The swearing-in ceremony of ministers from Bunyala chiefdom took a dramatic turn at the Ssabanyala palace in Kyerima, where Maj (Rtd) Baker Kimeze narrowly survived a lynching by his own family members. The ceremony, intended for over 93 Ssabanyala ministers, was disrupted by objections from relatives who claimed it was being held at the family home, not the palace.
Tensions escalated as family members of Kimeze thumped and chased away newly appointed chiefdom ministers, leading to chaos and even tear gas from the police. The situation reached a point where some relatives stripped naked in front of Kimeze, the cultural leader of the Banyala Chiefdom, before police intervention allowed him to escape.
The root of the disturbance lay in allegations that Kimeze had sold family land worth Shs5 billion without consulting his relatives. Despite attempts to reach out to him through various channels, including government officials, the family claimed they received no response.
While the family insisted they were not disrupting the ceremony but seeking answers about the sold land, the chief guest, Public Service Minister Wilson Muruli Mukasa, refrained from attending the venue after stopping at a hotel in Kayunga, returning to Kampala disappointed.
The family’s grievances centered on the sale of land covering over 1000 acres at Nabityanka village in Bbale county, Kayunga district. They emphasized that their concern was not with Kimeze’s position as Ssabanyala but with the circumstances surrounding the sale of family property.
Sebunya Nathan Mapagi, Kimeze’s elder brother, emphasized that Kimeze had no authority to sell the family inheritance, as he was not in charge of the family estates.
Amidst the turmoil, Chiefdom information minister Derrick Kaddu pointed fingers at Kayunga district politician Mengo for fueling the incident. Kaddu asserted that despite the disruption, the Banyala would proceed with swearing in their leaders next month, asserting their independence.
