Bunyoro ministers visit kingdom's former territories in Tanzania

By Pascal Kwesiga

The Omukama of Bunyoro kitara kingdom Solomoni Iguru has sent a delegation to Tanzania to visit the “Banyoro” in the north southern district of Karagwe.

According to the Kingdom Prime Minister, Jackson Kasozi, who is leading the delegation that left for Karagwe on Wednesday, the Omukama sent them to visit the “Banyoro” who live in areas that were under Bunyoro Kitara Empire before it disintegrated hundreds of years ago.

“The Omukama received an invitation from the Banyoro in Karagwe. They asked him to visit them but he has decided to send his ministers,” Nsamba said.

The minister for liaison and diaspora affairs, Philip Katahoire said, the visit is also aimed at establishing what remains of the Omukama Kabalega dynasty. “The Omukama has sent us to see the Banyoro and children of his grandfather (Omukama Kabalega) in Karagwe,” he added.

Speaking to New Vision from Karagwe, Katahoire, who is cabinet secretary, said “These are true Banyoro because we are speaking to them in Runyoro. But they were absorbed into other tribes in Tanzania after Bunyoro Empire disintegrated,”

He explained that the families they have visited so far have promised to attend Bunyoro’s empango festivities in June adding “These people are so happy that people from Bunyoro are in Karagwe and every one wants us to visit them. They have promised to come to Bunyoro to learn the culture and perform rituals,”

Katahoire said they have so far visited Prince Pius Rumanyika, the son of King David Rumanyika of Karagwe kingdom who passed on in 1988. “We visited the prince at his Bweranyange palace. These people have gone for long without a king and they want Bunyoro to help them install a king,” he added. The delegation, Katahoire said, was expected to return over the weekend.

Katahoire said the kingdom team and the “Banyoro” in Karagwe agreed to discus about their future cooperation after their planned visit to Bunyoro in June.

Bunyoro Kitara Empire covered most parts of Uganda, northern Tanzania and eastern Congo and other countries in East Africa in the 14th and 15th centuries under the Bacwezi rule that succeeded the Batembuzi dynasty. The empire started to break up in the 16th century following the formation of other kingdoms in the great lakes region. Ends