journalist with a knack for serious crimes investigations and reporting. He’s the Founding Editorial Director and CEO at The Investigator Publications (U) Limited