Museveni Cautions Cultural Institutions Against Political Interference

President Yoweri Museveni has asked cultural institutions to stick to their roles of promoting indigenous languages and cultural norms and warned them never at any point to engage in partisan politics.   

Museveni, who was presiding over the 31st coronation anniversary of Omukama Solomon Gafabusa Iguru 1 of Bunyoro Kitara kingdom on Wednesday in Hoima City, said that the government restored cultural institutions to promote culture, harmony, peace and also mobilise subjects for social and economic transformation.  

Museveni said that the kingdoms play a pivotal role in Uniting clans in the country, noting that when his government restored the kingdoms, he knew their contributions, strength and their limitations.     

He said initially, the country had one kingdom of the bachwezi dynasty which succeeded in uniting a bigger part of Uganda for some time but when the Bacwezi Kingdom collapsed then the smaller kingdoms were established and they also contributed a lot in uniting clans. 

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Museveni cautioned cultural institutions to desist from participating in the political affairs of the country, noting that they should leave people to elect their leaders freely. He stated that while he supported the restoration of the cultural institutions, their core role was to promote peace, peace and not to pave the way for political mobilisation.   

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The president tasked cultural institutions to use the returned Kingdom properties like former sub county administrative units to mobilise resources to boost their income in order to supplement the support the government offers them.    

Museveni said it is the role of the cultural institutions to promote traditional norms and stop exogamous and endogamous marriages because they are against the African tradition and will promote the production of weaker people.     

Museveni said that cultural institutions should promote indigenous languages and local foods, saying they are crucial.      

“The culture includes food and equipment. At 80 years old, I’m still strong. I keep telling people that God has kept me strong, but also what I eat. I don’t eat bread because I’m not European, I don’t eat rice because I’m not an Indian, I eat Kalo, Cassava, Matooke and milk from our local cows,” said Museveni.       

The President said cultural institutions should be at the forefront of mobilising subjects to embrace wealth creation and socioeconomic transformation.        

Museveni applauded the cordial relationship existing between the government and the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom explaining that he has never had any problem with the Kingdom of Bunyoro. 

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Andrew Byakutaga, the Bunyoro Kitara Prime Minister, appealed to the President and the government to prevail and stop the attacks on Ugandan fishermen on Lake Albert by suspected Militiamen from the Democratic Republic of Congo.     

He informed the president that many Ugandan fishermen have been killed, robbed, while others have had their fishing gadgets confiscated by Congolese authorities while on the Lake Albert.   

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He further noted that since 2017, the Omukama has initiated reforms that have made the kingdom more vibrant and effective in delivering services to the subjects.    

He says the transformation agenda initiated by the Omukamahas started bearing fruit, noting that they have in place robust functional structures, policies and programs that have strengthened the kingdom and brought services closer to the people.        

Byakutaga said the discovery of oil and gas resources in the kingdom has fueled development in the area, tasking the subjects to jealously strategise and tap into opportunities that will accrue from the sector.       

He also said that they have embarked on promoting a desired household model (Eka Ekwesimisa) which aims at ensuring that all households in the kingdom are able to successfully sustain their families.     

He said that they had already set up coffee demonstration gardens in Kikuube and Kiryandongo districts and appealed to the president to support the kingdom with tractors.  

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He said that the government should put more efforts in tourism promotion as one way of boasting the incomes of the people in the Bunyoro sub region. 

The coronation anniversary also known as Empango is commemorated on June 11th annually to celebrate the day Iguru ascended to the throne.   

It attracts thousands of Kingdom subjects who flock to the palace [Karuzika] to attend the function.   

During the celebrations, the King’s subjects and guests are treated to different cultural performances, including dances, drama, and poetry recitals.   

Iguru, the 27th King under the Ababiito clan, first performed the ritual on June 11, 1994, following the restoration of cultural institutions by the NRM government.   

The districts of Hoima, Buliisa, Hoima city, Kikuube, Masindi, Kakumiro, Kiryandongo and Kibaale fall under the jurisdiction of the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom.   

This year’s coronation anniversary attracted religious, government and cultural institutions from both within and other countries.