#OutToLunch: Watoto’s Kabaka anniversary do and why ability transcends DNA

What the report says

In an op-ed published by Watchdog Uganda, Denis Jjuuko reflects on the 33rd anniversary of the coronation of Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, tying the memory of the 1993 event to a recent commemoration held at Watoto Church in Bweyogerere. The article says the anniversary gathering drew a large and diverse audience, including religious leaders from different faiths and political figures, and notes that the Kabaka did not attend in person on medical advice, though supporters marked the occasion in his honor.

The writer uses the event to argue that culture and religion can coexist, especially for younger, urban Ugandans who may be less connected to traditional institutions. He highlights Watoto Church’s role in hosting the ceremony as unusual for a major Buganda kingdom event, and presents it as a sign of broad social participation rather than a purely cultural or religious affair.

The piece then shifts to leadership and succession, citing Watoto’s history as Kampala Pentecostal Church and the transition from its Canadian founders, Garry Skinner and his wife, to Pastor Julius Rwotlonyo, who is not a family member. The broader point is that organizations and businesses should build systems that allow capable successors to lead, rather than treating family connection as the main qualification. The op-ed frames that lesson as relevant for Ugandan institutions where leadership transitions can be contentious.