Excitement as Much-Awaited Buganda Diaspora Day Dawns

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By Samuel Muwanguzi

In Summary: Excitement is hovering at fever-pitch levels among the Baganda Diaspora communities across the globe whose kith and kin are in Uganda to attend the inaugural Buganda Diaspora Day festival scheduled for today Wednesday December 28 at Lubiri, Mengo.  This inaugural and historical Diaspora fete, hosted by the Ssaabasajja Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, will be held at Twekobe in Kabaka's palace (Lubiri Mengo). The Ssaabasajja Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi formalize the Buganda Diaspora Day as an annual event to celebrate Buganda's citizens in the Diaspora. The Buganda Kingdom government has since designated the Buganda Diaspora Day as an annual event on its calendar. Hundreds of enthusiastic and excited Baganda in the Diaspora have flown to Uganda from as far as Sydney, Australia; Glasgow, Scotland; Berlin, Germany; Toronto, Canada; Boston, USA; Tokyo, Japan; London, England; Johannesburg, South Africa; New Delhi, India; and elsewhere to join their kith and kin in Buganda to attend the first ever Buganda Diaspora Day festivities in Mengo near Kampala this Wednesday afternoon. The Organizing Committee for the Buganda Diaspora Day event is chaired by the Buganda Government Minister of Health, Ow'ekitiibwa Dr. Ben Kiwanuka Mukwaya and deputized by the Buganda Government Minister of State for Buganda External Affairs Ow'ekitiibwa Charles Bwenvu.

Ssaabasajja Kabaka’s representatives adorned in their official regalia after swearing-in, standing with the Katikkiro of Buganda Charles Peter Mayiga (center right), and the 1st Deputy Katikkiro & Minister for Buganda’s Affairs Aboard Ambassador Emmanuel Ssendaula (center left) (Courtesy photo).

Dallas, Texas—the rising excitement has now reached fever-pitch levels at the dawning of the much-awaited Buganda Diaspora Day today Wednesday December 28, 2016. Hundreds of enthusiastic and excited Baganda in the Diaspora have flown to Uganda from as far as Sydney, Australia; Glasgow, Scotland; Berlin, Germany; Toronto, Canada; Boston, USA; Tokyo, Japan; London, England; Johannesburg, South Africa; New Delhi, India; and elsewhere to join thousands of their kith and kin in Buganda to attend the first ever Buganda Diaspora Day festivities in Mengo near Kampala this Wednesday afternoon. This inaugural and historical Diaspora celebration, hosted by the Ssaabasajja Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, will be held at Twekobe in Kabaka's palace (Lubiri Mengo). Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi formalize the Buganda Diaspora Day as an annual event to celebrate Buganda's citizens in the Diaspora. The Buganda Kingdom government has since designated the Day as an annual event on its calendar.

Ambassador Emmanuel Ssendaula, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Labor.

Following the formalization of the Buganda Diaspora Day by the Kabaka and the Government of Buganda, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Labor Ambassador Emmanuel Ssendaula issued a press statement last October informing all the Kabaka representatives in the Diaspora to dissemination the information and encourage as many Baganda in the Diaspora to attend the inaugural event. The Buganda Diaspora Day event is organized by the Buganda Government with Owek. Dr. Ben Kiwanuka Mukwaya, the Buganda Government Minister of Health serving as the   chairman of the organizing committee for this first-ever event.

Owek. Dr. Ben Mukwaya

Dr. Ben Kiwanuka Mukwaya is deputized by the Buganda Government Minister of State for Buganda External Affairs Ow'ekitiibwa Charles Bwenvu. “To facilitate a smooth organization and staging of a befitting and honorable event, each adult who will attend the event will pay a fee of US$50; any family of two with one minor; a child under 17 years old will pay US$100; while other children, age between 12-17 will each pay US$25,” a statement from the organizing committee stated. 

Owek. Charles Bwenvu

The statement from the organizing committee for the Buganda Diaspora Day was widely circulated by the Kabaka’s representatives in their various areas of jurisdiction. In the United States and Canada, the Kabaka’s Representatives informed all Kabaka’s subjects that the Ssaabasajja had graciously agreed to formalize the Buganda Diaspora Day as an annual event to celebrate Buganda's citizens in the Diaspora. The event, expected to be highly interactive, will also showcase some aspects of the Buganda culture as experienced by the Baganda in the Diaspora.

