DA’s Mpuuga Hails Kabaka Mutebi’s Calm Leadership Amid Challenges

On April 13, 2024, the King of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, celebrated his 70th birthday in grand style. An honorable mass was held at Lubaga Cathedral to commemorate the significant life and legacy of the modern King with Arch Bishop Paul Ssemogerere as the main celebrant.

The ceremony attracted a diverse crowd of dignitaries from the Buganda Kingdom, led by the Katikkiro (Prime Minister) Charles Peter Mayiga, the Royal Family, cultural leaders, clerics, politicians, and subjects from all walks of life.

Mathias Mpuuga, the Democratic Alliance (DA) national coordinator, who is a former Minister of Youth in Buganda Government, was among the notable politicians who attended the mass.

In his remarks on the side-lines of the cathedral, Mpuuga praised the King’s calm leadership amidst challenges.

“Kabaka’s 70 years of honour, we praise the most powerful God. We thank God for safeguarding his life and giving him the capacity to lead his Kingdom amid huge challenges,” Mpuuga said.

Mpuuga further emphasized the King’s ability to confront challenges, saying, “It has been God who has enabled the King to confront the challenges in all their ways. We pray to God to give him more healthy life so he can fulfil the dreams of his Kingdom, his great grandfathers, and Buganda’s children he leads, but most fundamentally, to lead his Kingdom in regaining its power to work on critical issues afflicting Buganda’s people.”

He use the occasion to also highlight the historical mistreatment of Buganda’s people, with Mpuuga noting, “The people of Buganda have been mistreated since the creation of Uganda as a nation. Ugandans have been paying every price including shedding their blood.”

Despite these challenges, Mpuuga appreciated the King’s patience, calmness, and guidance, saying, “We thank God for the patience, calmness and the guidance he has given us amid troubling challenges in the interest of keeping peace in his Kingdom, and building to develop Buganda Kingdom.”

Semblance of Unity

In a show of unity, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alias Bobi Wine, the NUP leader, and Mpuuga shared a seat and joyfully chat during the church service, sparking hopes of reconciliation between the two prominent figures who have not been seeing eye-to-eye for several months.

“This is an historic day because Kabaka unites us all,” Katikkiro Mayiga said, “I had taken so long without seeing Kyagulanyi and the Parliamentary Commissioner Mpuuga sitting together. They sat together, and they were chatting, and that chat should go on without stopping.”

The King’s message of unity and optimism has always been a beacon of hope for his subjects, and his leadership remains crucial in guiding the Kingdom forward.

However, the Mpuuga-Kyagulanyi momentary unity was short-lived, as Bobi Wine later told journalists within the vicinity of the cathedral that he was still not ready to reconcile with Mpuuga, although he emphasized that he had no personal vendetta against Mpuuga.

Mpuuga echoed Katikkiro’s sentiment, urging the King to “continue guiding the nation especially we the leaders, the young people who also need to get the wisdom to heed your guidance on various issues to take our Kingdom and Uganda at large forward.”

Mpuuga seized the moment to appreciate the Buganda Kingdom servants, led by the Premier, for working towards projecting the vision of Buganda Kingdom.