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Sometimes you go to a place and, without being told, you immediately know who the boss is. If it’s a home, you can tell exactly who wears the trousers… (ahem, just clearing my throat!) When we entered Namilyango College as little boys in Senior One, 1984, it was easy to tell who the headmaster was. Mr Alfred Mugoda, a good-natured man who always spotted a ‘Kaunda Suit,’ spoke softly and said little, but he had a regal, commanding presence about him. One look at him and you knew. Highly respected, but never feared.

The one we feared was his deputy, Mr Jalango, a tough, cool customer, who was a fascinating study in human psychology. While Mr Mugoda was clean-shaven and no doubt spent the early hours of each morning attacking every little hair that showed up on his face, the light-skinned Mr Jalango let his grow with intentionality, thick but never long, all over his face. He had a fair amount of hair (for a man), and loved to scratch his beard as he listened intently to your lies, making it clear he was bored and didn’t believe a word of what you were saying.

Occasionally, he’d raise an eyebrow, which, in his case, was the equivalent of throwing a tantrum. He liked to work in silence, speaking only if he couldn’t avoid it. Looking back, I wager he missed his true vocation: he could have been an excellent judge of the court-martial in North Korea, the Soviet Union, or some other such communist country.

He spoke in a slow, boring drawl that reminded me of Gletkin in Arthur Koestler’s Darkness at Noon. Mr Jalango believed that on admission to Namilyango, you had read and understood every one of the school rules and that you knew exactly what you were doing when you violated them. And as the head of discipline in a school with an elaborate hierarchy, Mr Jalango was of the view that no small problems came to his desk. If you were reported to him, you were an impossible case, so he wasted no time in preliminaries and preambles.

When he spoke, his vocabulary was limited to ‘You’re suspended’ or ‘You’re indefinitely suspended’, or ‘You’re expelled’. I used to think that if that is how he approached marital problems, then he probably married every year.

When he moved around the compound, boys would whisper ‘Jalango, Jalango!’ And within seconds, the school would rearrange itself; chaos and commotion giving way to silence and orderliness.

One morning, he suspended Nagisi, the head of the College chapter of the National Union of Students of Uganda (NUSU), for two weeks. NUSU was directly supervised by president Milton Obote himself. Mr Jalango didn’t care. Later that afternoon, moving about, he found Nagisi still around. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He uttered just two words: ‘You’re expelled.’ We never saw Nagisi again. I always wonder what happened to him and how his life turned out.

Uganda’s oldest secondary school celebrates 125 years next March, and we’re already thinking up something special. We are rich in experience. We have far more anniversaries than Uganda itself, and perhaps government should turn up and learn how things are done in serious places.

But it’s a good time to ponder the legend of Mr Jalango, for schools to reflect on being unduly strict, and the need to give kids a second chance: heck, you are dealing with kids, and half the time, they don’t really know what they’re doing!

When you expel a student, you’re in essence uprooting a tree in its entirety; there’s no guarantee it will still grow if replanted in another kind of soil elsewhere. Many kids never recover from expulsions. Those expulsions are often as good as a death sentence because their lives have effectively ended, and from then on, they are a case of the walking dead.

One morning at assembly, Father John Sweeney, bless his soul, as usual, began with a word of prayer. And midway, he said, ‘And Lord, we also pray for Mr Jalango, who is leaving Namilyango…’

Everything ended there! Whichever one of God’s angels plans to sound the First Trumpet had better be good, because he’ll have to be at his best to beat the shout of joy, the sound of victory, the sheer uproar that rang out! Heaven must have come to a standstill! The boys ran mad.

I am God’s dog; a thankless commission. A dog is a dog, whether a White House first dog or a Kiteezi street mongrel. No special respect.

It is assumed that you are all right as long as you have your evening meal and a bone to nibble at. As God’s dog, even my ultimate master, the Lord Almighty, is in a state of divine rest. He can neither endorse nor reject my work.

