President Yoweri Museveni has revealed a 54-year old secret expressing his feelings towards existence of kingdoms in Uganda. According to the president, people can exist without kings.
Museveni even informed a group of Banyankore women way back in 1967 that although Obote had abolished kingdoms in Uganda, people needed not to lament because people can exist without kings.
His reaction was prompted by an argument by a group of 10 women loyal to the then Omugabe of Ankole who were shedding tears after Obote had abolished kingdoms in 1966/7. These ladies asked Museveni whether he had ever heard of a country in existence without its figurehead or king.
“Following the coup by Obote in 1966-67, while doing temporary teaching at Buruunga Primary School, after a Sunday service, I found about 10 women, in the church lamenting about the situation of that time. Obote had abolished kingdoms and, to them, that was the end of the world” Museveni started in his latest missive to countrymen and women.
He went on ‘they told me in Runyankore: “Orahuriire ensi etaine Mugabe?”? “Have you ever heard of a country without a King?” I told them not to bother themselves and that, indeed, people exist without Kings’
To prove his argument to them, Museveni cities countries like Russia, China, India, France and also Uganda itself where we had the Batembuuzi dynasty, the Bachweezi dynasty and, then, the dynasties that Obote had removed in 1967 (the Bahiinda, the Babiito, the Balangira, etc).
“Since they were all wealth creators, I told them to concentrate on wealth creation” he said.
He said although he and his group were not supporters of Obote, he approached the UPC Government in Kampala and actually, started working with them on behalf of his ‘wealth creators’ in the Ankole area and other parts of the cattle corridor.
“It was only when the situation became impossible to do anything constructive, that we took up arms. I am, therefore, very happy with many actors in the Opposition that are rejecting the negative messages of some of the actors. Down with the parasites” he said.
Hereunder is the full president’s statement!
