KAMPALA – I have read several pieces in the mainstream and on social media condemning Kyagulanyi for bowing before the grave of a man said to have tormented Buganda during his reign as prime minister and later as president of Uganda. Those below the age of 60 may not necessarily understand what took place but have joined the bandwagon purely out of naivety.
The visit generated a debate on social media with tribal undertones. Some of the reactions came from one of Museveni’s RDCs, Andrew Baba, who wrote an article titled “The Obote-Bobi Wine Romance! Mutesa Rattling in his grave but what can Mengo do,” and another from Samson Kasumba, whose post on X dated Oct. 24, 2025, stated that Obote remains a “very sensitive subject” in Buganda due to the invasion of the Lubiri on May 24, 1966.
Another piece was written by Abbey Kibirige Semuwemba, titled “The Obote grave visit was a political blunder.” These three, among others, believe the unjustified rift that existed between Buganda and Lango should be maintained for posterity. They were indirectly encouraging the older generation to maintain their grip and for the new generation to fight senseless ancestral wars that forefathers began and left unresolved. It is sheer madness, and I think now is the time to embark on meaningful national reconciliation, not lip service.
We need to be reminded that at one time there was a serious rift between Bunyoro and Buganda, marked by territorial disputes, constant warfare and economic competition. It is said that the Baganda, owing to their fear of Bunyoro, came up with a widely known folklore that if a snake entered your house at the same time as a Munyoro, you were better off taking on the Munyoro first, meaning he was more dangerous than a snake.
The above saying was part of the syndicated brainwash to sow seeds of hatred in the younger generation, which was exacerbated during the colonial era when British powers favored Buganda, formalizing its regional superiority and leading to the annexation of Bunyoro’s territory. If this approach was anything to take at face value, who knows what the future holds; one day we may have some Banyoro fighting for the Lost Counties.
For those without a clear record of the past, Kabaka Mutesa II fell victim to unfair treatment during his reign as the king of Buganda. He was once exiled in 1953 by the British governor, Andrew Cohen, because he rejected a proposal for integration with the rest of the Uganda Protectorate. He was only allowed back in 1955 due to widespread demand for self-rule.
Upon attaining independence, Mutesa, besides being the Kabaka of Buganda, became the first president of Uganda while Milton Obote became the prime minister. This relationship did not, however, last long, as conflicting mandates caused friction between the two leaders until they fell apart, leading to what was called the 1966 Constitutional Crisis.
The conflict led to Obote abolishing the federal constitution, suspending the 1962 constitution, and launching a military assault on the Kabaka’s palace, which resulted in the Kabaka fleeing into exile. This event culminated in the abolition of all traditional monarchies, the declaration of Uganda as a republic, and the concentration of all executive power in Obote.
Mutesa remained exiled in London until his death in 1969. His remains were only returned to Uganda by Idi Amin on March 31, 1971. Idi Amin was praised and loved for siding with Buganda Kingdom. In the same spirit, Milton Obote was hated for attacking the Lubiri, pushing out the Kabaka and leaving Buganda without a king, an act that angered the Baganda. A section of them still insists that Obote, and maybe the Langi, should never be forgiven.
Former President Milton Obote died on Oct. 10, 2005, in South Africa. His remains were brought back to Uganda for burial on Oct. 25, 2005, at Abyeibuti village, Akokoro, in the current district of Apac. Obote’s remains were transported to Lango through eastern Uganda as some people objected to his final journey traveling through Buganda’s district of Luweero.
During his campaign trail in the Lango sub-region, National Unity Platform flag bearer Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, visited Akokoro. He bowed and laid the Ugandan flag on Milton Obote’s grave in the presence of Lango elders and Michael James Jimmy Akena, the embattled president of the Uganda People’s Congress.
Whereas Obote was a son-in-law to Buganda, Mengo did not say much about his death, his final journey to his native village or his subsequent burial. However, the reaction of some overzealous Baganda left more to be desired. Forgiveness could have been an illusion, and many believe that friction should be maintained and passed on to future generations, even if it comes at the expense of national unity and cohesion.
National unity is the sense of a shared identity and common purpose among the citizens of a given country, which unites them despite their differences and historical injustices. It acts as a centripetal force that holds a country together by fostering unity. With that at the back of the mind, it is self-defeating for a section of Ugandans to blame Kyagulanyi for risking his own power base in Buganda to remind Ugandans that we are stronger together as a nation.
I believe, as many should, that the past is a place of reference, not a place of residence in which we should derive comfort by clinging to the past. If there is anyone who must be worried among the people pointing an accusing finger at Kyagulanyi, it should be Museveni and his NRM establishment. It is said that when you see a dog chasing a man carrying a mat, the one carrying a cow’s skin should run faster, as Museveni himself as president has made several mistakes.
Ugandans have a tendency of keeping a record of wrongs for future reference; they only wait for the right moment to pounce for sweet revenge. From the injustices committed in the Luwero Triangle, attacks on Rwenzururu Kingdom, northern Uganda, the Mukura massacre in Teso, for which Museveni attempted to apologize, to injustices in other parts of eastern Uganda, tortures, land grabbing, et cetera, are all documented and could be blamed on some people in the future.
I know that national reconciliation is a complex process that is almost hard to achieve, but I believe focusing on addressing past conflicts and promoting unity, with key efforts including the 2019 National Transitional Justice Policy, will go a long way in promoting cohesion. This policy aims to combine formal justice with traditional mechanisms to heal wounds, provide reparations and build trust so that we pick lessons from past mistakes to build the future.
While the Government of Uganda accorded Milton Obote a state funeral, it was evident that Museveni himself had not buried the hatchet, as he avoided any of the ceremonies before and during the burial. It was the then Speaker of Parliament, Edward Ssekandi, who stood in the gap on behalf of government, but nobody condemned him for betraying Buganda.
There is no public record or news report indicating that President Yoweri Museveni ever visited the grave of Milton Obote. To him, Obote is a missed call. It should be remembered that the two leaders had a deeply adversarial relationship, and Museveni’s rise to power followed the collapse of the UNLA, which was the army under Obote’s government.
Truth be told, there is nothing in common between Kyagulanyi and Akena to suggest that they acted the way they did with a sinister motive. To me, the gesture was genuine and well-intentioned and should be viewed as such. Instead, the two should be applauded for attempting to bridge historical divisions rather than being condemned for pursuing unity.
It is such thinking that often invokes tribal sentiments. For every moment wasted looking back keeps us from moving forward. There is no way we can start a new chapter if we keep re-reading the last one. It is often said that if you want to fly in the sky, you need to leave the ground first. Above all, a fearful past can only cause a fearful future until we let it go, and that is my wish for all of us as we conclude the year.
Wadada Rogers is a commentator on political, legal and social issues. wadroger@yahoo.ca.