God’s men, the priests, are different. They command a good measure of respect. They are at liberty to collect taxes (or tithes) and other fees from their followers, and they are not always strictly obliged to give detailed accountability to their followers beyond what is agreed within their administrative structures.

If the man of God is an independent operator with his own church, it gets even better. He can collect money on the pretext of constructing a mega church and use some of the cash to buy a fat SUV before starting the building. His wife and top confidant, who is usually also a pastor at the same church, is very unlikely to object.

The benefits do not end there. If you have the instincts of an even more hardwired fixer, you could not design a criminal operation, lure victims and execute the plot with a better cover than being a recognised man of God.

In spite of evidence to the contrary, there is a persistent assumption in the population that men of God are honest people.

The men of God embrace this myth and blow their trumpet whenever and wherever an opportunity presents itself.

In reality, some men of God are fairly honest. Most are nauseatingly hypocritical, especially when they are dealing with rich people and the political class. And a few are outright crooks. But because of the assumption that they are good men, it usually takes a long time and a bit of courage before the crooks are exposed.

Out of respect, major newspapers and broadcasters usually only report an alleged crime involving a prominent cleric after they have seen the fire under the smoke.

For instance, one newspaper recently published the story of two American investors who allege that a pastor conned them of billions in a dubious gold-mining venture, the paper was careful to give very detailed accounts. Clearly, the editors were keen to assure their readers that the story was thoroughly researched before the alleged Mafia-styled side of the man of God was exposed in the press.

The same attention to detail was evident when another newspaper recently published a story in which a Sheikh and others are alleged to have defrauded someone of Shs1.2b in another gold deal.

The men of God are usually quite adept at choosing their victims. They carefully identify who is both gullible and has money. They read the body language of the victim, and at every stage they take full advantage of the traditional trust many people have in men of God.

So, in practice, a man of God can usually buy plenty of time before the victim fully wakes up to the reality that he has been robbed.

Coupled with the fact that government investigators and the media tend to hesitate before going full-throttle after men of God, it becomes evident that the smartest and safest cover for wrongdoing may be the label: A man of God.

Within a space of 10 months, Muhammad Muwanga-Kivumbi has not only lost his Butambala County seat slot in Parliament, but also been incarcerated twice on charges that range from terrorism and inciting violence to managing an unlawful society.

When he was given bail in July by Justice Susan Okalany, the deputy head of the International Crimes Division, Muwanga-Kivumbi told his supporters how he is still energised and ready to lead a revolution that will upend President Museveni’s National Resistance Movement (NRM) regime.

‘If all constituencies had hardliners like Butambala, we would have overthrown this man. All people of all walks of life have been visiting me in jail. The priests from the Catholic sanctuaries in Butambala have been visiting me in jail. Even sheikhs from different mosques in Butambala have been visiting me,’ he said.

After making the speech on July 9, Muwanga-Kivumbi, a deputy president of the National Unity Platform (NUP), was intercepted by police on his way from Kampala to Butambala and later was abducted by security operatives. He was held incommunicado for a fortnight before being dumped at Nateete Police Station.

Later, he was charged with inciting violence at the Butambala Chief Magistrates Court. Yet when she granted Muwanga-Kivumbi bail, Aminah Wahab, the magistrate, forbade the former legislator from setting foot in Butambala unless it is for family meetings.

Stomach for a fight

In his speech after his latest release, Muwanga-Kivumbi seemed to have toned down in the sense that he didn’t talk about bringing down the regime.

‘Ruling through force is not a good idea. Those who are interested in leadership should talk to people the same way a man who is propositioning a woman does. You have dragged people into a bottle. You have put people in a safe house,’ he said.

When The Transcript met him, the Opposition stalwart said in no uncertain terms that fear should not be an option.

‘I have gone through things people generally fear. I lost dear ones during the election period and have seen the pain of orphans, widows and families who lost loved ones because they believed in our cause. I have also faced a terrorism charge, spent six months in prison and been held in a safe house. These experiences have strengthened my resolve,’ he said.

