The reigning Buganda monarch His Majesty Ronald Muwenda Mutebi celebrated his 66th birthday anniversary in Kampala at his palace in Mengo.
Patrick Otto gives his perspective about the contraversy by unpronounced ill health the Kabaka seemed to be in.
On the excitement about the Kabaka’s state, four quick points:
First and most importantly, I wish the Kabaka a swift return to good health.
Secondly, what seems the case to me is that the Kabaka has of recent been in a very, very poor state of health, probably touch and go, or as our people say, biwalattaka. It may be the case that those close to him have decided to celebrate the fact that he can now actually sit, stand and walk and wave. I don’t see any other reason why they would have let him come out in public. The subjects are simply being told to count their blessings and to come to terms with the reality as it is.
Thirdly, the Buganda gov’t quite certainly wargamed the benefits of him not making an appearance, as has always been the tradition. They must have concluded that it was far riskier for him not to show up.
People are now shocked by his state; but the air would now be choking with extreme poison and drunken speculation, far worse than the consternation with his state as seen on 13/04/2021, had he not appeared. The risks entailed by him being absent would have dangerously outweighed any conceivable advantages in keeping him out of sight. So, the Mayiga ministry is between a rock and a hard place.
Finally, I think Buganda needs to do some serious soul searching. Before Kabaka Mutebi, no monarch had lived beyond 50 yrs. All the six before Mutebi lived an average of 41 years.
Kamaanya: 33
Suuna: 36
Mutesa I: 48.
Mwanga: 35
Chwa: 43
Mutesa II: 44.
What is it with ruling Buganda that causes her princes to get run down that drastically? Compared with other monarchs,
Kabalega: 70 (Mwanga’s contemporary);
Rukidi: 70;
Tito Winyi: 81;
Ntare VI: 71;
Gasyonga II: 71;
Muloki: 87.
Kamurasi of Bunyoro, Suuna’s contemporary lived for 47 years, longer than Mwanga, Chwa and Mutesa II.
Why does the Buganda throne cause the realm’s monarchs to fizzle out in their prime?