Owekitiibwa Israel Mayengo has refuted claims that his longtime friend and former Buganda Kingdom Prime Minister Owekitiibwa JB Walusimbi was fired from the office by Ssaabasajja Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi in 2013 when he replaced him with Owekitiibwa Charles Peter Mayiga.
On Wednesday this week, Owekitiibwa Mayenge the former minister in charge of general duties in the office of the Kingdom Prime Minister made a phone call to Ono Bwino news desk to clarify on our earlier story stating that Walusimbi was dropped by the King
“I read your story about my former boss JB Walusimbi’s relationship with president Museveni and it was good but I wish to clarify that Owekitiibwa Walusimbi was not dropped as you indicated. He is the one who asked the Kabaka to allow him to retire,” Mayengo stated in a phone conversation.
He explained that before Kabaka Mutebi announced the appointment of Walusimbi, they agreed that he is going to hold that office for only four years, and after they elapsed, he reached out to the Kabaka to let him go because he had a lot of personal issues especially his business to handle.
Mayengo who is an Old Boy to United States Of America President Donold Trump said that Kabaka asked Walusimbi to hold on because he was still looking for his successor.
Other sources told Ono Bwino online that Kabaka was carrying out consultations on four candidates who included Mayiga, city lawyer Apollo Makubuya, Nakirembeka Waligo and Mayengo on who is fit for the office.
Sources said that among the people the King consulted included President Museveni, Gen Salim Saleh the coordinator Operation Wealth Creation, religious leaders and members of the Royal family. At the end of the day, Mayiga took over the Royal Mace (Ddamula).
Mayengo said that when Kabaka got the right person to head the administration of the Kingdom, he asked Walusimbi to return the Royal Mace so that it is handed to the new premier.
“I remember very well, it was a Sunday, and I was on the official duties in Luwero when I received my boss’ phone call telling me to meet him at Bulange at exactly 4pm so that we return the Royal Mace to the King,” Mayengo the founding member of the Uganda Patriotic Movement said.
He added that him together with the late Nelson Kawalya the former Speaker of the Kingdom parliament and Florence Baguywa a former Kingdom minister drove in Walusimbi’s car from Bulange building which is the headquarters of the Kingdom to Kabaka Mutebi’s Mengo palace to handover the Royal Mace.
They found Kabaka waiting for them together with his wife Naabagereka Sylivia Nagginda Luswata, Kabaka’s sister Agness Nabaloga, Dick Kasolo the Kabaka’s press secretary.
After both sides introduced themselves, and before Walusimbi handed over the Royal Mace to the King, he first gave him a detailed document in which he was reporting to him how he has been humiliated and harassed by the new leaders he had just appointed.
As they were driving back, they saw a small car following them. When they entered Bulange to pick their cars, Kasolo jumped out the small car and walked directly to CBS radio studios to direct the announcement of the appointment of Mayiga.
“The next day when we reported to our respective offices, we found Mayiga inside Katikkiro’s office before we even officially handed it over directing the new arrangement of the office. He told our people that they no longer have jobs,” he added.
Mayengo divulged that he was fired together with other conservative ministers including Kawalya who was replaced by Owekitiibwa Eva Nagawa Mukasa who was the minister of finance in the Kingdom. When Kawalya reported the matter to the King, he reversed the decision with immediate effect and saved Kawalya
Other sources said that Mayiga ended the conservative leadership at Mengo and the Kingdom is currently run as a business entity which makes money and runs as a government where staff are paid and assessed according to their performance.
“When Walusimbi was the Katikkiro, Mayiga was receiving Shs300,000 a month as the minister of Information. Mayiga was also in charge of cabinet and parliament, but now ministers are paid in millions monthly, given allowances, cars and assistants,” a source said.
He added that the conversatives are still mobilizing and lobbying to bounce back alleging that Mayiga’s leadership style is weakening the Kingdom’s traditional cultural norms because they are only targeting money without knowing that the Baganda joined Museveni war in 1980, not to get a rich king but a king who symbolises their tradition, culture and beliefs.
“I have observed three attempts when conservatives convinced Kabaka to fire Mayiga but they were all reversed by members of the Deep State who still have interest in Mayiga. But things are changing now,” a source said.
