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Mengo backs regional tier
BY JUDE ETYANG
MENGO accepted the regional tier system during the negotiations between central government and Buganda over federo, Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi revealed on Friday.
He said Cabinet’s proposed regional tier system of government is the beginning of the journey to a full federo government.
“Regional tier is the journey for federo, we have started it. When you want something you do not get immediately. When you wanted the re-instatement of the Kabaka we first started by calling him the Ssabataka (Landlord of Landlords),” Nsibambi said.
He said that the government White Paper on constitutional review proposed the regional tier system of governance other than federo to avoid a repeat of 1966 crisis where the central government clashed with the Mengo government.
Buganda enjoyed a federal status under the 1962 Constitution. But a struggle for power between the central government and Mengo led then Prime Minister Milton Obote to abrogate the Constitution sparking off the 1966 crisis.
Nsibambi said that Buganda’s federo status of 1960s had cost it the trust of other regions.
“We do not want Buganda to be isolated by other regions because of mistrust that is why we introduced the regional tiers.
We know the problems this (federo) has caused to Buganda, the Kabaka had to flee to our place (the Nsibambi family home) when he was attacked in 1966,” Nsibambi.
He said that when anarchy erupts the palace singers who are vowing to die with the Kabaka over federo, would abandon him.
“Banji bagenda bagamba, waali gwa wendi gwa Naye tebajja ku gwawo!” (Many are saying that they will die with the Kabaka but they will not be there.)
Nsibambi said that while speaking at public rally at his home area in Buloba, sensitising residents on the government White Paper on the constitutional review process.
Government, Nsibambi, said has demarcated the Mengo Municipality from Kampala District, which if Parliament passes would host the administrative headquarters for a Buganda regional tier.
“It (municipality) will be decided by Parliament,” Nsibambi
He said that the Mengo municipality measures 350 square miles and will have, the Mengo Parliament building (Bulange), the Kabaka’s main palace at Lubiri and the official residence of the prime minister (Butikkiro).
“What we did not agree on were the Nkiiko (the two councils) and the 9,000 sqaure miles on land, but I do not think that the tier was rejected,” Prime Minister Nsibambi told his audience.
Published on: Sunday, 14th November, 2004
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