For
centuries, Buganda
was a warrior kingdom, which believed in conquest and settling disputes with
neighbors with force of arms and conquest. Internally, reigning kings (Kabakas)
were often removed and replaced by force of arms. At the close of the
19th Century however, the then reigning monarch, Ssekabaka
Mukaabya
realised that the best way to govern his people and to live with all Buganda's
neighbours, was through negotiation, discussion and peaceful resolution of
disagreements. In a very dramatic and very public action, he formally changed
his name from Kabaka
Mukaabya
(which literally means a king who bends people to his will through tears and
strife) to Kabaka
Mutesa, which
means resolving
all disputes through peaceful discussions and
negotiations.
By
that act and implied edict, he
directed the people of Buganda to always
solve their problems (internally and externally) through peaceful discussion.
Ever since that edict, Buganda started
believing in peaceful resolution of problems through negotiations and signed
agreements.
Thus
since the beginning of the following century, (that is from 1900 up to
today)
Buganda has never
taken up arms internally to remove its leaders or externally against its
neighbours.
Ssekabaka Mutesa's grandson, Ssekabaka
Daudi Chwa II, re-emphasised this position by stating in his formal written Will
that he had deliberately given the name of Mutesa to his son and
successor
(the father of the current Kabaka) so that
Kabaka Mutesa II and his successors should always resolve all Buganda problems
peacefully and legally through negotiation and discussion.
In fact, in that Will, Ssekabaka Mutesa II actually instructed and directed his
successor to do so.
Last month, in December 2002, Kabaka
Mutebi II, while addressing the Buganda Constitutional Commission and the people
of Buganda at Banda Palace, restated his great great grandfather's position as
well as that of his grandfather by urging the people of Buganda to pursue the
many disagreements and disappointments they had with the 1995 Constitution
(which disagreements and disappointments he was aware of) through peaceful
negotiations and dialogue. He fully
supported this Report and the method of presentation of
Buganda's
views through this constitutional process.
The Odoki
Constitutional Review Report clearly stated that 97% of the people in
Buganda desired
to be ruled under a federal system of government (also 68% of all Ugandans
expressed that desire).
Although this clear and overwhelming will of the people of
Buganda
and Uganda
was not included in the 1995 Constitution, the People
of Buganda, being
mindful of their kings' edicts, patiently continued to request for a peaceful
reconsideration of this position.
They
now once again renew, through this document, their position that a federal
system of government is the only system of governance that will accelerate
Uganda's
development, minimise internal strife that has bedeviled
Uganda
since the abolition of this system in 1966, and provide
Uganda
and her people with durable internal peace.
Many
people outside Buganda pour
scorn on discussion and negotiation as a fruitful method of achieving their
people's or community desires and goals.
Consequently, they
have persistently taken up arms against the state and the peoples of
Uganda.
The people
of Buganda are
appealing to all those people to lay down their arms and strive to achieve their
goals through peaceful discussion and negotiations as the people of
Buganda are doing
today.
The people
of Buganda also
appeal to the Government of Uganda and our
leaders to prove to those skeptics and doubting people that the will of the
people and desires of communities can be achieved and addressed through peaceful
discussions.
We should
not give them the feeling that peaceful negotiations and discussions can never
bring about change or achievements of any given community's desires and will,
however clearly those desires and will are manifested.
In
spite of past repeated disappointments and frustrations, the people of
Buganda
are still confident that they will achieve their desires through peaceful
methods. Buganda is
therefore appealing to those of her people, especially the young, the
Bazukkulu ba Buganda and those who are currently outside Uganda, who have
lost or are losing faith in negotiations and peaceful resolution of disputes as
a way to achieve Buganda's objectives, not to despair.
We still believe that peaceful negotiations will triumph over any alternative
means of dispute resolution.
The
people of Buganda would like to extend their sympathy and condolences to the
many Ugandans who have died or lost their relatives and loved ones in these
senseless wars, whose causes, they believe, would have been settled and can
still be settled through peaceful discussions and dialogue, such as is contained
in this Report.
The
recommendations contained in this Report are made in good faith because the
people of Buganda
genuinely believe that they would lead to prosperity, peace and, if implemented
in all parts of Uganda,
would lead to lasting peace.
We
make these recommendations for God and our country.
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