‘I believe this is a generational assignment. Every generation must stand up to its challenges or risk being remembered for failing its people. Keeping quiet may seem safer, but it amounts to surrender. Fear is an inferior product. […] Uganda has stood up to oppressive leadership before. History shows that governing through intimidation is not a lasting solution. You cannot bully a population while pretending to offer democratic elections,’ he added.

In his book, Muwanga-Kivumbi sees ‘the reliance on fear as a weakness and an opportunity for a new Uganda.’ The new Uganda that he envisages has ‘chosen non-violence’ over the ‘armed struggle’ the NRM chose.

‘We have chosen non-violence because we want to end an era of imposition, violence and terror without reproducing it. Non-violent change is slow and painful, but history does not show that people achieve change by abandoning their rights to speak, organise, assemble and mobilise,’ he told The Transcript, adding, ‘Our challenge is to move Uganda from fear to faith. An eye-for-an-eye approach risks taking us back to the same situation we want to overcome.’

He wants to see institutions rebuilt, including the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions which ‘was intended to provide an independent safeguard and ensure there was a proper basis for prosecution.’

When institutions designed to protect citizens are perceived to serve political interests, he adds, ‘public confidence suffers.’ The institutional breakdown reflects badly on the NRM because, per Muwanga-Kivumbi, ‘a resistance movement should stand for ensuring that past abuses never recur, not perfecting them.’

Elective politics

Muwanga-Kivumbi’s experience is not new to him because in the early 2000s he was a permanent fixture in various Ugandan jails. He had formed a pressure group christened Popular Resistance Against Life Presidency.

With police crushing his rallies, Muwanga-Kivumbi ran to the Constitutional Court and challenged Section 32 (2) of the Police Act which law enforcement officers invoked to stop the Opposition from holding rallies. Through his lawyer, Ladislaus Rwakafuuzi, Muwanga-Kivumbi insisted that the Constitution permits peaceful and unarmed demonstrations. He further contended that the Constitution, therefore, spells out that it is the duty of the police to see that there is no breach of peace committed.

The Constitutional Court concurred and duly struck down the draconian provisions.

‘The justification for freedom of assembly in countries which are considered free and democratically governed in my view is to enable citizens together and express their views without government restrictions. The government must maintain proper channels and structures to ensure that legitimate protest whether political or otherwise can find a voice. Maintaining the freedom to assemble and express dissent remains a powerful indicator of the democratic and political health of a country,’ Justice Constance Byamugisha said in her lead judgement.

The jurist concluded that she found that powers given to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to prohibit the convening of an assembly or procession an unjustified limitation on the enjoyment of the fundamental right and that such limitation ‘is not demonstrably justified in a free and democratic country like Uganda.’ It was as result of this activism that voters in Butambala catapulted Muwanga-Kivumbi to Parliament in 2012 but still this wasn’t a straightforward victory.

The context is that in the 1990s Muwanga-Kivumbi lost a bid to become Makerere University guild president and then he unsuccessfully tried in 2006 to wrestle Butambala County from NRM.

In 2011, Muwanga-Kivumbi, under the banner of the Suubi pressure group and the Democratic Party (DP), placed second, but was no match for NRM’s Faisal Kikulukunyu. That wasn’t the first time Kikulukunyu was being declared victor because in 2001 he had defeated Ibrahim Kaddunabi Lubega who had represented the predominantly Muslim constituency from 1996.

Kaddunabi bounced back in 2006, but four years later Kikulukunyu ensured that the former retired from elective politics into the insurance industry when he defeated him in the NRM primaries. This set off a showdown with Muwanga-Kivumbi. When the Electoral Commission (EC) declared Kikulukunyu winner with a marginal difference, Muwanga-Kivumbi successfully filed a petition on grounds that the victor had bribed voters.

Muwanga-Kivumbi then went on to win parliamentary elections in 2016 and 2021. Erias Mukiibi Sserunjogi, who had been a seasoned political writer and editor with this newspaper, brought Muwanga-Kivumbi’s reign to an end in January. Muwanga-Kivumbi claims ‘they rigged me out and put me in jail for six months, but I’m still alive.’

