Gashumba’s trip to Bulange Mengo comes shortly after the family of the late Joseph Tamale Mirundi, another fierce critic of Mayiga, visited the Prime Minister to offer an apology on behalf of the deceased.
Frank Gashumba, this Monday morning paid a visit to Bulange, Mengo, where he issued a formal apology to the Prime Minister of Buganda, Charles Peter Mayiga. Gashumba, known for his outspoken nature, had long been one of the Prime Minister’s most vocal critics. Over the years, he was aligned with figures like Joseph Tamale Mirundi and Sheikh Nuhu Muzaata, who accused Mayiga of undermining the political influence of Mengo, leading to what they perceived as the diminished political strength of the Kabaka and the Buganda Kingdom.
Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga addressing Gashumba and his team at Bulange, Mengo
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During their meeting on Monday, Prime Minister Charles Peter Mayiga expressed awareness of the criticism Gashumba had directed towards him in recent years, stating that he had heard the remarks but refrained from responding in order to uphold the decorum expected of a leader of Buganda.
Frank Gashumba and Charles Peter Mayiga
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“I am the King’s Prime Minister, and I could not respond to him because that would be bad leadership,” Mayiga noted.
“A man once shot Pope John Paul, and he was arrested and jailed. But we were shocked one day to see the pope posing with the man who nearly ended his life. So I thought, what about me who was not even shot—someone who just said words about me—coming to have a drink with me?” he shared
“People do a lot of things in the pursuit of success. Some are looking for money, others for honour. But this success can diminish. What never diminishes are the words we say. Words can be more dangerous than money and fame. Therefore, if someone seeks to make amends and fix the damage that was done, this is good for all of us. I do accept the apology, and I agree to the restoration of our friendship.”
He also urged Gashumba to desist from using abusive language, suggesting that it is sufficient to present facts without resorting to insults.
Gashumba apologises
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On his part, Frank Gashumba voiced his remorse noting that he was wrong to have gone against the people of Buganda who graciously accommodated Rwanda refugees decades ago.
"My grandparents came here from Rwanda in 1922. There is no place in Uganda that welcomed Rwandans like Buganda. Buganda was the only place in this country where Rwandans came in and did not need to have refugee camps,” he said.
Prime Minister Mayiga and Frank Gashumba at Bulange
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“That was why before our grandfather died in 1984, he told us never to be antagonistic with Buganda and its people,” Gashumba stated.
He expressed his desire to rekindle the relationship with Mayiga, describing how their bond had gone through “little misunderstandings” but emphasised the counsel he received from elders, including the late Bishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, to seek reconciliation.
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Gashumba admitted to having regrets over his past actions and statements, acknowledging that he sometimes lost his temper.
“At times we lose our cool; there are videos of me that I look at and wonder if it was me that said such words. It was all a mistake. I last came here in 2010.”
He concluded by expressing a wish to return to Mengo with other members of the Rwandan community. “I would request you to allow me next time to come back here with my fellow Rwandans because they love and they love the kingdom.”
The meeting ended on a positive note, with both parties expressing their willingness to put the past behind them and move forward in unity.
