I don’t agree with Bisika on rebels the Rwenzoris!

Nov 30, 2002

SIR— I wish to react to Asuman Bisika’s article, <br>“Why Rwenzori ranges lure rebels” in <i>The New Vision</i> of November 27.

SIR— I wish to react to Asuman Bisika’s article,
“Why Rwenzori ranges lure rebels” in The New Vision of November 27.

As a resident of Kasese district where the ranges start, I found the article misleading and diversionary.

First, it is not true that the ranges have an affinity to lure rebel activity. Bisika went further went further to impute that a big number of Bakonzo are passionate about the
Rwenzururu kingdom, Isaya Mukirania’s vision.

I want to tell those who want to obscure the real situation in the Rwenzoris that Mukirania fought for a separate administration from the Toro kingdom and not a kingdom.

Indeed the Bakonzo got their administration in the form of Kasese and Bundibugyo districts.

He went further to say that for the Bakonzo it is a matter of saying that you have the blessing of Iremangoma, King Charles Mumbere and they will start looking at you favourably. I want to disagree with Bisika on this. First, other than the the Rwenzururu movement which was basically for Bakonzo and Bamba, the other movements have had to move because of the terrain of the area which is of militarily an advantage rather the blessing of the Bakonzo people yearning for national identity.

How about the Bamba? How come that Bamba are not supporting rebel activity in the Rwenzori mountains? Who said that the Bakonzo are not part of the Uganda community?

Secondly, Mumbere has never been a king. I dont see where his blessing comes in to let rebel movements operate from the Rwenzori mountains.

I want to tell Bisika that Bakonzo are not supporters of rebel groups as Bisika wants us to belive. In fact, it is well known that some politicians want to support the rebels to further their political goals.

By the fact that four MPs out of the five in Kasese district are against the Movement government does not mean that the Bakonzo are against this government. It is a few people who for reasons well known to them that have been in the forefront of supporting rebels such as NALU, ADF, including the Bisika family.

I remember very well that Bisika ran to Rwanda when his family was found to be collaborating with the ADF in Kiburara, Kasese district, where the ADF kidnapped seminarians of St Paul’s Seminary.

Thirdly, not all LC3 chairmen and councillors want a Rwenzururu kingdom and are associated with Reform Agenda because it promised to give them the kinddom.

But it is anti-Kiyonga people propagating that falsehood because of their corrupt tendencies which he could not tolerate.

Anyone who wants rebellion in Kasese district is an enemy of Bakonzo because for the last six years we saw how ADF disrupted us.

Ahmad Bwambale
Kiburara, Kasese

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