Busoga NRM youths turn guns on their own Premier Dr. Muvawala

Busoga Katuukiro Dr. Joseph Muvawala

Dr. Muvawala’s predicament is further complicated by the way he allegedly disparaged the NRM Secretary General Justine Kasule Lumumba, herself a Political heavyweight in Busoga, as well as his own deputy one Ahmed Osman.

Dr. Muvawala has reportedly expressed support for Ivan Tibenkana, the DP candidate for the mayoral race who previously served under him as Busoga Minister.

Beyond this though, Muvawala also allegedly attacked Lumumba and Osman for rallying Busoga NRM Youth to mobilize for the NRM candidate Robert Kanusu for the Jinja mayoral race.

Now a group of NRM youth have petitioned the Kyabazinga of Busoga William Nadiope to relieve Muvawala of his duties, accusing him of partisan politics and tribalism.

A post made by one Juliet Gaswaga a member of the NRM youth group states that: “By openly supporting a DP Candidate in Jinja Mayoral race, the Premier is acting partisan, divisive, undermining government and NRM Party’s bid for the 2021 victory and therefore violating the known decorum for a civil servant and a cultural leader as is the case for Dr. Muvawala.

The blogger adds: “His statements are construed to be the position of the Kyabazinga His Majesty William Wilberforce Gabula Nadiope IV since the known practice here is that the Katukiro (Premier) speaks for the King.

Muvawala is also accused of belittling Justine Kasule Lumumba by calling her a “mere woman” who shouldn’t decide for the people.

“Dr. Muvawala is undermining the woman emancipation cause and promoting the male chauvinist sentiments that are a shame for man of his caliber.”

The angry youth have asked Dr. Muvawala to either resign from his job of Katuukiro which they say is not supposed to be partisan, and instead join active politics.

They further say that Muvawala’s comment about deputy Katuukiro Osman as a Somali, are tribalistic.

“His reference to his deputy as a “Somali” who shouldn’t decide for the Basoga invokes tribal and sectarian emotions that shouldn’t be taken lightly. It also points at a poor leadership style and exposes the internal rift between Dr. Muvawala and his Deputy but also explains the performance gaps at the Bugembe establishment.”

But some keen observers of Busoga politics actually find the accusations levelled against Muvawala especially regarding his apparent display of political bias, as hypocritical.

This is because the Premier, let alone the Kyabazinga himself, ignored the provisions of the law guiding traditional cultural Institutions by actively serving the NRM government.

For example not only is Dr. Muvawala an active public servant who took an oath of secrecy, he draws a salary from Uganda’s consolidated fund that obliges him to serve only one master – the state.

Also, the Kyabazinga himself threw the law aside when he accepted the appointment by the Presidential Special Envoy and was given several cars outside the official UGX5m monthly salary given to monarchs.

So any accusations levelled against Muvawala that he is partisan simply don’t fly.

However by the same coin that the Kyabazingaship is in the pocket of the ruling party, Muvawala’s decision to go against the party line by supporting an Opposition candidate, makes him very vulnerable.

When The Sunrise contacted Dr. Muvawala to make a comment on the above allegations, he simply shrugged them off saying: “I have no comment. You can confirm the way you want.”

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