Basoga Want Federo

New Vision (Kampala)

March 28, 2003
Posted to the web March 28, 2003

Edris Kisambira
Kampala

THE Busoga Kingdom has demanded a federal system of government. They, however, said the current decentralisation policy should not be done away with but allowed to operate within a federal system.

The Prime Minister of the Kingdom, Daniel William Batuwa, members of the Busoga Lukiiko, ministers and elders to the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) and made several demands including the return of their property (ebyaife).

Batuwa read out an 18-page memorandum and said they wanted amendments to provide for private ownership of land, the return of the traditional chiefs, tax exemptions to cultural leaders and facilitation of the cultural leaders by the Government.

He said there was need to expedite a process that will see the Kingdom reclaim all the land it owned in 1967 when the kingdoms were abolished.

The chairman of the CRC, Prof. Frederick Ssempebwa, asked them about their stand on the Busoga Charter, which they did not comment about in their submissions.

Martin Musumba, a member of the delegation said the Busoga Charter is in response to what the current Constitution provides for.

He said, "The Busoga Charter is responding to what the Constitution says today. It provides that two or more districts can co-operate on matters like enhancement of culture, something that we have welcomed. Federalism, however, is a futuristic request we make if the Constitution is amended."

The former LC5 speaker for Iganga, Baite Munobwa, said the charter is a system that is trying to bring together all districts of Busoga and federalism would unite the region socially, politically and economically.

Commissioner Justin Okot asked what the kingdom would do if it had been faced with the Buganda Kingdom issue over Kampala acting as a federal capital under federalism.

"If a federal system is granted, the capital should be marked out and should stand independent of any entity as is the case in the United States. So if it were Jinja, we would allow it as a federal capital," said Batuwa.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200303280267.html

Busoga calls for federo

JINJA — the Busoga kingdom chiefs Royal Council has recommended a federal system of government through their proposal awaiting the kingdom’s supreme organ (Lukiiko). The recommendations will be forwarded to the constitutional review commission. The proposals were contained in a statement signed by the Kyabazinga, Henry Wako Muloki, and the prime minister.
Ends

Published on: Saturday, 25th January, 2003
http://www.newvision.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=8&newsCategoryId=13&newsId=111299