Speaking to the defiance, he says: ‘NUP has existed for about six years. I believe its work has helped expose the gap between the democratic image presented by the political establishment and the experiences of citizens. The party is not in hibernation. Some of its core members are in prison, while its president and another vice-president are outside the country. The challenges facing the Opposition extend beyond NUP.’

Fiscal discipline

Just as worrying as the reoccurrence of 1970s torture and so-called safe houses is the current economic outlook. In the 11th Parliament, Muwanga-Kivumbi led the Public Accounts Committee-Central. He was a fierce advocate of fiscal discipline, once demonstrating in a paper how Shs5 trillion can be saved from the same.

‘Districts have less discretion over their budgets than people often assume because much of the money goes towards wages, including salaries for teachers and health workers. Many infrastructure projects are managed by central government ministries,’ he told The Transcript.

‘We must examine expenditure on consultants, projects and public institutions. I previously questioned the cost of the Mpigi Expressway, arguing that the amount spent per kilometre required closer scrutiny. Government should also consider whether some expenditure could be redirected towards roads, medicines and other essential services. Fighting corruption requires consistent accountability, not selective scrutiny,’ he added.

On the current economic headwinds that the Shilling has walked into, Muwanga-Kivumbi says the proverbial ball is in the NRM’s court.

‘NUP is not in government, it is a government-in-waiting. Those currently responsible must explain how the country reached this position. The State has a responsibility to support citizens when economic conditions deteriorate. [The] government often cites imported inflation and external factors, but it must also have the capacity to cushion people against economic shocks,’ he told The Transcript.

‘Public finances are under pressure from debt and interest payments. We must examine whether borrowing is productive, how the money is spent and whether the country can meet its obligations without undermining essential services,’ he added.

Pointing to the passing of the Sovereignty Act, Muwanga-Kivumbi says the ruling elite should know that actions have consequences.

‘The legislation has consequences, including the potential to affect financial flows into the country. But we must examine the different sources of foreign exchange rather than attribute everything to one factor. Coffee exports have played an important role in recent years. Increased earnings following disruptions in other coffee-producing countries helped bring foreign currency into Uganda, although those conditions can change,’ he observed.

‘Tourism is another source of foreign exchange. Visitors want to travel to countries where they feel safe, trust the justice system and believe the rule of law is respected. Reports of political repression can damage a country’s image and discourage people from visiting or investing. Economic performance cannot be separated from governance,’ he added.

One month after ascending the throne of Tooro Kingdom, Omukama (King) Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I has embarked on a series of engagements aimed at reconnecting the palace with his subjects, strengthening cultural institutions, and outlining his vision for the kingdom.

Since his coronation on September 29, 2026, as the 15th ruler of Tooro Kingdom, following the death of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV on August 27, Nyabongo I has held meetings with government officials, religious leaders, members of the royal family, cultural leaders and other stakeholders.

His first month has also been characterised by public appearances, visits to places of worship, and administrative decisions to shape the direction of his reign.

On October 29, the king marked one month on the throne, having already undertaken several engagements, including opening the Kingdom Supreme Council, locally known as Orukurato, on October 27.

The King has also named and confirmed key members of his royal establishment, including Omujwera Musuuga Charles Kamurasi, Bateebe Ms Ochora Grace Kiijanangoma and Deputy Musuuga Mr Kato Rwakatale.

The government had earlier formally recognised his kingship through a gazette issued on October 16. Nyabongo received the gazette on October 22 from the State Minister for Gender and Culture, Ms Mary Kamuli Kuteesa.

A reign anchored on development and cultural preservation

In his maiden speech during the coronation ceremony, in the presence of President Yoweri Museveni, Nyabongo outlined a reign focused on complementing government development programmes, promoting social values and mobilising communities to improve their livelihoods.

He acknowledged that although the Constitution does not allow cultural institutions to assume government administrative responsibilities, Tooro Kingdom has an important role in guiding its people, preserving cultural values and helping communities benefit from government programmes.

