Mpuuga Hails Kabaka Mutebi On Fighting HIV/Aids As He Flags-off Buddu Kabaka Birthday Run

On a cold Sunday morning, April 6, 2025, from his Mengo Palace, the Kabaka, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, flagged off thousands of Ugandans from all occupations to participate in the Kabaka’s birthday run, preceding his #KabakaMutebiAt70 celebrations scheduled for April 13, 2025.

Charles Peter Mayiga, the premier of the Buganda Kingdom, delivered the Kabaka’s speech, emphasizing unity among the Kabaka’s subjects throughout the Buganda Kingdom as a sure way to deny the kingdom’s enemies the opportunity to win over the more than 1000-year-old kingdom.

“We should work towards ensuring unity amongst us. We should be together as a fist, and that way, it will be very difficult for our enemy to win over us,” Mayiga said.

This message resonated with the attendees, including members of the royal family, politicians, and cultural leaders from various kingdoms.

Flag-Off Ceremony in Buddu County

In Buddu, the main activities took place at Liberation Square, Katwe-Masaka city, with Democratic Alliance (DA) national coordinator Mathias Mpuuga as the chief guest. Mpuuga, a former Youth Minister in Buganda Kingdom, performed the delegated flag-off role and hailed the Kabaka’s efforts in combating HIV/Aids in Uganda.

“My fellow MPs, fellow leaders, citizens of Buddu, ladies, and gentlemen, join me to resoundingly appreciate our King for the great job he has done for us,” Mpuuga said.

He specifically thanked the Buddu county chief (Pokiino), Jude Muleke, for leading the people of Buddu in the Kabaka’s birthday run on the monarch’s behalf.

Mpuuga highlighted the progress made in fighting HIV/Aids, citing a report from his oversight tours three years ago that showed high prevalence rates in Lyantonde district (11%), Kalungu, Kalangala, and Gomba districts. He thus commended the Kabaka’s unwavering efforts to combat the scourge.

Role of Male Youths

“Let us urge especially the male youths to lead the fight against HIV/Aids. Male youth, similar to adult men, have a great role in either spreading or curbing the spread of HIV/Aids in the country,” Mpuuga emphasized.

The Parliamentary Commissioner encouraged youths to know their HIV/Aids status, stating that whoever fails to do so is the “number one enemy of Buganda”.

Mpuuga also urged men to work hard, plant coffee, and earn money to develop Buddu and Buganda, as per the Kabaka’s clarion call through the Katikkiro Mayiga.

He reassured the Buddu county chief, Pokiino, of financial support for the Buddu football team in the forthcoming annual Buganda Kingdom’s Masaza cup.

“Your true three Masaka city MPs [Abed Bwanika Kimaanya-Kabonera, and Juliet Kakande, Masaka city], we are very available and ready to respond to the justified cause to support the Buddu county team. You know that our Masaka City football team, which I am in charge of, is the nursery for the Buddu county football team, and it is ready to act, and the colleague MPs will join in,” Mpuuga said.

He also urged the upcoming politicians in Buddu to also feel free to make their contributions to the Buddu county football team because its flourishing is in the interest of the greater Buddu.

Pokiino Muleke advised the people to approach clinics for blood checks rather than relying on visual judgments to determine HIV/Aids status, stating, “If you find clinics closed, hold on to play sex until the clinic gets reopened,” he cautioned.

The Kabaka’s birthday run served as a platform to promote unity, economic development, and the fight against HIV/Aids. Mpuuga’s praise for the Kabaka’s efforts highlights the importance of leadership in addressing this critical health issue.