President Yoweri Museveni has sent a special message to Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu King-Charles Wesley Mumbere Iremangoma as the hitherto troubled Bakonjo cultural leader begins a journey to rebuild his kingdom.
Mumbere who is fresh from a line of sanctions by court over his alleged involvement in treasonous cases, is now back to his kingdom to pick it up from the ruins it became following a security operation commanded by Gen. Peter Elweru in 2016 which left scores dead and many others including the king jailed.
Now back to Kasese as a free man, the King today held celebrations to mark 57 years on the throne, in a colorful function presided over by the Vice President Maj. Jessica Alupo who ably represented her boss Gen. Yoweri Museveni.
“I am happy to observe that the King who is the recognized custodian of the Bakonjo culture, is now back to his Kingdom to perform his royal and cultural duties. Your Royal Highness, as you embark on the noble task of building your Kingdom, I ask that you incorporate the message of wealth creation at the household level in your programme” Museveni said in a speech delivered by roving-eyes’ Queen Jessica Alupo.
The president through workaholic Alupo congratulated Mumbere and his family upon his return to Kasese, noting that the warm reception that he received from his subjects was befitting.
“I applaud the Banyarwenzururu, Nabanyarwenzururu kali for the befitting welcome and love which you showed the Omusinga, Nyabaghole, the Crown Prince and the Princesses on the 4thof October, 2023. This is proof that the King and the Kingdom occupy a central place in the social and cultural lives of the people of this area” the head of state said.
Museveni affirmed that his government supports what he called the legitimate interests of the Bakonjo people and other Communities in Uganda to freely organize and express their unique cultural norms, customs and languages.
He therefore, thanked the Omusinga for appointing an able and focused Administration led by the Omulerembera, Hon.
Joseph Kule Muranga, saying this new Administration has re-oriented the Kingdom towards the ‘correct path’ of cultural development and socio-economic transformation of Mumbere’s subjects.
DON’T FIGHT GOVERNMENT
The president cautioned the leadership of the Kingdom to maintain good relations with the government. He said this will help to address the challenges of poverty, diseases, employment and the criminality of the ADF rebels whom he said are desperate and defeated following destruction of their camps in Eastern DRC by the UPDF.
He said the ADF’s recent killing of foreigners [tourists], school children, traders and other softer targets are their desperate attempt to distract the UPDF’s efforts in DRC, but he assured that such acts will be the final chapter of their existence anywhere on earth.
“I encourage the people of Rwenzori region to back the security forces by exercising constant vigilance in order to identify, isolate and wipe out the wrong elements in your communities” he said.
CO-EXISTENCE
Museveni noted that the area has many tribes but urged leaders in Rwenzori to promote unity, tolerance and co-existence among the different tribes in the region.
He referred the leaders to the philosophy of NRM which he said prioritizes interests as opposed to identity.
He lectured that interests are always more important than Identity because interests are common to all people.
“There is no tribe or religion that doesn’t want a school, a hospital, a road, or electricity. When somebody opportunistically highlights identity (religion, tribe, etc.) instead of highlighting interests, he or she acts against the people’s prosperity. That unprincipled highlighting of identity is a pseudo-diagnosis of societal problems” he said adding that almost inevitably, it creates friction which results into conflict that scares away investments, diverts resources from infrastructure to security and above all, leads to tension.
He therefore urged the leaders to concentrate on working for the legitimate interests of the people.
ENTERPRISE SELECTION
The General from Rwakitura, said the primary focus of his government is to trigger the socio-economic transformation of Uganda.
He said this has been made possible through guaranteed peace and stability-a precursor for development; united the people of Uganda by rejecting the poison of sectarianism, on account of tribe, gender, age and religion. Others are improvement on the human resource through universal education and mass immunization of all children; building modern infrastructure like roads and power generation dams among others.
He thus said what remains is helping the wanainchi to transform those advantages into wealth for their families and jobs for the young people.
“Development alone is not enough though it must come first. Development is a collective good for everyone. It must, however, be translated into jobs and wealth for the families in order to be meaningful” he explained.
Museveni advised that the people of Rwenzururu Kingdom should be mobilized to join the four sectors of: commercial agriculture, services, industries and ICT. He said the government has created wealth funds like the Emyooga and the Parish Development Model to extend credit to organized groups engaged in production of goods and services.
“Therefore, I urge the Kingdom to sensitize and guide the people on enterprise selection in order to ensure profitability.
“I, once again, congratulate your Royal Highness, the Royal
Family, the Banyarwenzururu, Nabanyarwenzururu kali, upon reaching the 57thCoronation Anniversary and wish you peaceful celebrations” he summed up amid wild cheers!
