By MWAMBUSYA NDEBESA SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

If the dispute over the Buganda kingship had occurred in another kingdom, it would have passed without much publicity. But Buganda has always occupied a special place in Ugandan politics.

The kingdom is in central Uganda, where the capital city is situated. And the Baganda are the largest single tribe in Uganda, making up 16 per cent of the country's population.

In the absence of official opposition, which is outlawed in Uganda, the Buganda Kingdom or rather the Mengo administration - the seat of the Kingdom - is the unofficial party most feared by the ruling NRM government.

Why the monarchy occupies a central place among the Baganda is largely a product of history. In many ways, it explains the excitement over claims by a Buganda princess that Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II (Kabaka is the official title of the King of Buganda) is not the son of the late King of Buganda, Sir Frederick Muteesa II.

The Buganda kingdom is composed of many nationalities who migrated and continue to migrate to this region. Between 1890 and 1900, with the help of the British colonialists, many counties were added to the Buganda kingdom. They included Koki, which had hitherto been a semi-independent kingdom, Kabula and Mawogola, which were originally in Ankole, and

the whole of Buyaga, Bugangaizi and Buruli counties, which were transferred from Bunyoro.

Besides these additions to Buganda, there was a good deal of migration into the kingdom, especially from Rwanda and Burundi. Thus Buganda is a nation of many tribes and this has caused it an identity crisis. The Baganda are extremely protective of their tribal identity because many fear incoming groups may swallow them up.

Buganda's origins have always been shrouded in controversy. Some historians outside the kingdom such as the late Prof Karugire have held that Kato Kimera, who tradition says was the brother of Mpuga Rukidi, founder of the Bunyoro Babiito kingdom, set up Buganda. The Babiito of Bun yoro are reputed to be descendants of the Nilotic Luo, who invaded central Uganda from Sudan around 1500 AD and became the new rulers of the ancient Bunyoro Kitara.

According to Karugire, therefore, the rulers of Buganda are blood relations of the Bunyoro royal family and, by extension, have Luo blood in them.

If we are to go by this history, the Princesses of Buganda who claim King Mutebi was fathered by the politician Daudi Ocheng' are wrong whey they say he is a non-Muganda and therefore unfit to be Kabaka. There is nothing historically abominable in Kings of Buganda being blood relations with the Nilotics or Luo.

Although Baganda historians such as Prof Semakula Kiwanuka agree that Kimera, who founded the kingdom, came from Bunyoro, they distance him from the Luo. By doing this, however, they are trying to create a patriotic myth to avoid any blood association with the Nilotes

In fact, if a DNA test were carried out on King Mutebi and the sons of Daudi Ocheng and a relationship between them were established, that would not bear out Princess Ndagire. It would merely prove that the Luo and Bantu fused together in the 15th century due to intermarriage.

The royal families of Bunyoro, Toro, Kooki, Busoga and Buzimba - the latter in Mbarara district - all accept that they have Luo blood in them dating from the 16th century migration.

The Baganda palace historians, however, deny these facts of history.

Succession disputes are not new in the Buganda kingdom, which has had about 33 monarchs. Many kings of Buganda, such as Kagula, Kikulwe, Mawanda, Junju, Kyabagu and Semakokiro, were killed by their rival brothers or cousins.

Almost every Buganda king had to kill to capture the throne or remain in power. Not even princesses were spared. If considered a threat to the ruler, they were almost certainly killed.

Princess Nassuna, who was involved in a plot to overthrow Mutesa I, was executed with some princes. So Princess Ndagire and Prince Kimera's conspiracy against the reigning Kabaka is not without precedent.

Milton Obote was not the first Ugandan potentate to exile a Buganda king. The British exiled Muwanga in 1899 and he died in exile. In 1953, Mutesa II was exiled but returned to his throne in 1955 under a negotiated settlement.

The crisis among the royals of Buganda today needs to be put in perspective. The restored monarchy is supposed to be a cultural institution and its existence has been constitutionalised. Baganda monarchists have been talking of a modern Buganda in a new Uganda. But where does politics stop and culture begin? When this royal crisis began many people complained of interference from the central government because Princess Ndagire was a presidential advisor.

There is no way the monarchy can be divorced from politics. First, it was restored politically. The reasons why Museveni allowed the restoration of the Kingdom of Buganda are the same reasons why he refused to corronate the King of Ankole. The Kabaka's restoration earned Museveni popularity in Buganda while a similar move in Ankole would have cost him popularity.

Princess Ndagire and Prince Kimera used to accompany Museveni during presidential campaigns. Meanwhile, other royals were supporting the opposition candidate, Paul Ssemogerere. Why didn't the kingdom stop that association at that time ?

Clearly, the kingdom of Buganda has to do something if it is to survive in a modern Uganda. First, the Baganda should accept that they are a nation and the question of who is a pure or impure Muganda should not arise.

Whenever a Muganda falls foul of the kingdom, he is labeled a non-Muganda. Those who use this tool know how ruthlessly effective it is. And as long as Mengo gets involved in national politics on whichever side, the central government will also interfere in Mengo.

There is also the matter of gender. What role can princesses play in a modern kingdom. Can the succession procedures be amended to provide for queens? Why can't Baganda women be allowed to carry out royal functions normally reserved for men? This is a modern kingdom and it should not discriminate against women.

For years to come, Buganda will maintain its special place in our national life. When the kingdom sneezes, the Ugandan nation catches a cold. The kingdom must change with the times.

Mwambusya Ndebesa is a Lecturer in the History Department, Makerere University

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