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President Yoweri Museveni on Friday commissioned the construction of Lwattamu House, a building he promised to dozens of Buganda clan leaders, princes and princesses.
Construction of the 6-story building is set to commence at the 2-acre plot of land he purchased for the group near Bulange in Mengo.
The construction will be undertaken by the UPDF’s engineering brigade at a cost of Shs 58billion and is expected to be completed in three years.
A state-of-the-art facility
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Lwattamu House will, among others, house cultural resource centres such as a museum and a theatre.
It will also have space for shops, banks, offices for each of the 52 clan leaders, conference halls, and residential space.
The leaders met with President Museveni twice last year, where he promised, among others, to build them Lwattamu House and support their other business ventures.
They were taken to him by Minister of ICT Hon Joyce Nabbosa Ssebuggwawo, although the Buganda Kingdom insisted it was unaware of their dealings with the President.
President Museveni launched the launch of Lwattamu House
At the launch on Friday, President Museveni said the clan leaders were an important fabric of Buganda Kingdom.
“I understood that in tradition, you cannot do without the Bataka; it is the base for the tradition, whether you have kingdoms or not,” he said
“Like in Karamoja, there are no kings, but the clan leaders are there. When we go there, we deal with them. Same case for Ankole,” he said.
Some of the clan leaders in attendance were from the Nvuma, Ngeye, Ngo, Ffumbe, Ndiga, Kibe, Njovu, Mbwa, Mazzo ge Sisasi, Kinyomo, Nakinsige, Nnamungoona, Mpologoma, Ngaali, among other clans.
Ssebuggwawo has no regrets
Minister Ssebuggwawo, in her remarks, said she did not regret taking the leaders to meet President Museveni.
“You, Mr President, must not regret what you have done for it will be remembered by generations to come. I also don't regret what I have done,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of the clan leaders, Alex Kikule said they were ready to join President Museveni on his upcoming campaign trail for next year’s elections.
“We ask to join you on the team that will hunt for your votes in the whole of Uganda,” she said.
“They also ask to be taken to Kyankwanzi to be taught a lot of other things. We want to move with the government which we helped bring into power.”
The event was attended by other officials, including the former Katikkiro of Buganda, JB Walusimbi, ministers Judith Nabakooba, Milly Babalanda and Minsah Kabanda.