Buganda King Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II on Thursday called for unity among his subjects as the monarch celebrated his 68th birthday at Bulange Mengo.
In a brief speech at the ceremony attended by a select team of about 200 invited guests, Kabaka Mutebi said unity was the surest path for the subjects to succeed.
“Unity is the main foundation to our victory and I request for more support. Let us fight against HIV by abstaining from unprotected sex, going for testing and taking medication as prescribed by the doctors,” he said.
The birthday celebration was the third public appearance in less than a week following his return from a routine medical check-up in Germany.
The Kabaka applauded his subjects for being committed, supportive and sticking to the main objective of supporting and protecting the kingdom despite the existing challenges.
The Premier of the Buganda Kingdom, Mr Charles Peter Mayiga, said that Kabaka’s birthday is significant because it is not about counting the number of years he has lived but to see how his life has impacted the kingdom.
“During the reign of Kabaka Mutebi II, we have witnessed the revolution of science and innovation, this has enhanced the development within the kingdom and the most development we have witnessed is the restoration of the Buganda Kingdom,’’ Mr Mayiga said.
“Celebrating 68th birthday means the Buganda Kingdom is becoming stronger as the years pass by, this initiative started when he was 38 and now he has made 68 this is really a blessing. This year’s celebration was under the theme of culture and heritage, history of the kingdom which means these two have been promoted and protected,” he added.
He also revealed that it’s now ten years since the kingdom started to put health issues at the fore while celebrating the king’s birthday. “We have put emphasis on health issues because we realised that people have abandoned taking care of their health and end up getting non-communicable diseases. We have warned the public on self-medication because it’s very dangerous.’
