By L. Ssebweze
The Position of Ssekabaka Muteesa II
Let us have a quick look at the vague position that Ssekabaka Muteesa II was placed under. It deserves debate than rely on unsubstantiated assertions. The truth is that the constitutional position of holding potentially conflicting roles wasn't appreciated because constitutional rule was new coupled with the fact that traditionally a man's word was his bond. Notable though, it is foolhardy trusting in the word of another when the other has no intention of keeping to his/her word. The sting was partly informed by a breach of trust.
That said, the constitution takes precedent ahead of any individual agreements. Take an example, if I agree to work for you for free, that would be a contract that holds no water because in a common law one can not bind oneself lawfully in slavery. The point being I could deliberately mislead you with the intention of using the law against you. Obote claims that is what he did and he is proud of it. I don't know.
The bigger point for me though is that by accepting an offer from UPC to be president of Uganda, Kabaka Muteesa was being partisan because among his subjects were non-UPC supporters. Essentially, that breached the Buganda constitution. The Kabaka's advisers probably had an agenda that did not have the welfare of every Muganda at heart. They knew that any Muganda who dared to seek a court review on the matter would be in trouble. Evidently, the Kabaka's advisers didn't have a good feel for the law. Whether it is this or the Obote claim that set the chaos in train is something we can debate until the cows come home.
