By Nasser Kayanja
Mengo
The spokesperson of the Buganda Kingdom, who also serves as Minister for Information, Communication and Mobilization, Isreal Kazibwe Kitooke, has dismissed allegations by the State Minister for Lands, Dr. Sam Mayanja, that Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II deliberately declined to congratulate Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on his victory in the 2026 presidential election out of anger.
Mayanja, a longtime lawyer to President Museveni, claimed that while other cultural institutions, foreign leaders, and heads of international organizations sent congratulatory messages to the President and the people of Uganda, Mengo had remained silent. He further alleged that since the 1996 elections, the Mengo establishment has not supported Museveni, hoping instead that the opposition would grant Buganda a federal system of governance.
According to Mayanja, the people of Buganda have consistently voted for Museveni because they recognize their role in bringing his government to power and see themselves as part of it. He argued that whether or not Mengo congratulates the President, Museveni will continue serving the people of Buganda.
However, Kitooke strongly rejected Mayanja’s remarks, describing them as reckless and politically motivated. He warned the minister against dragging the Kabaka and the Buganda Kingdom into partisan politics.
“I know he is panicking and fears losing his ministerial position, but dragging the Kabaka into his reckless statements will not save him,” Kitooke said. “President Museveni himself has consistently guided that it is illegal for cultural institutions to engage in partisan politics. What, then, is his minister implying?”
Kitooke emphasized that the Kingdom will not issue any statement regarding the concluded elections, noting that its current focus is on fighting poverty among its subjects. He said the Kingdom appreciates President Museveni’s role in restoring cultural institutions that had been abolished under the government of Milton Obote.
He added that the Kingdom’s priority is mobilizing its subjects to improve household incomes through initiatives such as Emwanyi Terimba, which promotes coffee growing, alongside other cash and food crops to enhance food security and economic stability.
Meanwhile, several opposition presidential candidates have rejected Museveni’s re-election, describing the 2026 polls as the most violent and fraudulent since Uganda gained independence in 1962.