By Abdulkarim Ssengendo

Mbarara and Bushenyi district councils on Friday declined to endorse a motion for the restoration of the Ankole Kingdom.

Mbarara councillors argued that the issue was beyond their mandate, while the Bushenyi councillors said the matter was too sensitive and required wide consultations.

Other district councils in Ankole include Ntungamo, Ibanda, Isingiro and Kiruhura. They are expected to discuss the matter this week.

The Mbarara and Bushenyi councils discussed the matter following a recommendation from the Omukama of Bunyoro, Solomon Gafabusa Iguru, who is the chairman of traditional leaders in Uganda.

According to Gafabusa’s November 20 letter, President Yoweri Museveni last month told traditional leaders that they should go through district councils in the region if they wanted to restore Ankole Kingdom.

Quoting the cultural conference that took place in Masindi, Gafabusa said it was recommended that Prince John Barigye be recognised as the king of Ankole and restored.

He asked the district councils to realise the cultural, social and economic benefits which Ankole and its people would obtain if the kingdom is restored.

In Mbarara, the motion was tabled by the councillor of Rubindi sub-county and chairman for the community-based service committee, Didas Tabaro.

The district speaker, Grace Muhirwe, said the Bunyoro king wrote to her requesting that the kingdom issue be included on the order paper.

But most of the 33 councilors were against passing the motion. They resolved that the issue should be handled by Parliament after consulting the people of Ankole region, she said.

Muhirwe explained that the council will only handle the matter after the right procedures are set-up by Parliament.

She said Mbarara alone had no capacity to facilitate the consultation process.

Apollo Rwakarimanga, the councillor for Mwizi sub-county, asked if the Bunyoro king had authority to direct the speaker of Mbarara to include the kingdom issue on the order paper.

Bushenyi’s Benon Karyaija (Kanyabwanga) said the matter could not be handled by the council without consulting the public.

“The issue of the restoration of the kingdom is very sensitive and requires us to go to the people we represent to get their opinions first,” he said.

Karyaija also said the promoters of the restoration of the kingdom should facilitate the exercise.

“Let them fund the council. If it means to deliberate on one item, we come here and deliberate on it thoroughly.”