Thanks, President for recognising Bataka
The Bataka, one of the pillars of the Kingdom of Buganda, were filling a vacuum after the abolition of the kingdoms during the 1966 Uganda crisis.
Thanks, President for recognising Bataka
By Admin .
Journalists @New Vision
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OPINION
By Ahmed Kateregga Musaazi
In August 1986, President Yoweri Museveni met a Council of Baganda clan heads led by the leader of the Lugave clan - Omutaka Ndugwa Grace Ssemakula Musoke, who is now bedridden at his home at Kibuye.
Among their demands were restoration of kingdoms, a federal status for Buganda, and returning properly to traditional leaders.
According to the Radio Uganda News bulletin, now Uganda Broadcasting Corporation Radio, the Bataka’s demands were serious and needed further consultations.
The Bataka, one of the pillars of the Kingdom of Buganda, were filling a vacuum after the abolition of the kingdoms during the 1966 Uganda crisis.
In 1992, Ssaabataka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II addressed the Mpigi District Resistance Council before he made a tour of Mawokota County.
He said: “I am supposed to write in the press. But in Buganda, we have two categories of subjects; Abataka (Clan leaders) and Abazzukulu (The laity)”.
The Ssaabataka Supreme Council I have set up (which later became Buganda Lukiiko) is for Bazzukulu. It is not intended to undermine the Council of Bataka.
Therefore, President Yoweri Museveni should be commended for coming to Kabakanjagala Road and handing over land titles to Bataka for the construction of a six-floor block to be known as Lwattamu, to cost sh58b, which he promised to give, and happened on Friday, July 25, 2025.
In the Kingdom of Buganda, there are these main pillars: The Royal Family, which produces the Kabaka, the Bataka (clan leaders), custodians of traditional customs and norms, and the Lukiiko, led by Katikkiro.
However, while initially the Lukiiko was made of clan leaders, like the one Kabaka Kintu convened at Nonno in Magonga in Busujju County around 1350, which enacted the unwritten Constitution of Buganda, later, Bataka as hereditary rulers were phased out of Lukiiko and it became composed of appointed officials and chiefs, especially during Kabaka Ssemakokiro's reign in the early 19th Century, which overcentralized the system and barred the royals and the clan leaders from holding political positions.
When the British colonialists came in the late 19th Century, Bataka, who were loyal to Kabaka Mwanga II, were completely left out, and even customary land, which they held in trust for their Bazzukulu, was distributed to the then officials, chiefs and notables, without basing on descent and heredity.
Unfortunately, despite their steadfastness in the struggle for the restoration of the Kingdom, the Bataka were marginalised, and hence Olukiiko lw’Abazzukulu overlapped. The Lukiiko would have made more sense if it were elected by the people. But these are mere appointees of the Katikkiro, as Apollo Kaggwa used to do in 1900.
It is only under the 1995 Constitution, as amended in 2005, under a Regional Government tier, according to article 178 and the subsequent schedule, that a Council of clan leaders is mentioned by Law as related to a democratically elected regional assembly. Unfortunately, the regional tier is yet to be operationalised.
Oh Ssaabalwanyi, thanks very much for recognising the Council of clan leaders in Buganda, one of the pillars of the Kingdom, which you restored in 1993. Let the Bazzukulu vote for you and NRM overwhelmingly in January 2026, God willing. Aluta Continua.
The writers is a journalist and Resident District Commissioner, Butambala District.