The Big Return Of King Mumbere Iremangoma & What It Means To The Bakonzo Community

By Gad Masereka

Kasese: Omusinga Charles Mumbere’s homecoming has been slated and the kingdom is in need of 9 billion Ugandan shillings to make his comeback honorable.

The kingdom needs nine billion shillings to cover the three activities, including his return to his Kingdom after being detained and incarcerated alongside his accused subjects during a security operation on the Obuhikira palace in Kasese district and the return is slated for October 4th, 2023 according to reports.

The required nine billion shillings will be used for a number of events, including funding the purchase of the KEPP Resort Hotel owned by the late Gen. James Kazini in Kasese Municipality, Coronation anniversary celebrations, and Royal welcome celebrations, according to Mr. Clarence Bwambale, the general secretary of the organising executive committee, during the first preparatory closed meeting held at Rwenzori International University in Kasese Municipality.

In addition, he urged the Banya-Rwenzururu to give freely to the kingdom’s reconstruction as a sign of togetherness and urged the kingdom’s citizens to follow Dr. Walemba’s leadership solely.

He urged anyone with malicious motives to avoid stealing the names of OBR employees because they will fail. In addition to mentioning that donors will be recognised with various certificates depending on their contributions, he threatened to sue them.

While Mr. Amis Masereka Asuman, the Chief Administrative Officer for the Bunyangabu district, chairs the welcoming celebrations committee and Rt. Hon. Gad Mbayahi will be in charge of the Coronation preparations, Dr. Walemba will serve as the overall chairman. Hon. Edwin Kugonza, among other executives, is the chairman of the committee in charge of purchasing real estate, according to Hon. Clarence.

This comes after the DPP dropped all charges against the Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere of Rwenzururu, and 217 others. Mumbere has been facing charges of murder, treason and aggravated robbery.

According to our sources from court revealed to us that Proceedings are continuing for the former Prime Minister of Rwenzururu, Johnson Thembo Kitsumbire.

He confirms that he did not apply for Amnesty, like the others, because he doesn’t know what it means.

On Tuesday when the case returned for pre-trial conferencing, the state represented by Lilian Omara, Marion Benbella and Jackline Okui told court that the accused had applied for amnesty.

“The DPP is not opposing the amnesty but is facilitating this process. The DPP has therefore entered a nolle prosequi for the 218 accused persons for all the offences they are indicted of,” Omara told court.

She noted that the proceedings are therefore discontinued.

Speaking in response, trial judge, Alice Komuhangi Kaukha ordered  that those on remand at Jinja Main prison and Luzira prison  and those on bail  should be discharged.

The charges

Mumbere was arrested together with royal guards in November 2016 after a joint operation by the army and police led to storming of his Buhikira Palace in Kasese Town in which 136 people were killed.

Mumbere was later airlifted and detained at Nalufenya police station in Jinja district but was granted bail by the High Court in Jinja
The Omusinga and his royal guards face several charges of treason, terrorism, murder, attempted murder, aggravated robbery and malicious damage to property.

He recently started negotiations with government over amnesty that would see him and over 200 royal guards pardoned and released.

By the time the charges were dropped today, seven years had passed since the Kasese attack.

Whereas Mumbere was released on bail, he has since been stopped from stepping foot in Kasese unless granted permission by court.

On the other side, a big chunk of his royal guards were granted bail, others  died in prison while some are still prison.

However, two of the royal guards including Thembo Kitsumbire and Kamada Mashereka didnt benefit from the amnesty and were ordered to return to court next month.

The charges now remain against former Prime Minister Thembo Kitsumbire and Hamada Masereka. The case was being heard in the International Crimes Division of the High Court. Justice Alice Komuhangi has ordered that they should be discharged accordingly.