In 1993, the central government of Uganda reinstated the Kingdom of Buganda, and in the same year, Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II ascended to the throne. After three years, in 1996, Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II initiated and registered a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) named the Kabaka Foundation. The foundation is headquartered at the kingdom’s seat, Bulange, in Kampala, Uganda, and aims to enhance the well-being of the Kabaka’s subjects through initiatives in education, health, economic empowerment, and the preservation and promotion of Ganda culture.
The organization collaborates with central government departments, development partners, and private entities to implement its interventions. Health camps, both locally and internationally, are organized to address non-communicable diseases, alongside campaigns on sanitation, hygiene, and blood donation drives. The Kabaka Foundation focuses on serving children, youth, women, and persons with disabilities residing in Mugotteko (slum) areas, constituting 47% of the Buganda Kingdom’s population.
In 1999, Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, along with the then Katikiro of Buganda, Oweekitibwa Joseph Mulwanyamuli Ssemwogerere, established the second branch of the Kabaka Foundation in the Scandinavian countries, with its headquarters in Sweden. This branch plays a vital role in mobilizing and coordinating Kabaka’s subjects, engaging in fundraising initiatives to support health, education, women’s and youth empowerment, philanthropy, and Kabaka’s Trail activities in Buganda and Uganda.
Educational contributions are directed towards sponsoring young individuals who lack the opportunity for formal education. Other contributions are utilized to enhance healthcare services, construct modern toilets, and improve general hygiene and sanitation in rural and Mugotteko communities of Kabaka’s subjects. In Sweden, campaigns, including blood donation drives, aim to raise funds for individuals affected by HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, Fistula, and children suffering from sickle cell disease in Buganda Kingdom and Uganda at large. Health camps organized in Scandinavian countries specifically target mental health challenges prevalent among the local population.
The promotion of Ganda culture in Scandinavia involves organizing cultural days featuring Luganda book readings, traditional food preparation, cultural dance competitions, and programs about clans under the philanthropy initiative. Additionally, the Kabaka’s Trails promote tourism by facilitating tours of different cultural sites related to the kings of Buganda during holidays.
Mr. Seruwu Godfrey serves as the Executive Director, coordinating Kabaka Foundation programs, with a Board of ten members, each contributing diverse professional backgrounds, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in serving Kabaka’s mission. Everyone in Scandinavia is urged to join Kabaka’s call to transform the lives of people in Mugotteko communities.
