Tough Times for Tough People: Kamuswaga Roars on as Buganda Finally Elects to Host Their Masaza Cup `Kooki Matches` in the Neighboring Buddu County

It is no longer debatable; Buganda Kingdom officials at Mengo have finally, officially shifted their Masaza Cup matches meant to be hosted in Kooki, to the nearby Buddu County in Kyotera district.

This was confirmed yesterday after security personnel sorrounded Majje stadium in Lwanda Sub County, Rakai district in the morning and blocked players and supporters from accessing the facility. It was a match between Kooki and Kyaggwe FC. This, however looked contrary to what the Rakai Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Sarah Kiyimba, had vowed the previous day.

Kiyimba, in a social media viral audio the previous day, had spit venom against Kooki, assuring Buganda loyalists that they would play and watch the match with maximum security, to avoid any disturbances from thelatter`s loyalists who had in the same measure, also threatened to stage protests against the match. The Kooki cultural institution – Obwakamuswaga, and Buganda Kingdom have been at loggerheads for close to ten years. This stance, after the Kamuswaga (King of Kooki) declared his area a no-go-zone for Buganda activities since they (Buganda) had failed to honour his demands mutually.

Among Kooki’s demands issued on September 25^th 2014, was reinstating the throne (Namulondo) of their hereditary leader (Kamuswaga) in the Mmengo Lukiiko, withdrawing all parallel leadership structures appointed by Mmengo in Kooki, returning 13 land tittles belonging to the Kamuswaga which were confiscated by Mmengo officials and, a call to review the said agreement between the two cultural institutions.

These demands were tabled in a letter relayed by the Prime Minister of Kooki (Katuukiro) Idd Ahmed Kiwanuka, to Buganda Kingdom where, the Kamuswaga provided an ultimatum of three months (90 days) grace period within which the same should be observed and worked upon. Short of action on the said demands and in time, the Kamuswaga announced, all representation by Kooki to Mengo was to stop automatically and with immediate effect.

The Repercussions

To peace lovers, its unfortunate that Kamuswaga’s concerns were not only swept under the Mengo heavy carpet, but the same were officially, on the floor of Lukiiko in Mengo, ridiculed by the Katikkiro of Buganda, Rt. Hon. Charles Peter Mayiga as `childish` issues meant for children. This prompted the Kamuswaga to write another letter, distancing his institution from all Buganda activities. The two institutions from then onwards, have had a poor relations to the extent of Buganda also shunning Kamuswaga’s coronation anniversaries and vice versa.

In July last year, the two institutions attempted to resolve their matters after a meeting was held in Kooki with Buganda’s team led by their Attorney General, before theKooki Deputy Premier, Owek. Godfrey Kimbugwe. From here, Kimbugwe also led an eight-member team to Mengo for continuation of the same. The two meetings yielded nothing after Buganda still failed to honour at least one of the demands which Kooki had said, would initiate commencement of the desired good relations.

“We had several demands from Buganda but we simply told them to withdraw the parallel structures they put in our area. It’s the Kamuswaga, not Mengo to appoint leaders. They, at the time, instead threatened to use force and access Kooki in a bid to have Butambala County play with Kooki but we quelled them,” Stanley Ndawula, the Kooki information Minister and official Spokesman said then.

Before the said match on a Saturday, Kooki loyalists had planned a protest which prompted Police to halt the match until the two sides negotiate. In 2018, Buganda Premier Charles Peter Mayiga was blocked at Masaka, from going to Kooki as he promoted a project dubbed “Emmwaanyi Terimba.” He was however, later released after about eight hours, upon reaching a mutual agreement, but with additional security to protect him from the angry Bakooki who had already staged demonstrations protesting his visit.

Buganda’s Masaza Chairperson Ismael Ssejjengo was last year arrested at Rakai Police station after he attempted to forcefully access the playground in Lwanda Sub County, unsuccessfully insisting that the match between Gomba and Kooki would be played. Last month, the Kooki Premier Iddi Kiwanuka, while addressing journalists at the Royal Park Gardens in Rakai district, warned all Buganda loyalists not to host any Masaza match because they are not ready to entertain them.

Kooki was started as a Kingdom in the 1700’s by a Mubiito (Prince) Bwoohe, son of Duhaga, King of Bunyoro by then. Kamuswaga Apollo Isansa Kabumbuli II Lwampanja is currently the 13th hereditary ruler who insists there is no agreement made between the two leaders of Buganda and Kooki as the former alleges, that the same made Kooki a county under Buganda.