The flag and drums reportedly stolen from the self-styled leader of the Basongora were displayed in Kasese town on Wednesday just hours after being grabbed from the owners.
A group of youths loyal to the Rwenzururu cultural institution this morning raided the home of Rwigi Rutakirwa Kabumba Ivan Bwebale IV, who was installed as the king of the Basongora on July 1 at Muhokya near Kasese town. The youths, commonly known as Esyamango syo’businga, allegedly brought down the Basongora flag and carried it along with the royal drum among other materials.
In a telephone interview, Jimmy Kagoro Muzoora, the Public Relations Officer of ‘Busongora Kingdom’ said that five men who were traveling in a pickup, whose number plates he could not get, removed the Blue, Red and cream flag, which was on a pole outside the palace at Muhokya near Kasese Municipality.
At about 10am on Wednesday, business in Kasese town was paralysed as the youths boarded a numberless vehicle and motorcycles and traversed the streets displaying the captured flag and drum before proceeding to the Rwenzururu Kingdom palace in Buhikira.
The kingdom prime minister, Loyce Bwambale, had planned a meeting with the youth to brief them of the cabinet resolutions on the installation of the Basongora King on July 1.
The Rwenzururu Kingdom had since declared the Busongora Kingdom “illegal, null and void” adding that they cannot allow a kingdom within their kingdom.
The youths were chanting words like “we cannot allow the Basongora to oppose our Kingdom and this is unacceptable”.
The youths beat security and attacked Muhokya which is over 20 kilometres from Kasese town but were approached by police when they came back to the town centre. They took the flag to the office of the Resident District Commissioner where they found the secretaries and the District Internal Security officer.
The youths handed the flag to their leader, Metusera Sebayanda, who told Uganda Radio Network that the situation caught him by surprise because no one knew of their plans to raid the Busongora.
The youth also demanded that King Charles Wesley Mumbere talks to them claiming they have done an important job for his Kingdom.
In his speech, Mumbere commended them for being courageous in defending the dignity of their Kingdom. He, however, said that the raid on Muhokya was their own planning noting that he and his cabinet was handling the matter with the central government.
He asked them to be calm and vigilant adding that he will not support any attack on the Basongora unless they provoke his subjects.
Efforts to reach the Busongora Kingdom spokesperson James Kainamura were futile as his phone numbers not available.
There is increased tension in the area as both Basongora and Bamba communities challenge the authority of Mumbere, a Mukonzo, as their king. Last week, clashes between Bamba and Bakonzo in Bundibugyo left 400 people displaced.