‘As a kingdom, we have a big role to preserve our culture of Tooro, our norms and traditions, and how our people conduct themselves in public. The kingdom also has another responsibility to advise all those concerned about the goodness of our people,’ he said.

He pledged to use the kingdom’s structures to sensitise communities about government programmes, particularly those intended to improve household incomes and fight poverty.

One day after his coronation, on October 1, Nyabongo launched the measles-rubella vaccination exercise at Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal City, urging parents and guardians to ensure their children receive the vaccines.

He said protecting children’s health was essential to building a healthy kingdom and nation.

Religious outreach and concerns about social values

One of the defining features of Nyabongo’s first month has been his engagement with religious institutions across Tooro.

He has attended prayers organised by different religious denominations, including the Anglican, Catholic, Muslim, Seventh-day Adventist and Pentecostal communities.

During these engagements, his messages have largely centred on responsible parenting, HIV/AIDS prevention, cultural preservation, unity and the need to nurture children into responsible citizens.

At Virika Cathedral on October 18, the king expressed concern about what he described as declining parental responsibility in raising children and passing on cultural values.

He said statistics presented to him indicated that some children were out of school, teenage pregnancies remained a concern, while some boys were engaging in marijuana and other drug use.

‘Parents, I am asking you to let us go back to see that we nurture our children on traditional values; we teach them our Tooro culture. For us, when we were growing up, those bad cultures that our children are embracing were not there; even when they were there, they were at a low rate. People would not hear them,’ he said.

Nyabongo also expressed concern about HIV/AIDS prevalence in Fort Portal, describing the statistics presented to him as worrying.

He called on parents and religious leaders to intensify education among young people about the dangers of early sexual activity and encourage them to make responsible decisions.

‘Let our young people avoid sexual acts because those behaviours are where AIDS comes from; it’s bad to see young girls; for them, they fear getting pregnant; other than getting HIV/AIDs, it pains a lot. You should fear both of them. Let us teach and nurture our child as they grow to be patient until the rightful time,’ he said.

Cancer treatment facility among development pledges

Beyond cultural and social concerns, Nyabongo I has also made development commitments, including a pledge to establish a cancer treatment facility in Tooro, saying the facility would be constructed in memory of his predecessor, the late Omukama Oyo, and would be named King Oyo.

Omukama Nyabongo I, in his last address to his subjects, said he has organized a birthday run, where he will be marking 57 years on December 19, with funds raised expected to support the establishment of the cancer treatment facility.

“Oyo died of cancer, and his cousin and as a kingdom we are organizing birthday run for Omuakama on 19th December and all the money from that run will go towards the establishment of cancer institute, and urge you all who can make to come and run, support to see our cause of cancer institute has been realized,” He said.

The Bishop of Fort Portal Catholic Diocese, Robert K. Muhiirwa, during the church prayers at Virika, asked Omukama to use his influence to rally government support for a specialised cancer treatment facility in Tooro.

‘Let us talk one voice, not be disunited as you [King] have been talking; if we all speak one voice over this issue, it will become easy for us, but if we take different paths, it will be hard. I request that you use your authority and we collaborate to see what we want [cancer facility] to become a reality,’ Bishop Muhiirwa said.

On October 7, Nyabongo opened the 16th annual Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Civil Society Organisations Forum in Fort Portal City, where he pledged to use the kingdom’s cultural structures to mobilise communities towards improved sanitation, protection of water sources and climate change response.

‘The kingdom’s cultural structures are powerful tools for community mobilisation. We will use them to support your work, to encourage our people to adopt good hygiene practices and to protect our natural resources,’ he said.

Sports and youth development

On October 24, he presided over the finals of the fifth edition of the Tooro Kingdom MTN Masaza Cup, held at Kichwamba Technical College playground.

He handed over the trophy to Burahya County and a dummy cheque of Shs 15 million, which defeated Mwenge South 3-0 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in normal time.

The king also handed over the trophy and cash prizes at the second edition of the kingdom’s netball competition, which was won by Mwenge South.

