LIKE they say “the power of a king lies not in his might, but in his wisdom…”, the Kyabazinga of Busoga HRH William Wilberforce Kadhumbula Nadiope Gabula IV has over years exhibited that he is a king blessed with wisdom like the Biblical King Solomon.
While at State House Entebbe, the Kyabazinga chose his requests carefully, asking the host, President Museveni, to look into critical issues causing sleepless nights to his subjects.
Top on the list included the unfulfilled issue of Amber Court-Mbulamuti (127kms)the village of Kadaga, Kamuli-Bukungu road 78kms (which connects Busoga and other neighboring districts), and Budhumbula-Bulopa-Luuka-Iganga road which the government of President Museveni promised to tarmac more than a decade ago.
The Amber Court-Mbulamuti road passes through the former Budondo Sub County and Butagaya, which are considered the food basket of the region with the most fertile soil.
The Kyabazinga, together with his wife, the Inhebantu HRH Jovia Mutesi, who led a delegation of about 300 people told the president that his subjects were not happy because of the poor state of the roads in question.
During the visit where he was hosted to a luncheon, following a spectacular royal wedding a few months ago, the Kyabazinga joined other leaders in asking why it has taken close to 20 years for construction of the roads to start, yet the issue keeps coming every time the president sets foot in Busoga during and after election campaign periods.
In response, President Museveni assured Kyabazinga that works will commence on the roads mentioned and will be completed, latest in January 2026.
Museveni, flanked by the First Lady Mama Janet Museveni, also promised to construct a new kingdom office for Busoga since the current Bugembe-based facility is already dilapidated.
He asked Kyabazinga to identify a site where the new kingdom offices will be constructed.
The Kyabazinga also asked the president to withdraw the army from the Lake, arguing that people in the fishing community have suffered a lot in the hands of errant army officers.
He promised to work with some royal chiefs whose areas fall around the lake shores to identify and recruit vigilantes to monitor and manage fishing away from the army under the UPDF Fisheries Protection Unit which has attracted widespread public outcry over alleged torture of fishermen.
The Inhebantu, whose passion is to empower and uplift the women of Busoga, made a passionate appeal to the First Lady Mama Janet Museveni to be by her side because the task ahead is not an easy one.
The First Lady quickly answered in the affirmative vowing to support Inhebantu in any way possible and that the door to her office is widely opened, should she choose to walk by.
This has been seen as one of the greatest takeaways from the meeting, well aware that Mama Janet wields a lot of power and has access to funds from the state and partners who can come in on a phone call.
What You Need To Know:
The promise to work on the road was reportedly first made by President Museveni during the 2001 general elections campaign when the current Kyabazinga was a pupil in primary.
The road in question has always been a campaign item by the NRM government of Museveni who keeps promising that “work will start anytime soon and the contractor has already been identified…”, something the residents have come to downplay as mere political gimmicks to win votes.
The First Deputy Prime Minister Rt Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga who is also the Kamuli Woman MP has been a constant ‘headache’, using any for a to remind the President to walk the talk as far as the road is concerned.
Many years later, the then young Gabula who holds a master’s degree is the one pushing for the fulfilment, and the president seems to be more serious than before.
It’s not uncommon to see letters of proof of imminent works circulating on social media platforms during election campaigns coupled with inclusion of the road in the national budgets which has also featured in the NRM Manifesto during all election cycles until 2021.
The army was first deployed in 2017 as part of a presidential directive to fight illegal fishing practices and protect the fish resource that was under the threat of depletion.
The lakes are Victoria, Kyoga, George, Edward, and Albert, where the unit also operates along fish trade routes and markets to stop the sale of immature fish.
The State House meeting was calm, according to trusted sources that attended.
The Busoga Kingdom Prime Minister (Katukiro)Dr Joseph Muvwala who doubles as the Executive Director National Planning Authority(NPA) introduced the cabinet which included his two deputies: Prof Dr Mohammed Lubega Kisambira and Hajji Ahmed Noor Osman.
Another group consisted of the Busoga Royal Chiefs
Some RDCs like Richard Gulume (Jinja), Majid Dhikusooka(Palisa), and Albert Amula(Tororo),among others, also attended.
Prominent MPs like Mama Rebecca Kadaga (was outside),Hajjat Rukia Isanga Nakadama, and Justine Kasule Lumumba, among others were conspicuously absent.
A group from Kaliro district was led by the District LC5 chairman Elijah Kagoda
Apart from he Kyabazinga walked home with 100 cows, the family of Stanley Bayole who is is now referred to as Dhaada Wa Busoga(Grandfather of Busoga) got 20 cows, courtesy of the ever-generous President Yoweri Museveni.
However, reports of an imminent cabinet reshuffle remains a big issue in the corridors where even the Katukiro Dr Joseph Muvawala has hinted several times that he will not be upset should the king knife him because “…I have delivered and the kingdom is now stable…”.
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