Ugandan king 'not backing down'

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Police fired tear gas at the protesters who hurled stones and burned tyres

A Ugandan king will go ahead with a visit to a flashpoint town, despite two days of riots which have left at least nine people dead, his premier says.

But a second Bagandan official later said the king was postponing the visit to Kayunga, to prevent escalating unrest, Reuters news agency reported.

The police also said Saturday's visit would not happen as it would be "unwise" and a "security risk".

Kayunga, near Kampala, says it has seceded from the Bagandan kingdom.

In Kampala, at least two more people were shot dead and a police officer stabbed on Friday, witnesses said.

Seven people died on Thursday in the capital, Kampala, in clashes between police and supporters of the king.

Four radio stations have been taken off air after the government accused them of inciting violence.

The army has deployed troops to help deal with the riots.

Although Mr Walusimbi vowed that the visit would take place, he also appealed for youths to stop the violence.

"Please refrain from any unlawful act so peace can prevail," he said on the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.

As head of the ancient Buganda Kingdom, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II is hugely influential among the Baganda people, Uganda's largest ethnic group.

But he is constitutionally barred from taking part in politics.

Although the king and President Yoweri Museveni have been allies in the past - Mr Museveni restored the kingdom's status in 1993 - the relationship has become strained in recent years.

The Baganda have long called for the restoration of a federal administration that would give their king formal political power, which the government opposes.

'Mature people'

The government denied preventing the king from visiting Kayunga, but said it wanted to put some conditions on the visit to prevent violence.

King Ronald Mutebi is one of Uganda's biggest land-owners

In a speech broadcast on TV late on Thursday, Mr Museveni said he had asked the king to send delegates to meet community leaders before the visit.

And he had also requested that media outlets loyal to the king stopped criticising the government.

"I told [the king] that the meeting in Kayunga would not take place until some conditions that will be communicated to him by the minister of internal affairs are met," said the president.

"My reaction to these issues is to ring the king and we sort them out as mature people. But he could not pick or return my calls for the last two years."

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Are you in Uganda? Did you witness the clashes? What is your reaction to these events? Send us your comments.

The situation here is worse two people have already died and one policeman was shot in the led by demonstrators who grabbed a gun from a bank guard by force, people properties have been destroyed mostly kiosks and what is making matters worse is that the rioters have turned to be thugs where all weak women yesterday were forced to be checked in their bags and pockets for money and phones by rioters. Baganda have protested but they are turning against themselves by killing fellow Baganga and stealing their things and destroying them thinking that they support government. every thing started when the prime minister of Buganda kingdom was stopped from visiting the area where the king wanted to tour and organise the place and the police feared that he may be harmed or killed by another ethnic group in that area which does not want the king to go there.
Jawad, Uganda, Kampala

the situation here in Kampala was very terrible in the evening and the security agencies were firing live bullets over the civilians. The came as a result of the Government attempt to block the prime minister of Buganda kingdom from visiting Kayunga District where the Kabaka (King of Buganda) is scheduled to preside over a function in that District. Everything is back to normal but people are fearing.
David Opiro, Kampala, Uganda

Think the central government shouldn't have restored the kingdom ships in the country because it will bring further confusions by the powerful kingdoms. if we take a look at Kampala, mainly all the ethnic groups in Uganda have contributed to its development and therefore Buganda should not claim anything or ownership of Kampala and the surrounding areas. Lets live as one people, and leave greed and hatred behind us.
JOYCE OLWO, Lira, Uganda

Thank you for reporting and informing the rest of the world the situation in Uganda.the problem with our president is that he has been in power for 22years and he DOES NOT LISTEN. Now our king has been put under house arrest but we are more than ready to die for our King and kingdom as long as we live. we are fed up with leaders who think they human beings and the rest are not.
Paul, Kampala, Uganda

It is absurd that leadership in Uganda is like a fire brigade unit. The issues of concern to the Baganda are ones that come with one's pride in his culture. Uganda was formed without consent but imposition by the British. If a Muganda still finds belonging in his King so be it. The politics of opportunism has led government to crop up numerous groups formally loyal to the Kabaka to claim need for breaking away from Buganda. Not just in Buganda but even the creation of districts for each and every county countrywide. The leadership in Kampala is seeking cheap popularity as its support country wide is waning daily and time will tell for the regime in Kampala is daily loosing "grip". Fellow Ugandans stand up for your rights but please respect your opposition for positive criticism. Long Live Buganda and the Kabaka.
Henry, Kayunga

I do love, respect and obey my King. But his royal highness failed to use his powers this time around to calm down his subjects, because every one was awaiting his voice. Instead his radio station, which is the biggest in the country engaged in mobilisation. His royal highness, we ask you to speak to the central government as the president complained that you avoid picking his calls, whenever there is a crisis.
Christine Nakyeyune, Kampala, Uganda

Am a Journalist and a presenter at CBS Fm, a Buganda Kingdom Radio which the Government has closed. Meanwhile seven people have been confirmed dead with hundreds injured with live bullets. I have visited several hospitals like Mengo hospital and Mulago hospital where most of them are admitted but.. The rioters stormed a police station at Nateete, freed all the prisoners and later set the police ablaze. more riots are expected in the major towns today. President Museveni addressed the nation and threatened to crash all media houses which gives Kabaka Mutebi a media coverage. Museveni defended the use of military police, mambas and live bullets to disperse the rioters and said he will not tolerate hooliganism in Uganda. Meanwhile the Baganda community are also vowing to fight for their rights, fight Museveni's land grabbing system, fight nepotism in Museveni's govt.
Mukiibi Sserunjogi, Kampala Uganda.

I witnessed the clashes, people are burning old tyres, parked vehicles, police stations, actually one Policeman was shot by civilians using a gun they forcefully got from a guard, a police woman was undressed and beaten thoroughly, the police has been overpowered, that is why the government now is using military Police .There is anarchy and chaos, major roads to the city are blocked, i wonder whether there will be normality in the city centre because the Military has deployed heavily and vehicles cannot move in and out. Visiting Gospel singer Kirk Franklin and entourage are at one of the Police stations under guard because he could not move after the road he was using was blocked by rioters. I think they should have let the King visit his subjects. Pray for Uganda.
Ssuubi Francis, Kampala

Government is going too far. we also wonder what its intentions are when it involves its self in traditional leadership. It was seen in Busoga Kingdom elections, it is in Bunyoro kingdom and now in Buganda king's visits. This is not the first time the king is refused by the government to visit his people claiming that the government will not be able to offer him the necessary protection. Now against what or who? Even the claimed hostile people are Government made in that it is the Government that puts them otherwise the local people there have no problem with Buganda king because they have been part of Buganda for many years. Some thing should be done to stop this.
Geoffrey Elijah, Entebbe

Traffic flow from upcountry Uganda has halted. I'm in one of the omnibuses packed here at Mbarara, about 160km from the capital city, Kampala. We're fearing to enter a city experiencing a deadly demonstration by the Kabaka supporters. The "Kabaka", title for the Buganda king, caused his own abolition in 1966 as a result of going on a collision course with the central government. I very much fear that history may repeat itself after the Kabakaship has been restored by the ruling regime in early nineties.
Twebaze Francis, Mbarara, Uganda

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