To this pastoral letter, I recommend that you add what has been written in a previous joint pastoral letters of all the Bishops of Uganda (1952): “The Christian and His Country”. (Omukristu n’ensi yabobwe).

Read that document again carefully. In all your present difficulties and those which might befall you in the future, trust in God, have recourse to the blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of God and Queen of Buganda they will never forsake you. May the Virgin Mary continue at all times to show that She is really OUR MOTHER. APPENDIX

Constitutional Monarch

Many Baganda might not understand for what reason the Kabaka was taken out of politics to become a Constitutional Monarch. I have already explained to you how the form of government in Buganda went through changes until it allowed representatives to be elected by the people When a country with a king reaches the stage where its government is ruled by its people, such a country may, still want to keep its kings and for that reason it takes its kings out of politics.

When political parties are established in a country, if the king still mixes up in politics the kingship is on the way to digging its own grave. We have the example of, other countries to prove that, and therefore Buganda showed clear-sightedness when she decided on Constitutional Monarchy many countries have lost their kings, even though the people loved them and took much pride in them. They lost them because they remained in politics after the country had accepted political parties opposing one another.

These parties clashed with the kings whom they saw blocking the way to their ends, and they overthrew them in such a way that they could never again find supporters. The reason is evident since the country stands on parties in opposition to one another and the king remains involved in politics, he himself supporting one of the parties. When a king supports one party, he shows himself as being no more the king of all his people, but only of that section of his people of which he says. “These are my men who really care for me, and among whom I am hiding”. Those whom he has chosen in such a way may flatter him as much a they can so that they may pass or reject whatever they want, even if they themselves know that what they are going to do is not right. As for the people that the king has rejected, their hearts sink into rancor. They still struggle in the political field, and as in politics there are always changes in which there is much friction. One day, they might overthrow the party that the king has supported and then, as they hold power, they will say to the king: “Go with the others, follow your friends.” And then those who were supporting him since they have been overthrown will merely look at what is happening. They can no more fight for him even should they wish to do so.

That is why I do not like these slogans of “Kabaka yekka” (the Kabaka alone) or the party or the activities, which they say is “to be behind the throne or “to fight for the throne” or “support the Lukiiko”. Among the parties already established, there is not a single one that has done anything on which could be based the accusation: “Now it is evident, that such party wants to destroy the throne!” Even more, if the Government could prove such a thing, it would be deeply guilty not to take that party to the Court of justice and file a suit against it.

Those “Kabaka Yekka supporters and the others who flatter themselves that they are the defenders of the throne and of -the King, are the ones who will spoil our royalty by dragging the king in the hack-wash of politics. In fact, they are just seeking their own end. If it as accepted and approved by the Lukiko that the people throughout the counties would elect the candidates who say; “We are behind the Lukiiko, we are the defenders of the Kabaka, we fight for the “throne”, it is possible that it would succeed. But this would be only temporary and would be most detrimental to the nation, because the opposition of the other candidates who do not support that party would turn against the Kabaka himself and the Lukiiko, who would belong to a different party. Perhaps those who support one side will be angry with me because I brought them, to light and exposed them and because I gave, the alarm to the Baganda who still have a sincere love for their country and for the throne.

However, I hope that many who were blindfolded will be grateful to me and will be pleased to see that I have brought to light the snare hidden in the ground which was invisible to them; now if anyone wants to tread on it and is caught in it, everyone will be able to tell him: “After all, you trod on it while you saw it clearly”. Compete in parties which are known; but such slogans as “Kabaka Alone” “we are behind “the throne”, “we back the Lukiko”, keeping away from them.

+J.K.

Pastoral letter of the Most Rev Joseph Kiwanuka D.D. Archbishop of Rubaga (Uganda) ARCHIBISHOP OF RUBAGA (UGANDA) CHURCH AND STATE Guiding principles in (November 1961).

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