By EPN Reporter
The international assignment undertaken by Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has presented an opportunity for him to visit the Buganda Kingdom in Uganda to strengthen the relations between the two kingdoms.
The Prime Minister represents His Majesty King Mswati III on this trip. Eswatini and Buganda are similar in the sense that the two are kingdoms. However, the difference is that the Buganda Kingdom is situated within the country of Uganda, while the Kingdom of Eswatini is a sovereign state on its own. It is not situated in any other country.
According to media reports, during his visit yesterday, the premier pleaded with the Royal family and all the authorities of Buganda to ensure that there was peace in Buganda, Uganda and the entire African continent. Prime Minister was welcomed to the kingdom by its Prime Minister Charles Peter Mayiga.
Dlamini and his delegation were told that the Ugandan country, as it is known today, came from the Buganda Kingdom. It was named Uganda because the colonialists from Europe failed to pronounce Buganda and called it Uganda. The prime minister was also told that the population under this kingdom was estimated to be at 14 million and they represented 60 percent of the Ugandan population.
Prime Minister Mayiga told Dlamini that he once visited Eswatini, with some princes and princesses of the Buganda Kingdom. His Majesty King Mswati III, according to Mayiga, warmly welcomed them to Eswatini. Mayiga, who is a lawyer, cultural leader and author, also wished Dlamini success in his endeavours.
He stated that being a prime minister was a challenging job all over the world. However, even if that was the case, Mayiga expressed no doubt that Dlamini would be able to be successful in his tenure as Eswatini Prime Minister. He said there was a reason why Dlamini was chosen as a prime minister, among many other individuals in the country.
Dlamini praised the Buganda Kingdom for preserving its culture and encouraged it to continue doing so, as that made Africans to be unique. He also encouraged them to maintain peace, as His Majesty King Mswati III emphasised the importance of peace in the world. Dlamini further lectured the Baganda (natives of Buganda Kingdom) people about the country’s Tinkhundla system of governance.
Dlamini was also shown on radio and television stations of the Buganda Kingdoms, which were used to teach the natives about the cultural heritage of the Buganda Kingdom, among other things. The people of Buganda make a contribution of 70 per cent towards the Ugandan economy. The prime minister was also shown the oil production plant, which produces up to 70 million litres, yet it needs about 14 million litres per day. The prime minister also told the Kingdom about the strategic oil reserve constructed in the country.
The Buganda Kingdom was formed around the 13th century and was disturbed by the Scramble for Africa by the Europeans in the 19th century, a period when Uganda was colonized by the British. The Buganda Kingdom was abolished in 1966 by then Ugandan Prime Minister Milton Obote, following its independence in 1962.
Following disturbances by Obote and former Ugandan Leader Idi Amin, the Buganda Kingdom was restored in 1993 under the leadership of current Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni. Since the restoration of the kingdom in 1993, the king of Buganda, known as the Kabaka, has been Muwenda Mutebi II. He is recognized as the 36th Kabaka of Buganda. The current queen, known as the Nnabagereka or Kaddulubale is Queen Sylvia Nagginda. Currently, there are talks on-going between the Buganda Kingdom and the Ugandan Government to give political power to the Buganda Kingdom, as it does not have such at present.
