Wikipedia

Butikkiro

Butikkiro is the official residence for the Katikkiro of Buganda in Uganda.[1][2][3][4]

Butikkiro (Buganda Prime Minister)
Butikkiro (Buganda Prime Minister's residence)

Location edit

It is located in Mengo in Kampala opposite the Twekobe.[5][6]

History edit

The Kabaka of Buganda is not allowed to stay in his Twekobe if the Katikkiro of Buganda is not in the Butikkiro.[7][1][8][9]

After the Kabaka of Buganda hands over the Ddamula (the royal mace) to the newly appointed Katikkiro of Buganda, the Katikkiro pledges his allegiance to the Kabaka and promising to execute the duties assigned to him by the Kabaka.[10][11] The Katikiiro has to hold that Ddamula until he reaches the Butikkiro while being protected by members of his clan so that no one from another clan grabs it from before him reaches the Butikkiro. When the Katikkiro reaches the Butikkiro, he has to thank his clan members by organising a feast for them.[10]

In 1966, the Butikkiro was among the property of Buganda that were seized by the government that was led by Milton Obote when he abolished the nobility.[12]

In 1997, the government that was led by Yoweri Museveni, returned the property which were seized by the government during Obote's time and those included; the Butikkiro but Buganda agreed to let the government of Uganda to remain tenants of the Butiikiro since it had been developed into a centre for research on HIV/AIDS in Uganda.[12] But no formal tenancy agreement between the government of Uganda and Buganda was made.[12]

In 2002, the government of Uganda agreed to build a new Butikkiro since the old Butikkiro builidng which located near the Twekobe is now housing the Uganda Joint Clinical Research Center (UJCRC) since August 1993.[1][8][2][13]

After the government agreeing, the Lukiiko held a debate in 2003, whether would lease or sell the Butikkiro to the government of Uganda as it had not paid any fees to Buganda as there was agreement between the two parties in 1993 where the government of Uganda had to pay 48 million Uganda shillings per year in annual rent but was not effected.[8][14][15] The Abataka ba Buganda (Buganda clan heads) that were led by Frank Kisaale Mbaziira advised the Kabaka to lease the old Butikkiro for 49 years to the government of Uganda after they had inspected the former Butikkiro claiming that it was not fit anymore to be the residence of the Katikkiro and that it would require a lot of money to renovate it back into a residence for the Katikkiro.[16][2][17][18][12]

Mutebi agreed with the Abataka's decision as all the Buganda cultural rituals that were performed on the old Butikkiro were also transferable to the new Butikkiro and also the UJCRC had a lot of equipment installed in it that could not easily be transferred.[12]

After the Bataka's advice, Muwenda Mutebi II of Buganda directed the Katikkiro Joseph Ssemwogerere to draft a 49 year lease agreement for leasing the Butikkiro in an official letter that was delivered by the William Matovu (Mutebi's principal private secretary.[19][20]

A committee composed of both the Buganda officials and the Government of Uganda officials was created to finalise on the plans for the construction of the new Butikkiro.[13] The Buganda team was also responsible for determining the rent arrears that the government of Uganda owed Buganda since it occupied the Butiikiro in 1993.[13] The government of Uganda had earlier proposed 200 million Uganda shilling for the arrears of rent since occupying the former Butikkiro.[19]

The Ugandan government team consisted of Gilbert Bukenya (team lead) who was later replaced by Teckler Kinalwa (The permanent secretary in the Uganda President's Office.[13]

The Buganda officials team consisted of Godfrey Kaaya Kavuma (the deputy Katikkiro and also the Buganda Minister for Lands and Property), J.B Walusimbi (Buganda Finance Minister), J.W Katende (attorney general), Apollo Makubuya (Treasury minister).[13]

In July 2003, Joseph Ssemwogere (the Katikkiro of Buganda) presented the architectural plan for the new Butikkiro that was to be constructed.[9] The plan was received by Gilbert Bukenya.[9][2][17]

In 2005, a new site of about 6 acres of land for construction of the new Butikkiro was mentioned by the Buganda minister Zimbe and it was Plot 749 on Ring road which is opposite Mengo Palace.[1][8]

In 2005, the government of Uganda paid 450 million of arrears that had accumulated as a result of occupying the Butikkiro, Makindye army barracks and the supreme court not paying rent for them using them via a cheque that was given to I Kabanda (the chairman of the Buganda Land Lease committee) starting from 1 August 1993 to 2005.[21][22][23] The Kabaka used 200 million of the 450 million to clear the six months arrears of over 100 Buganda departmental workers.[5]

Uganda Joint Clinical Research Center was later moved to a new location on Lubowa Hill, at Plot 101 Entebbe Road in Uganda.[24]

Controversies edit

In 2002, Abazukulu ba Buganda (a pressure group of Baganda activists) claimed that the Lukkiko officials had sold the old Butikkiro to the government. The claims were refuted by Godfrey Kaaya kavuma (the deputy Katikkiro).[7]

In 2003, the traditional healers argued that the Butikkiro should not be changed until the Katikkiro occupied it and performed some traditional rituals otherwise the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi was not supposed to occupy the Twekobe Palace until those rituals are performed.[8]

The Baganda also urged that the government of Uganda should use that money to construct structures for the UJCRC in the land that the Kabaka offered which was located next to the Lubaga Social Centre.[8] while others urged that the Ugandan government should build a new Butikkiro instead of giving in money to Buganda.[8]

Read also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Butikkiro site set". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  2. ^ a b c d "Bukenya presents new Butikkiro plans". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  3. ^ "Kabaka's 25-year journey". Monitor. 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  4. ^ Jjuuko, Denis (2019-05-19). "Katikkiro Mayiga's six years of restoring Buganda's glory". The Observer - Uganda. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  5. ^ a b "Kabaka pays workers arrears". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  6. ^ "Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga: Lover of nature and literature". Monitor. 2021-01-08. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  7. ^ a b "Butikkiro not sold – Kavuma". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g "Mengo in row over Butikkiro". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  9. ^ a b c "The Butikkiro lease should be five years!". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  10. ^ a b "Katikkiro Mayiga gets instruments of power". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  11. ^ "Transfer of royal mace". Monitor. 2021-01-05. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  12. ^ a b c d e "A Wise King In Buganda". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  13. ^ a b c d e "Govt, Mengo Plan For New Butikkiro". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  14. ^ "'We Can Lease The Butikkiro'". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  15. ^ "Pay Mengo sh450m rent – MPs". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  16. ^ "The Butikkiro lease should be five years!". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  17. ^ a b "Bukenya To Get Mengo Report On Butikkiro". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  18. ^ "Lease Butikkiro, Bataka Tell Mutebi". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  19. ^ a b "Mutebi wants Butikkiro sold off". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  20. ^ "Don't question Kabaka – Nadduli". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  21. ^ "In Brief". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  22. ^ "Pay Mengo sh450m rent – MPs". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  23. ^ "Sh112m lost in certificate sale". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  24. ^ "Buganda starts Mengo renovation". Monitor. 2021-01-17. Retrieved 2023-10-31.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Butikkiro&oldid=1217545529"