Some of the Babaka being seated in the Lukiiko before the Kabaka arrived.

The statement advised the Baganda in the Diaspora who were planning to travel to Uganda for the Christmas holidays and were interested in attending the first Buganda Diaspora Day event this Wednesday afternoon at Lubiri Mengo, to contact any of the Kabaka’s Representatives in their areas of residence as soon as possible. “You are requested to indicate your intentions in advance to facilitate a smooth organization of this year's Buganda Diaspora Day ceremony,” the statement from the organizing committee partly read. Prospective attendees were also encouraged to come along with their relatives living at home in Buganda to attend this ground-breaking bash. The organizing committee also requested the Baganda living in the Diaspora to identify a youngster aged between 8 to 17 years who has been raised in the Diaspora and can recite or read a simple Luganda poem. “The poem will be composed and written by the Luganda Association,” the statement said. At the same time, the committee called upon the Baganda in the Diaspora to help in identifying a youngster raised in the diaspora who can share his or her experience including challenges of growing up in the diaspora. The experience, according to the committee, “may be presented in English.” Those who can help in identifying and proposing the youngsters and the youths who can participate in the two activities were encouraged to submit the names to the respective Kabaka representatives in their areas of residence.

When the EADM contacted some of the Kabaka’s representatives and his subjects in the various Diaspora communities around the globe, the excitement among those who planned to travel to Uganda for the historical Buganda Day fete and those not travelling was uniformly upbeat.

Owek. Omugave Ndugwa Joseph Semakula (L) seen here cutting a cake to celebrate after being sworn in as an honorable member of the Buganda Lukiiko, May 2016.

With discernable excitement, Owek. Omugave Ndugwa Joseph Semakula confirmed to the EADM in a phone interview that he will definitely attend the inaugural Buganda Diaspora at Lubiri Mengo this Wednesday afternoon. “I am ready to go and I will be accompanied by over 12 of the Kabaka subjects from here to attend the first-ever Buganda Diaspora Day celebration,” he confidently said. Owek. Omugave Ndugwa Joseph Semakula, based in Los Angeles, is the Kabaka’s representative in southern California, Arizona and Hawaii.

Owek. Eng. Moses Mayanja Ggayi

Although he will not personally attend the Buganda Diaspora Day due to a tight work schedule, Owek. Eng Moses Mayanja Ggayi said the big bash for the Baganda in the Diaspora is long overdue. “The Buganda Diaspora day is long overdue. Now that it has been scheduled, it gives our people great networking opportunities, and have a chance to see and be with their Kabaka,” Eng Moses Mayanja stated. Over 15 people from   his area of jurisdiction are already in Uganda and confirmed there attendance. Owek. Eng Moses Mayanja Ggayi is the Kabaka’s envoy to Washington State, Idaho and Oregon.

Owek. Abu Senkayi, Ph.D. pledging his loyalty to abide by the rules of the Parliament (Olukiiko) of Buganda Kingdom (Courtesy photo).

Owek. Dr. Abu Senkayi told the EADM recently that the Buganda Diaspora Day is an opportune moment for the Kabaka subjects in the Diaspora to meet with and develop a closer affinity to their Kabaka. “I believe that Ssabasajja Kabaka appreciates the role his subjects in the diaspora play towards the development of his kingdom and would like to visit and interact with them wherever they are,” the soft spoken Owek. Dr. Abu Senkayi says. He added, “However, since his time and resources do not allow that, he is therefore giving them the opportunity to meet with him and socialize with him during this Diaspora day,” he says. Sounding optimistic about the historical event, Dr. Sennkayi said: “The event is also a great opportunity for diaspora folks to connect with their culture and get the opportunity to meet and greet their King up close and personal,” adding, “the Diaspora Day will also provide diaspora Baganda from various parts of the world to get to know each other and establish relationships with each other.” 

Owek. Abu Senkayi, Ph.D. receiving documents and guidelines for members of the Lukiiko from the Speaker Owek. Nelson Kawalya (Courtesy photo).

