In a bizarre development, President Museveni on Monday has embarked on visit to South Africa to hold ‘bilateral talks’ with embattled South African president Jacob Zuma.
This news comes at the back of the recent conflict between Uganda Police and UPDF forces in Kasese that left many dead including 14 police officers and 46 royal guards during a confrontation at the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu palace of Charles Wesley Mumbere in Kasese District on Sunday.
Museveni’s decision to visit South Africa in the face of the recent upheaval in Kasese has been seen by some as a power play to put Mumbere ‘in check’ as he awaits his fate on possible treason charges.
There’s a lot to unpack here, so let’s make it as simple as possible.
Critics of the NRM government argue that the president’s ill-timed visit to South Africa at a time of pressing concern in the country is a deliberate ruse to stifle Mumbere’s growing separatist sentiments and an outright abdication of his responsibilities to ensure peace and stability in the country.
On Monday, 28 November 2016, Patrick Mugumya, the Editorial Director at Namanve based Red Pepper newspaper cast a sceptical picture at Mr Museveni’s ill-timed visit downsouth; “When the President leaves the country during a crisis, its prudent to be very careful. The people he leaves in charge tend to be very brutal.”
The Bakonzo tribe and subjects of the Rwenzururu Kingdom right now find themselves victims of ‘persecution’ following last weekend’s offensive at Palace.
The guards were killed in an exchange with UPDF soldiers according to Rwenzori East police spokesperson Mansur Suwed.
For years, as Mumbere cared for the elderly and sick, none of his colleagues suspected that he had inherited a royal title when he was just 13.
The King of Uganda’s Mountains of the Moon has undergone many transformations – from the a teenage leader of a rebel force to impoverished student to a nursing home assistant working two jobs in the US, where he lived for nearly 25 years.
When the Ugandan government decided to reinstate the traditional kingdoms, Mr Mumbere lobbied the Rwenzururu Kingdom to be among them.
After 10 years of negotiation, President Museveni announced in August the government would recognise the Rwenzururu Kingdom as Uganda’s seventh kingdom.
Government recognition does not grant any executive power but allows the monarchs to determine cultural and social issues affecting their people.
Mumbere only retired from the Rwenzururu armed force in 1982 when he led fis forces from the mountains and surrendered to the Obote government.
Now due to the ongoing clashes, his arrest on Sunday November 27th, 2016 and President Museveni’s decision to go to South Africa instead of holding talks with Mumbere, it is unclear if he will be released or if he will face charges.
So why does Museveni and Mumbere have these differences?
Political analysts say Mumbere wants be king of Rwenzori covering Kasese, Tooro and former Bundibugyo something that President Museveni is well bent to stop, and as a remedy when ahead and appointed a cultural leader for the Bamba. This annoys Mumbere.
As if that wasn’t enough problem for Mumbere, The Basongora installed their own cultural leader in Kasese courtyard. Mumbere protest this but the government ignored his protestations. To pile up misery for Mumbere, the Banyabindi too demands their own cultural leader. He complains that Museveni is willing to listen to the cases of the Basongora and Banyabindi but not Bakonzo’s as was the case before. This gives Mumbere political stress and pressure.
Mumbere actually made the biggest mistake of his life by publicly campaign for the opposition.
Mubatsi Asinja Habati, a journalist who hails from the Rwenzori area weighs on on the matter from this angle; One particular incident of great concern was after the 2001 parliamentary and presidential elections. Kasese again had voted overwhelmingly for the candidates that did not support the Movement system. In March that year Kasese town woke up to the sad news of over 11 people killed and 54 cars burnt to ashes by allegedly ADF rebels. After this incident several pro-Obusinga politicians were arrested by central government. Here again some people in Rwenzori began feeling persecuted.
In the 2006 presidential election President Museveni was again defeated in Kasese by FDC’s Kizza Besigye. It was the only district in Western Uganda where Museveni lost to an opponent. The reason for the presidential defeat in Kasese was failure to recognize Obusinga.
Museveni got some homework to do. He soon set up the Kajura Commision into the Rwenzururu Obusinga question. The results of the commission showed that over 85% of the population supported the Obusinga with Mumbere as the preferred king.
But in 2009, after years of political upheaval and financial struggle, Mr Mumbere, 56, was finally crowned king of his people to the sound of drum beats and thousands of cheering supporters wearing cloth printed with his portrait.
President Museveni officially declared recognition of the then 300,000-strong Rwenzururu Kingdom. Mr Museveni has restored the traditional kingdoms banned by his predecessor in 1967, but has been adamant that they restrict themselves to cultural duties and keep out of politics.
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So, in the 2011 general elections Museveni won back Kasese district although with minimal margin. However, in 2016 election Museveni’s political party NRM lost Kasese at presidential and parliamentary level. Why? Reasons are many. Poor service delivery, perceived marginalization and desire to always oppose.
In the last campaigns, he said, the incumbent should let others takeover… Enough is enough! That sent Museveni fuming and is determined to chip Mumbere’s wings.
The NRM went on and lost Kasese big time. Museveni attributes that loss to Mumbere’s intervention and remarks. He will never forgive Mumbere.
In March 2016, a dispute over Hima town council LC III election resulted in deaths of civilians. Rwenzururu royal guards were pinpointed in these attacks in Kasese. Situation got worse in Bundibugyo over dispute of the LC V elections and lives were lost.
Earlier on, in 2014 there were attacks on military and police installations in Kasese, Ntoroko and Bundibugyo districts leaving at least 100 people mainly civilians (‘attackers’) dead. A minister in Rwenzururu kingdom one Vincent Kipilongo is alleged to have confessed to have mobilized the youth in these attacks. Some Rwenzururu officials were arrested. Some of the suspects who participated in these attacks were tried in the court martial and some acquitted. Others are still in prison. Some suspects who surrendered were given amnesty.
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But where is Kipiliongo? Why did he the young people to carry out these attacks? What is being done to those he indoctrinated? What does this say about Rwenzururu leadership? And more important what should be done to end this violence in Rwenzori? Is it not time for the palace to control its supporters?
Could it be that those who opposed Obusinga recognition are working behinds the scenes to say we told you?
