King Mumbere recounts his long walk to freedom and promises a new Rwenzururu on homecoming

Rwennzururu King (Omusinga) Charles Wesley Mumbere finally stepped foot in his Kingdom for the first time in six years and 11 months and was treated to a triumphant welcome by a sea of subjects who thronged Kasese town and brought business to a standstill.

Jubilations were building up for weeks as the joyous subjects assembled all traditional music instruments and two days to the homecoming of the Omusinga, there were several rehearsal scenes in all corners of Kasese town. While those financially able made their way from across the Rwenzori region to welcome the Omusinga, many remained in their home towns making merry and dancing to the traditional tunes like the xylophone, the drums, the flutes and other kinds that people born in the 21st century had not seen before.

After touching down at the Kasese Airfield the same place he was flown out of the kingdom on the Uganda Peoples’ Defense Forces (UPDF) chopper following his arrest on November 27, 2016, the Omusinga and his family could not believe what they saw. People from all walks of life matched along with his motorcade in the streets of Kasese before he could address them at the Kilembe Mines Golf Course later in the day.

End to horrors

The Omusinga’s return wiped the persistent tears in the eyes and the inner-bleeding of the subjects who can now put to rest the memories of the horror scenes that they witnessed on November 26 and 27, 2016 when the UPDF and police raided several cultural sites and finally the palace. What can never be erased from the minds of the people is the fact that over 100 people including 16 security personnel died in the deadly clashes.

The burden on the Kingdom officials during social functions in the area has been giving routine updates on the welfare of the Omusinga and his co-accused who were incarcerated in Kirinya prison in Jinja.

The charges preferred by the state were mind-blowing to the subjects who still believe there was no “wrong doing” on the side of the institution in the build up to the clashes. The Omusinga and over 200 co-accused persons (about 10 of whom died in prison) most of them his former traditional guards had charges of treason, terrorism, murder, aggravated robbery, robbery and being in possession of illegal firearms slapped on them.

The State withdrew all these charges on June 13, 2023 after what sources close to the process described as more than five years of dialogue between the Kingdom and the Government.

New Rwenzururu

While addressing a mammoth crowd of his subjects on October 4, the Omusinga described his return as a “walk from the desert” saying that though he still believed in making his way back alive, it has not been an easy journey.

“Time away from Rwenzori is like time spent in the desert. I thank His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for his magnanimity and kindness to drop the numerous charges that had been placed on us. We were all set free on June 13, 2023 and from then on, we are free indeed.” Said Omusinga to the applause of his subjects.

The Omusinga who as a condition of his bail terms in January 2017 was restricted to movements only around Kampala, Wakiso and Jinja districts preached a message of hope among his subjects despite the fact that there remain families with answered questions because their loved ones either died or have never been seen again after the UPDF and police raid on the Buhikira royal palace.

“We need to put the past behind us and go into the future with confidence built on the foundation of love, peace, forgiveness, reconciliation and social-cultural and economic transformation” the Omusinga guided.

He added that; “ Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu is your platform for a collective voice and inductive development. We are committed to ensure that our people engage in productive and profitable ventures both for the present and for the future generation especially in the area of conservation and tree-growing in order to sustain or restore the glacier on Mount Rwenzori in collaboration with the relevant government ministries and departments”

What next

The Omusinga laid down a five-point agenda that the cultural institution should embark on immediately after settling back in the Kingdom. Top on the agenda is reconciliation through community dialogues; truth and reconciliation meetings; cultural exchange programmes; and, conflict resolution workshops.

Because of the nature of settlement in the Rwenzori region, the Omusinga’s other agenda is to promote unity in diversity. He said that this will be achieved through; inclusive policies; community empowerment; education and awareness; and, interfaith initiatives.

Other notable programmes are on peace promotion across the region that has Toro and Obudhingya Bwa Bwamba as other recognized cultural institutions; supporting drives for socio-economic transformation; and, working on the mindset change.

Having stayed peacefully at his Kampala residence for nearly seven years, he commended the Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II for his hospitality and also for giving a message of sympathy when the Rwenzururu was under conflict with the State.

New palace

Currently, the Kingdom administration is rallying the subjects to raise money for the construction of a new palace away from the site of the now bushy Buhikira royal palace that was burnt to ashes during the raid. There is also an alternative of forking out Shs4.6b to purchase the Springs International Hotel whose proprietor is former army commander, the late Maj Gen James Kasizini, which subjects believe is suitable for a modern palace.

However, the political leaders in the area continue to call on the government to aid the institution by constructing a new palace at one of the two sites that have already been proposed. On Tuesday, Bukonzo West legislator, Godfrey Atkins Katusabe while speaking on the floor of Parliament, made it clear that the Omusinga was going to be hosted in a house of one of his subjects and there is an urgent need to build a new palace.

“We don’t have what we used to call a palace and my prayer this afternoon is to ask the government that in the next financial year put resources in place to construct a new palace. I asked the colleagues for support to have the palace constructed by the Government of Uganda”, Katusabe said.

State Minister for Culture, Peace Mutuuzo told the crowd welcoming the Omusinga that issues to do with the rehabilitation of the institution including requests for the construction of a new palace have already been discussed with the government.