He assured his subjects that discussions with the tournament’s main sponsor, MTN, were ongoing to sustain its support and potentially increase funding in subsequent editions.

He further revealed that the kingdom was exploring possibilities of expanding the competition beyond football and netball to accommodate more sporting disciplines, giving young people wider opportunities to showcase their talents.

Meetings with royal family and other stakeholders

Deputy Musuuga Kato Rwakatale says the king has held several meetings since his coronation, engaging different groups, including government ministries, individuals and clan leaders, both within and outside Tooro.

One of the latest engagements was a meeting with Isaazi ly’Abantu Bakuru ba Tooro on Thursday, October 29. The delegation was led by the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, retired Colonel Tom Butiime.

Another significant engagement was a meeting with members of the Babiito royal clan on October 22, chaired by Omujwera Musuuga Charles Kamurasi.

During the meeting, Nyabongo pledged to work closely with the royal clan and seek its advice before making key decisions, acknowledging that a king cannot reign alone without the support and guidance of his family.

He particularly recognised the experience and contribution of senior members of the clan, including Musuuga Charles Kamurasi.

Administrative reforms and accountability

On the administrative front, Nyabongo moved quickly after his coronation to establish an advisory team of 11 members and appoint Calvin Armstrong Rwomwire Akiiki as acting Prime Minister for a six-month transition period.

However, during the opening of the first Kingdom Supreme Council sitting on October 27, the king directed the acting Prime Minister to present an accountability report detailing the kingdom’s activities, achievements and outstanding matters.

He gave Rwomiire until November 12 to submit the report to the Supreme Council for scrutiny.

The council will then have seven days to examine the report and submit its findings to the king before November 19. The king’s office will also take seven days to review the findings before an extraordinary Supreme Council meeting scheduled for November 27, when he is expected to announce the way forward.

‘That is the reason why I appointed Calvin Armstrong as acting Prime Minister, to help manage the transition period. His appointment was not meant to start a new administration during this period. Now, I want a report from the acting Prime Minister detailing what has been done and what has not been done,’ he said.

He said the accountability process would help the kingdom establish its current position and determine priorities under the new administration.

He added that his reign would promote accountability to the people, government and development partners.

Subjects express optimism

A month into his reign, some subjects say they are already seeing a difference in the way the palace relates to ordinary people.

Omujwera Musuuga Charles Kamurasi said Nyabongo had demonstrated goodwill towards his subjects, particularly through what he described as an open-door policy that allows people to access the palace and hold discussions with the king.

He said several people had also visited the palace to present gifts in appreciation of the new king’s leadership.

‘Omukama, what I have seen with him is that he has goodwill for his people, and what I can predict is that the future of Tooro under his reign is good; he is a leader, he wants unity, and that is what the Batooro want,’ Kamurasi said.

He described the kingdom as undergoing fundamental change, adding that the king’s participation in prayers across different religious institutions demonstrated his commitment to God and respect for different faiths.

Another person, who requested anonymity, said discussions with the king had convinced him that Nyabongo had several development projects in the pipeline that could benefit the kingdom if implemented.

‘This time we have a mature king who has reasoning beyond most of us, his approach to things is different, and he has many plans for the kingdom. If what we discussed is implemented, everyone in Tooro will benefit, and I have seen many people visiting him,’ he said.

Mr Asiimwe Asaph, a resident of Fort Portal City, said he had not witnessed such enthusiasm among the Batooro in the past 30 years as he had seen following Nyabongo’s installation.

He attributed the excitement to what he described as improved access to the king, saying people could now visit the palace, meet him and discuss issues affecting them.

‘For the first time, people visit the palace and find him there. I have not heard anyone complaining that he has not seen the king. People have taken pictures and held discussions with him. This is the king we all wanted, not a king who does not want to give people the time he is leading,’ Asiimwe said.

He also commended the king for respecting different religious denominations and using religious platforms to address issues such as HIV/AIDS prevention, responsible parenting and teenage pregnancy.