On the evening of July 25, 2024, the Kyabazinga of Busoga, William Gabula Nadiope IV, arrived in Eswatini for an official visit at the invitation of King Mswati III. This visit aims to strengthen the ties between the two kingdoms through discussions on various collaborative initiatives.
Kyabazinga and his delegation were warmly welcomed at King Mswati III International Airport in Manzini, Eswatini, by the Honorary Consul of Uganda in Eswatini, Tobius Kamugisha, and local officials. The reception included enthusiastic cheers and ululations from Basoga living and working in Eswatini, who greeted their leader with a Ugandan flag.
The delegation from Busoga included prominent figures such as Owek. Alhaj Osman Ahmed Noor, the second deputy Prime Minister; Arnold Nadiope, a prince and brother to Kyabazinga; Yudaya Babirye, the Kyabazinga affairs minister; Richard Mafumo, Minister of Culture and head of the clans’ council in Busoga; Ivan Kiirya, finance state minister; Prince Wilson Nadiope; and Andrew Kawanguzi.
The group’s journey from Entebbe to Eswatini involved multiple flights: first from Entebbe to Nairobi with Kenya Airways, then from Nairobi to Johannesburg, and finally from O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg to King Mswati III International Airport in Eswatini via Eswatini Air.
According to Quillino Bamwine, the Honorary Consul of Eswatini in Uganda, the two kingdoms plan to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) during this visit. The MOU will focus on promoting sustainable development through collaboration in health, education, ICT, sports, infrastructure, industrialization, trade, and employment. Additionally, cooperation will be sought in culture, tourism, agriculture, food security, environmental conservation, and energy.
During his stay, Kyabazinga is scheduled to participate in various engagements, including a gala dinner marking the end of the sixth year of sponsorship for the Ingwenyama Golf Tournament Cup. Kyabazinga will serve as the Chief Guest at this event.
Kamugisha expressed his enthusiasm about Kyabazinga’s visit, highlighting that it would further strengthen the bond between the two kingdoms. He noted that King Mswati III had previously sent a delegation to attend Kyabazinga’s wedding in Jinja last November as a gesture of goodwill.
Kamugisha, as Uganda’s representative in Eswatini, aims to make the visit memorable by facilitating meetings with Ugandans residing in Eswatini and organizing visits to local tourist attractions.
Richard Mafumo, Busoga’s culture minister, mentioned that the idea for this exchange visit was conceived following a recent visit by an Eswatini delegation to Kyabazinga at his Igenge Palace in Jinja. Mafumo believes this visit will enhance the relationship between the two kingdoms and promote cultural exchange.
Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered by Mozambique to the northeast and South Africa to the north, west, south, and southeast.
