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Mutebi's Exit, And The Tale Of Kaguta's Clan

From The Monitor, Aug. 25, 1999

By Charles Onyango-Obbo

On Friday August 27, Kabaka Ronnie Mutebi will leave the senior bachelors' club one member short. He is getting wedded to Sylvia Nagginda Luswata, in one of the most publicly played-out weddings in Uganda in recent years - if not ever.

And, of course, on July 17, there was another big one; President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni's son Muhoozi Kainerugaba, wedded Mawogola MP and former minister of State for Finance Sam Kuteesa's daughter Charlotte Nankunda Matama. Before, and in between, we have had the weddings of Mbarara Municipality MP Winnie Byanyima to Col. Kiiza Besigye, and that of minister of State for Internal Affairs, Namusoke Kiyingi, to civil servant Paul Kyama.

These weddings, ultimately, make interesting social and political statements about the age in which they have happened - the Museveni era.

Museveni is the only Ugandan president to rule - uninterrupted - as long as he has. Long enough for Mutebi to be the first young bachelor king to marry during the same political regime in which he ascended the throne. Bunyoro's king Solomon Iguru also married after his enthronement during the Museveni presidency, but his case does not tell us much because, to all intents and purposes, he was an elderly bachelor who had remained on the shelves well past his sell-by date.

The rule of Museveni has been enough for two generations of leaders to be in power at the same time; the older married ones, and the younger ones like MP Byanyima and minister Kiyingi who were elected to Parliament as single women. In fact some single MPs, Nusura Tiperu, Geoffrey Ekanya, Okumu Reagan, are younger than the first born children of some of their senior colleagues in the House.

The most striking aspect though, is the spectrum the First Family has been able to cover by Museveni being around as long as he has.

Unlike other past presidents, Museveni has had high profile relatives. Neither the parents of Milton Obote, Gen. Idi Amin, Prof. Yusuf Lule, Godfrey Binaisa, Paul Muwanga, nor those of Lt Gen. Tito Okello had public visibility. Museveni's parents, Amos Kaguta and Esteeri Kokundeka, however, are better known. In them, Uganda has its first public First Grandparents.

Then, no previous leader has had a sibling as well known and as high profile as Museveni's younger brother, Maj Gen. Salim. Thus the house of Kaguta, offers us in Saleh the country's first public First Brother.

Though she is wont to distance herself from the glare of the First Family, Museveni's sister Dr Violet Kajubiri Froelich, is possibly the most educated sister of any Ugandan president. In Dr Kajubiri, the First children have a veritable First Aunt.

Then enter Muhoozi. We had never had a First Son married while the First Parents are in State House. When Muhoozi and Charlotte wedded, they added significantly to the list. First, there was First Bestman Sam Mpuuga, and Charlotte's sister Shartsi Nayebare became First Matron.

More far-reaching, though, Sam and Jennifer Kuteesa became the First-in-laws. The next stage will cap this matter in style.

Unless Museveni suffers a massive attack of democratic fever, he is likely to stand for office in 2001. And as long as the election is held under the Movement system, Museveni will win it. Meaning he will be president until the year 2006.

That is enough time for Museveni and First Lady Janet to marry off one or two of their striking First Daughters. What is more certain is that Muhoozi and Charlotte shall bear at least one off-spring, giving us our first First Grandchild. Janet and Yoweri's status will also be altered. They will become the first First Couple to become First Grandparents while in power.

And when we last saw the grand old man, Kaguta and his wife Esteeri, they looked like they will be around for a few more years. Thus raising the real possibility that they will become First Great Grandparents. The Kaguta house will thereby have completed the circle; offering us in one single point of our history First Grandparents, First Uncles, First Aunts, First Parents, First Sons and Daughters, First-in-laws, First Grandchildren, First Great Grandparents, and First Great Grandchildren.

Whether one's view is that Museveni has clung on to power too long as a virtual one party strongman, or has a historical legitimacy from the "struggle" and a democratic mandate from the controversial 1996 elections, his 13 years have offered some remarkable insights into the effects of presidential longevity.


©1999Charles Onyango-Obbo & Worldwide EP. All rights reserved.