Kiyonga, get off Mumbere’s back
Jan 16, 2005
A war of words has ensued between Charles Wesley Mumbere and Dr. Crispus Kiyonga. Kiyonga, National Political Commissar and Bukonzo West MP, is vehemently opposed to Mumbere’s claims to the throne of Rwenzururu Kingdom.
A war of words has ensued between Charles Wesley Mumbere and Dr. Crispus Kiyonga. Kiyonga, National Political Commissar and Bukonzo West MP, is vehemently opposed to Mumbere’s claims to the throne of Rwenzururu Kingdom.
However, a closer observation reveals that the quarrel between the two is something to do with power. There is a likelihood that the perceived kingdom establishment may create another power centre in the district.
Kiyonga seems to fear that this new power centre may weaken his political patronage of Kasese District. Mumbere is popular in Kasese and Bundibugyo. Of the eight MPs representing Kasese and Bundibugyo, six of them support Omusinga Mumbere’s claim. Kasese’s District Council has passed a resolution recognising Mumbere’s claim.
Do the Bakonzo have a tradition of royalty? But that is as much as asking whether the Iteso (in Uganda and Kenya), the Jopadhola or the Baruli have a tradition of royalty and kingdoms. So, what is the justification for Mumbere’s claim to the kingship?
In March 1902, a Toro chief called Petero Tigwezire unsuccessfully attempted to collect Hut Tax, in Bwamba, which was still effectively ruled under local headmen. The attempt was met with armed resistance which saw 11 men dead.
Another incident of rebellion against Toro authority occurred in 1918 when a Mukonzo, Tibamwenda denounced the king of Toro Kingdom. Tibamwenda was later killed along with his aides Nyamutswa and Kapoli and buried in one grave at Kagando in Kisinga sub-county, Kasese District.
Towards independence, the Bakonzo and Bamba wrote several memorandums to the British Colonial Administration demanding a separate district from Toro. With little or no benefits from these memorandums, Isaya Mukirania called for armed rebellion and secession from Toro and a frustrated population rallied to Isaya’s call. And thus on June 30, 1962, Mukirania declared unilateral independence from Toro and by extension, Uganda.
As an act of complete secession, Mukirania was installed as Omuinga (king) of Rwenzururu Kingdom on June 29, 1963 whereupon he took the royal style of Kibanzanga (‘dare me’). For legitimacy, three venerated clan leaders, namely Rupande of Mangirisipa, Basikania of Kikura and Baundeli of Mbaghu performed the rituals of the installation ceremony. After Mukirania’s death on September 2, 1966, his first son Charles Wesley Mumbere was installed on October 19, 1966 as king.
However, on August 15, 1982, Mumbere made a deal with the central government which led to the reversal of the unilateral declaration of independence and the end of hostilities between the Government of Uganda and the Rwenzururu Kingdom. Mumbere was later sent to the United States of America for studies on a special government scholarship. It should be noted that Mumbere’s status and the Rwenzururu Kingdom were given a degree of legitimacy by the central government in the deal. To the outsiders, the formation of a kingdom by a ‘primitive’ tribe in the second half of the 20th century may be laughed off as a flimsy anecdote and an act of self-aggrandisement. But for the Bakonzo, even in their modesty, the king and the kingdom were and still are a solid function of self-identity and esteem. And no one can stop this inherently human pursuit of identity and dignity — not even the powerful National Political Commissar.
The Bakonzo want Mumbere as their king because his father roused their consciousness beyond the subjective ethnic segregation and indignity visited on them by Toro Kingdom authorities and an indifferent central government whose interest in a community only lies in numerical disposition and voter benefit.
Until June 13, 1906, Toro was a confederacy of semi-autonomous chiefdoms, namely Mwenge, Kyaka, Toro (invariably referred to as Toro proper), Kitagweta, Kitagwenda and Nyakabimba. So, in Bukonzo and Bwamba, Toro overrule was viewed as an imposition and leadership was popularly merited by one’s contribution in the resistance of this imposition. That is why one of Tibamwenda’s grandsons is also a claimant to the throne.
his claim rests on his grandfather’s heroic challenge to Toro overrule in 1918.
