Eighteen years before Rwenzururu King Charles Mumbere was arrested and detained after government forces raided his palace, President Museveni proclaimed that the former rebel as a killer.
The bizarre premise was outlined in President Museveni’s address to Members of Parliament in 1998 on the security situation in the Great Lakes Region, where he warned Mumbere against killing Ugandans that he (Mumbere) was trying to become King over the Rwenzori region.
“I made newspaper clip cuttings, put them in a file and I gave each of the leaders who met in Victoria Falls, Zimbabawe a copy of these stories which are always published here,” Museveni told MPs.
“I gave them the horror stories – 50 children burnt alive in Kichwamba .. I do not know how many people massacred committed by these barbarians who are supported by some political elements some of whom are receiving wonderful allowances from the state,” he added.
“Like recently remember this Mukonjo king Charles Mumbler Irema-Ngoma, all these people who have been dying in the Rwenzori mountains, this fella has been behind it and yet he says he wants to be king.
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Museveni – Mumbere timeline
1989: NALU fighters carry out attacks on government officials in Kasese, killing some local council leaders.
1993: NALU defeated after a failed attack on Kasese in 1992. Its leader Amon Bazira is assassinated in Nairobi in August of 1993.
1993: Government overruns an ADF encampment where it captures documents that associate Charles Mumbler Irema-Ngoma with the rebellion.
1995: Remnants of NALU join forces with the Tabliq sect and together form the Allied Democratic Force (ADF).
1998: Dr. Crispus Kiyonga and Al Hajji Moses Kigongo convene a meeting of Bakonzo tribal leaders to discuss the allegations of Mumbere’s connection to ADF.
1998: In September, a decision is arrived at to allow Charles Wesley Mumbere to come home within a period not exceeding 3 months. Museveni warns Mumbere against killing Ugandans while he was trying to become King overthe Rwenzori region.
1998: In November, Mumbere arrives in the country and stays until January 1999.
2000: A letter is written to President Museveni that explains the Rwenzururu Kingdom as being multi-ethnic comprising Baamba, Bakonzo, Basongora, Banyabindi and Banande.
2001: Museveni lifts the ban on the Rwenzururu Kingdom
2003: Remnants of ADF supported by Mumbere defeated and they flee to DRC.
2004: Mumbere arrives in Uganda on December 24, 2004.
2005: Mumbere meets Museveni in January.
2009: Museveni publicly confirms his recognition of the Obusinga bra Rwenzururu. Coronation of Charles Mumbere takes place in October at the Buhikira Royal Palace
2016: In November, Charles Mumbere is arrested and taken to Nalufenya prison in Jinja charged with murder of a police officer, awaits terrorism and treason charges.
