Babiito clan calls for specialised treatment abroad for Omukama Iguru
Addressing the media after the closed-door meeting, Rucunya said the clan had agreed that the Omukama should be taken for specialised treatment as soon as possible.
Kingdom Chief Prince (Okwir) Eng. Fred Mugenyi Rucunya addresses the media after the meeting. (Credit: Peter Abaanabasazi)
___________________ Omubiito John Apolo Rwamparo, the former Kingdom’s 2nd Deputy Prime Minister (third right), poses for a photo with other Babiito after the meeting. (Credit: Peter Abaanabasazi) A group of Babiito women greets Kingdom Chief Prince (Okwir) Eng. Fred Mugenyi Rucunya after the meeting. (Credit: Peter Abaanabasazi).
The Babiito ruling clan of Bunyoro Kitara kingdom has resolved that Omukama Dr Solomon Gafabusa Iguru be taken abroad for specialised medical treatment.
The resolution was made during a Babiito clan general meeting chaired by kingdom chief prince (Okwir), Eng. Fred Mugenyi Rucunya.
The meeting, held at the Cultural Lodge in Hoima city on September 27, 2026, was attended by more than 100 Babiito clan members from across Bunyoro, as well as members of the royal family, including the Omukama’s son, Omubiito Richard Kitahimba, who serves as principal private secretary to the Omukama, and the Omukama’s daughter, Omubiitokati Daphine Kabatalesa, among others.
Addressing the media after the closed-door meeting, Rucunya said the clan had agreed that the Omukama should be taken for specialised treatment as soon as possible.
Rucunya said the meeting also expressed concern that the Omukama had remained at Karuziika Palace for a long period despite what he described as his deteriorating health.
He said the clan would launch a campaign to mobilise resources from well-wishing people of the kingdom to support the Omukama’s treatment.
Rucunya added that the clan was also looking to the government to support the kingdom in taking the Omukama abroad for specialised treatment.
”About the king’s health, we unanimously agreed that the king needs to be taken out of the country to get specialised treatment as the court ordered us. So, we agreed with that and said that we shall contact the government so that it can assist since it is responsible by law,” he said
Governance in the kingdom
Rucunya said the ruling clan also acknowledged what it described as a governance vacuum and agreed to appoint a 15-member committee to address the leadership crisis in the Kingdom.
“About governance, we agreed that we are going to first constitute the kingdom parliament (Rukurato), which will be able to sieve the members of the cabinet and other kingdom officials so that this role gets away from me because some people have been personalising it,” he said.
The resolution was reached after Rucunya informed the meeting that the original term of office of the current kingdom prime minister (Omuhikirwa), Andrew Byakutaga, expired in October 2023, and alleged that he had continued occupying the position illegally.
Rucunya said the kingdom had been operating without a parliament and cabinet since 2023, when the Omukama was reported to have fallen ill and could not appoint or renew their terms.
He said that although the Prime Minister claims that Omukama Iguru gave him an indefinite contract, all the cabinet members vacated their offices after their contracts expired, while Byakutaga continued to work alone.
Rucunya said that since the Omukama became ill, little had taken place in terms of development.
He said that, according to the culture and norms of the kingdom, the Okwir takes over the management of the kingdom in the absence of the Omukama, but alleged that Byakutaga and his group had failed to recognise this.
Omubiito Ochaki Orimi Nyabongo welcomed the resolution to appoint the Rukurato, saying the absence of a cabinet and other governance structures was affecting the development of the kingdom.