For the Bakonzo, whether they had a kingdom before or not, is not of much consequence. And one does not have to reach the mists of time to justify the formation of a kingdom.
However, for the sake of argument, it should be noted that royal dynasties have to start from somewhere in time, as is the case of The Netherlands, Toro and the Belgian kingdoms.
Ends
However, a closer observation reveals that the quarrel between the two is something to do with power. There is a likelihood that the perceived kingdom establishment may create another power centre in the district.
Kiyonga seems to fear that this new power centre may weaken his political patronage of Kasese District. Mumbere is popular in Kasese and Bundibugyo. Of the eight MPs representing Kasese and Bundibugyo, six of them support Omusinga Mumbere’s claim. Kasese’s District Council has passed a resolution recognising Mumbere’s claim.
Do the Bakonzo have a tradition of royalty? But that is as much as asking whether the Iteso (in Uganda and Kenya), the Jopadhola or the Baruli have a tradition of royalty and kingdoms. So, what is the justification for Mumbere’s claim to the kingship?
In March 1902, a Toro chief called Petero Tigwezire unsuccessfully attempted to collect Hut Tax, in Bwamba, which was still effectively ruled under local headmen. The attempt was met with armed resistance which saw 11 men dead.
Another incident of rebellion against Toro authority occurred in 1918 when a Mukonzo, Tibamwenda denounced the king of Toro Kingdom. Tibamwenda was later killed along with his aides Nyamutswa and Kapoli and buried in one grave at Kagando in Kisinga sub-county, Kasese District.
Towards independence, the Bakonzo and Bamba wrote several memorandums to the British Colonial Administration demanding a separate district from Toro. With little or no benefits from these memorandums, Isaya Mukirania called for armed rebellion and secession from Toro and a frustrated population rallied to Isaya’s call. And thus on June 30, 1962, Mukirania declared unilateral independence from Toro and by extension, Uganda.
As an act of complete secession, Mukirania was installed as Omuinga (king) of Rwenzururu Kingdom on June 29, 1963 whereupon he took the royal style of Kibanzanga (‘dare me’). For legitimacy, three venerated clan leaders, namely Rupande of Mangirisipa, Basikania of Kikura and Baundeli of Mbaghu performed the rituals of the installation ceremony. After Mukirania’s death on September 2, 1966, his first son Charles Wesley Mumbere was installed on October 19, 1966 as king.
However, on August 15, 1982, Mumbere made a deal with the central government which led to the reversal of the unilateral declaration of independence and the end of hostilities between the Government of Uganda and the Rwenzururu Kingdom. Mumbere was later sent to the United States of America for studies on a special government scholarship. It should be noted that Mumbere’s status and the Rwenzururu Kingdom were given a degree of legitimacy by the central government in the deal. To the outsiders, the formation of a kingdom by a ‘primitive’ tribe in the second half of the 20th century may be laughed off as a flimsy anecdote and an act of self-aggrandisement. But for the Bakonzo, even in their modesty, the king and the kingdom were and still are a solid function of self-identity and esteem. And no one can stop this inherently human pursuit of identity and dignity — not even the powerful National Political Commissar.
The Bakonzo want Mumbere as their king because his father roused their consciousness beyond the subjective ethnic segregation and indignity visited on them by Toro Kingdom authorities and an indifferent central government whose interest in a community only lies in numerical disposition and voter benefit.
Until June 13, 1906, Toro was a confederacy of semi-autonomous chiefdoms, namely Mwenge, Kyaka, Toro (invariably referred to as Toro proper), Kitagweta, Kitagwenda and Nyakabimba. So, in Bukonzo and Bwamba, Toro overrule was viewed as an imposition and leadership was popularly merited by one’s contribution in the resistance of this imposition. That is why one of Tibamwenda’s grandsons is also a claimant to the throne.
his claim rests on his grandfather’s heroic challenge to Toro overrule in 1918.
For the Bakonzo, whether they had a kingdom before or not, is not of much consequence. And one does not have to reach the mists of time to justify the formation of a kingdom.
However, for the sake of argument, it should be noted that royal dynasties have to start from somewhere in time, as is the case of The Netherlands, Toro and the Belgian kingdoms.
Ends