President Yoweri Museveni has called on the leaders of the Rwenzururu Kingdom in Kasese and Obundhingiya in Bundibugyo to stop dragging the NRM government into kingdom matters.
Mr Museveni also asked the leaders to separate Obusinga issues from administrative units and told them to give time to the government to internalize the matters surrounding requests for Bugendera to be given a district status.
The President was meeting delegations from the two cultural institutions at State House Entebbe, led by Wilson Mutabazi Mukirane and Fulgensio Bamwitirebye of Kasese and Bundibugyo, respectively.
“Rwenzori sub-region is an area whose people actively participated in the protracted people’s struggle. There are three kings who are officially known. The fourth one is not yet recognized. Observe the national Constitution,” he said.
On the issue of land, the President warned that they cannot stop any Ugandan from owning property in any part of the country, and said that Omukama Oyo Kabamba Iguru of Tooro has got the right to visit and access his personal property in Kasese district.
He further warned them against involving Kings in matters of other people’s pieces of land
President Museveni was unhappy to note that many youth in that sub-region who attacked the army were killed. He revealed that the Government granted amnesty to those that survived that conflict but added that the people who killed the Basongora civilian families, would not be forgiven. He stressed that the law would take its course against those who killed civilians.
He said that the NRM Government’s role is to develop infrastructure such as roads and maintain peace and security.
The leader of the Bundibugyo delegation, Mr Bamwitirebye, assured the President that Bamba and Bakonzo communities were currently living in harmony. He thanked the President for government’s support of Shs 200million towards the construction of their palace and for the continued peace and security in the Rwenzori region and the entire country.
During the meeting, the President also took the opportunity to welcome Mr Taban Christopher Kibanzanga and Mr Gideon Mugisa to the National Resistance Movement (NRM).
The two leaders took an oath of allegiance to the NRM before the President and the leaders of Bukonzo and Bwamba.
