The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Obudhingiya Bwa Bwamba cultural institution wants Rwenzururu Kingdom to change its name to either Obusinga Bwa Bakonzo or Bukonzo Kingdom as one of the ways to foster peace in the region.
Obudhingiya Bwa Bwamba Prime Minister, Wilson Mubulya, says Rwenzururu needs to contemplate about renaming itself into Obusinga Bwa Bakonzo as opposed to Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu.
Mubulya argues that the naming of Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu, which seems to encompass all the ethnicities that were involved in the Rwenzururu movement is partly to blame for the recurrent conflicts in the area.
He says renaming the kingdom will also be a key step in the peace building processes within the Rwenzori region.
But Rwenzururu Kingdom spokesperson, Yonah Maathe, says the name Rwenzururu was approved after rigorous consultations by the central government.
He says the institution has gone by the name and built it as a brand for several decades and cannot discard it all of a sudden.
Maathe also says there are several people who don’t belong to the Bakonzo community but associate and subscribe to the cultural institution, arguing that renaming it Obusinga Bwa Bakonzo would lock them out.
The Kingdom mouthpiece says the most important this is for the two institutions to find a way of working together to foster peace and development in the region.
Francis Happy Muhindo, the Executive Director Rwenzori Forum for Peace and Justice, a non-governmental organisation that has been working towards peace building in the Rwenzori region concurs with Maathe.
Muhindo says the change of name wouldn’t have an impact on peace building if the two cultural institutions don’t agree to work together for peace and development.
He adds that it is also important for government to expedite the trial of Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere who is the Principal of his kingdom and thus the only one who can sanction such changes.
About Rwenzururu Kingdom
Rwenzururu Kingdom alias Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu belongs to the Bakonzo ethnic community. It inherited its name from the Rwenzururu Movement led by Isaya Mukirania between 1962 to 1982.
The Rwenzururu Movement was a rebellion by the Bakonzo, Bamba and Babwisi against Tooro Kingdom and by extension the government of Uganda. The movement metamorphosed into a Kingdom with Isaya Mukirania as first king who was subsequently succeeded by his son Omusinga (King) Charles Wesley Mumbere Irema-ngoma the, current king of Rwenzururu.
The Bamba and Babwisi, however, later disassociated themselves from Rwenzururu Kingdom and demanded a separate cultural institution that government granted in 2014 in the names of Obudhingiya Bwa Bwamba (OBB). OBB developed a frosty relationship with Rwenzururu Kingdom since its recognition. However, OBB has been toning down her stance against the Mumbere-led cultural institution of recent.
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Recurring iterations of divide and conquer at play. There are those who take great pleasure in witnessing the divisions they initiated taking root and disrupting any plans for increased unity among Africans. Africa must unite.
After growing furry with his parents, Tom wanted to SHAMELESSLY change the name of his father to FURTHER!