There was drama at Riviera Hotel in Hoima this morning when Major Roland Kakooza Mutale showed up at a meeting convened by the parliamentary committee on natural resources to hold consultations with local leaders, Bunyoro Kingdom officials and civil society organizations. Mutale stormed the meeting in the company of six other unidentified people.
The Members of Parliament led by Hanifa Kawooya, the Sembabule district Woman legislator asked Mutale to explain how his group was attending the meeting. The controversial veteran soldier told the committee he and his colleagues were representatives of Bunyoro Kingdom. However, Kawooya insisted that she could not sit and talk to strangers.
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Steven Biraahwa Mukitale, the Buliisa Couny MP also expressed doubts whether Mutale had been delegated by Bunyoro Kingdom to represent it at the meeting. Mukitale argued that the kingdom have several competent officials including its prime minister. He suggested that Bunyoro Kingdom be consulted to ascertain claims by Major Mutale that he had been sent to represent it.
As a result Michael Werikhe, chairperson parliamentary committee on natural resources, adjourned the meeting for several minutes to resolve the matter. Yolamu Nsamba, the principal secretary in Bunyoro Kingdom rushed to the hotel to vouch for Mutale, telling a few Banyoro hanging outside the hotel that Mutale had been sent by the Omukama to represent the Kingdom. Nsamba said there was no need to question Mutale because he is a Munyoro from Kiyuni in Mubende district.
Jackson Wabyona Rugambwa, the chairman Bunyoro local oil and gas advocacy group, however, said that it was a very big embarrassment for Bunyoro to be represented by a person with a bad reputation. Wabyona remained outside the hotel with a few other people. Mutale was later allowed in the meeting after it resumed in the afternoon.
Mutale's name has been associated with election violence in Uganda for the last 12 years, starting with 2000 when he formed the infamous Kalangala Action Plan, a quasi military group that beat up people during elections.
