A delegation of Buganda Kingdom clan leaders jetted off to Namibia on Monday to visit their ailing monarch, Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, who is currently receiving medical treatment in the southern African nation.
Leading the delegation is Kyaddondo Kasirye Mbugeeramula (Nvuma), accompanied by a notable ensemble of clan heads: Mawesano Deus Kyeyune (Ngaali), Sheba Kakande (Ngeye), Elias Lwasi Buuzaabo (Ndiga), Godfrey Natiigo (Lugave premier), and Walusimbi Mbirozankya (Ngeye). Their mission is set for a five-day stay, driven by a deep cultural obligation to support their leader.
Augustine Kizito Mutumba, head of the clan leaders, shared with Monitor in a phone interview that the trip was a collective decision made by their committee. "On May 30, 2024, we passed a resolution that clan leaders who have the ability to travel should seek permission to go and check on the Kabaka where he is recovering," he explained.
The committee also proposed that interested clan leaders should finance their trips after obtaining the necessary clearances. "According to our culture, it is our duty to check on our leader since he has been unwell for some time," Mutumba added. Because the initiative was voluntary, the exact number of clan leaders who traveled remains uncertain.
Prior to departure from Entebbe International Airport, Walusimbi emphasized that their visit would help dispel rumors about the Kabaka’s health. He asserted that no one can prevent the clan leaders from undertaking actions that benefit the Kingdom.
However, Buganda Information Minister Israel Kitooke Kazibwe stated that the kingdom was not informed about the trip. "After their meeting as clan leaders, they had to present their resolutions to us, but this was not done and nothing was communicated," Kazibwe said.
Interestingly, the trip coincided with the Kabaka’s first public appearance since departing for treatment. In a brief video shared on social media by Buganda Kingdom Katikkiro (premier) Charles Peter Mayiga, Kabaka Mutebi, who has been unwell since April, mentioned that medical experts advised him to take a therapeutic rest for a proper recovery.
In related news, on June 8, the clan leaders, led by State Minister for ICT Joyce Nabbosa Ssebuggwawo, held a two-hour discussion with President Museveni. They sought the President's assistance in obtaining clearance from Namibian authorities to visit the Kabaka. "For security reasons, we are not allowed to access the Kabaka. Clan leaders, therefore, requested President Museveni to intervene and talk to the Namibian President so that we could get clearance for the visit," Ssebuggwawo stated.