Underscoring his highest regard and admiration for the institution of the Kabaka and the Kingdom of Buganda, Owek. Abu Senkayi, Ph.D., told the EADM that   “personally, I for one never imagined when I was growing up that I would one day share an event with Ssabasajja Kabaka and I am sure that many people are like me.” With excitement in his voice, he added: “This is why I have made arrangements for some of my brothers to represent me during this first Buganda Diaspora Day celebration and they are very excited and are looking forward to representing me at the event.” Owek. Dr. Abu Senkayi, who represents the Kabaka in the south west region of the USA covering the States of Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Arkansas and Oklahoma, is deputized by Mr. Frank Sentamu.

Omulongo Kato Kajubi Bijumbuko told the EADM in an e-mail that:  “We here in Boston are looking forward to being hosted by the Kabaka in the Lubiri in Mmengo. It is a great honor of relationship and communication between Baganda in the Diaspora and the Kingdom of Buganda.” He added that “We are hoping that over 50 people from the Boston area will attend this landmark event,” he said. Omulongo Kato Kajubi Bijumbuko deputized by Mr. Henry Ndawula are the Kabaka’s representative in the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Vermont on the  North East Coast of the United States

Oweek. Dr. Dunstan Kibuka Lumu

From Johannesburg, South Africa, Owek. Dr. Dunstan Kibuka Lumu confirmed that he will definitely attend the Buganda Diaspora Day in Mengo this Wednesday afternoon. “I will attend with about 20 people from Southern Africa and Australia,” he stated in an-mail message to the EADM. He added that the formalization of the Day on the Buganda Calendar was a good idea. “I think this is a very good and welcome idea that we overwhelmingly appreciate.” Dr. Lumu recalled that during the tranquil and peaceful times under the reign of Sir Edward Muteesa, he used to visit all the counties in Buganda. “But now that Kabaka Mutebi has graciously extended an invitation to all his representatives and subjects in the Diaspora to visit him in the palace  because he cannot visit all of them in the various places they reside, it is a sign of goodwill that we should all embrace and appreciate,” Dr. Lumu stated. Owek. Lumu added that the Buganda Diaspora Day is a good idea that gives all of us a sense of belonging because we will be able to interact with our beloved Kabaka and demonstrate our strong allegiance to our beloved Kingdom of Buganda. “This tradition dates back to the era of the first Kabaka Kintu when he invited his chiefs and subjects to visit the (Lubiri) palace to pay tribute to him,” Dr. Lumu said.

Ssaabasajja Kabaka’s Representatives in North America with the 1st Deputy Katikkiro & Minister for Buganda Affairs Abroad Ambassador Emmanuel Ssendaula during the 1st bi-annual Buganda Bumu North American Convention held in Marlborough Massachusetts, May 2016. Seated from R-L are Representatives: Wycliffe Lule-Musoke; Ssimwogere Kasepewo; Estella Muyinda Namakula (Canada); Margaret Nakibuuka Muwonge; Esther Nassuuna Kiragga Lyles; DC. Kiyimba; Gerald Kikambi Katongole. Standing R-L are Representatives: Kato Kajubi Bijumbuko; Samuel Mwanje Kiggwe; Ssebaggala Kimuli; Abu Senkayi; 1st, Deputy Katikkiro Ambassador Emmanuel Ssendaula; Dick Luzzi Kakande; Henry Matovu Ndawula; Denis Kidde; and Erisa Mugabi (Canada).

Other representatives of the Kabaka in the United States include Owek. Wycliffe Lule-Musoke deputized by  Mr. Ssebagala Kimuli for New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, along the north east coast;  Ms. Margaret Muwonge deputized by Raymond Kabenge for Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia in the Mid-Atlantic region; and Owek. Samuel Mwanje Kiggwe deputized by Mr. Gerald Katongole for the south east  region including Georgia, the Carolinas, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama; and Oweek Luzzi Dick Kakande, deputized by Mr. Denis Kidde who represent the Kabaka in the Mid-West region states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and Missouri. Ms. Esther Nassuna Kiragga Lyles, assisted by DC. Kiyimba, represent the Kabaka in Colorado, North and South Dakota, Utah, and Montana; Omumbejja Dorothy Nasuna Musoke Mugerwa  is the Kabaka envoy for Northern California, Nevada, and Arizona while Estella Namakula Muyinda with her deputy Erisa Kawooya Mugabi represent the Kabaka in Canada.

 

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