A heated exchange unfolded today on the floor of Parliament as the Leader of the Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi raised a long standing and sensitive issue about the arrears and properties owed by the Ugandan government to the Buganda Kingdom.
Ssenyonyi demanded clarity and accountability on what he termed “unfinished business,” but Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka casually brushed off the concern stating that he was “seized of the matter” and that “the Kingdom is not complaining.”
Ssenyonyi, during Thursday’s parliamentary plenary session, brought up the unresolved return of assets and funds owed by the government to Buganda.
These include prime properties, financial arrears and traditional institutions’ entitlements. His tone suggested impatience over government delays, yet Kiryowa’s response seemed to downplay the urgency suggesting the issue is under control and not a matter of concern for the Kingdom itself.
The dispute over Buganda properties stretches back decades with moments of quiet diplomacy and others of public pressure. The question of restitution to Buganda is more than just a land dispute, it taps into Uganda’s colonial and post-independence history.
Many Baganda feel cheat as government promises often fade without fulfillment. Ssenyonyi’s concern also reflects wider frustrations with selective accountability and political neglect of historical agreements.
Ssenyonyi tabled the issue with precision calling for actionable timelines on property returns and financial arrears.
Kiwanuka however, responded with a dismissive tone, claiming that the matter was known to him and that the Kingdom hadn’t lodged any complaints implying silence equals consent.
Opposition argue that this response is legally inadequate and politically condescending especially toward an institution as prominent as the Buganda Kingdom.
The response has stirred backlash online, with critics accusing the Attorney General of gaslighting the matter. Others see this as another example of the government’s continued erosion of traditional institutions especially when they demand accountability.
The Kingdom itself has yet to respond officially but many await to see if Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II’s administration will break its silence.
This clash reopens a larger national conversation about decentralization, cultural autonomy and historical justice. It also tests the political diplomacy between the ruling NRM government and Buganda, whose relationship has been anything but predictable over the years.
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