Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi was seen on Wednesday in Bwaise in Kampala waving to his subjects from the comfort of his newest golden super luxury Lexus LX J30L vehicle.
Many boda bodas were seen admiring the Kabaka’s luxurious car, clapping and saying the Kabaka deserves it. This prompted our eagle eyed journalists to find out more about this vehicle.
Our impeccable sources in Bulange say that the vehicle with massage seats, ottomans, fridges, and recliner seats among other luxury options was given to the Kabaka as his 70th birthday gift from his administration. It is a 2024 model with a V6 engine and 10 speed gearbox with both lockable front and rear differential systems making its ideal for both the city and country rides.
The car costing approximately US$200,000 (about Shs750m) without taxes was ordered to replace the Kabaka’s favourite but aging Lexus LX470 that was bought for his wedding in 1999.
Although the Kabaka has several other Landcruiser V8 vehicles, sources say it is the Lexus models that he seems to prefer. “He always wanted the Lexus over the LC200 and LC300 Landcruiser vehicles that he has been using of late,” a source said.
This explains why Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga instructed his second deputy and finance minister Owek Robert Waggwa Nsibirwa to look for the money to replace the 26 year old Lexus.
“After using the 1999 Lexus for so many years, it was decided that the Kabaka should get a vehicle of his status for his 70th birthday,” sources revealed.
The kingdom, sources argued, had spent money on tractors and hospitals for the people for the birthday celebrations in April and therefore saw it as the right time to upgrade the Kabaka’s motorcade with an official car.
The kingdom used its internally generated revenues to splash some money on its king.
Although sources at Bulange were cagey about the total cost of the vehicle, sources within URA said that a car like that pays taxes of more than Shs550m but official vehicles of traditional rulers are exempted from import taxes and other duties. It wasn’t clear whether this latest official vehicle for the Kabaka has been exempted from taxes or not.
With the Kabaka returning to Uganda after a medical checkup in Europe, many subjects are expecting to see him in the countryside.
“The reason they have bought a car that can take him everywhere is because he must be healthy enough to tour his kingdom and we are looking forward to seeing him,” argued Frederick Ssengooba, a businessman in Kisekka Market.
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