Govt recognises Obusinga
Sep 01, 2009
President Yoweri Museveni has agreed to recognise the Bakonzo and Bamba’s cultural institution, Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu.
By Hope Mafaranga and John Thawite
President Yoweri Museveni has agreed to recognise the Bakonzo and Bamba’s cultural institution, Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu.
Museveni said he wanted to recognise the institution a long time ago, but he could not because of the disagreements between the supporters and the opponents of the institution in the Rwenzori region.
He made the remarks on Sunday while presiding over celebrations to mark 25 years of South Rwenzori Diocese at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kamaiba in Kasese.
The Obusinga issue has been breeding bad blood between the Banyarwenzururu and Central Government. In the 2006 presidential elections, Museveni got only 43% of the votes in the area.
Kasese resident district commissioner Capt. James Mwesigye had told the President that it was because of the issue of not recognising the Obusinga that the NRM had little support in the region.
Museveni called for harmony among the different tribes which live in the region. “We have three major tribes in Kasese, the Basongora, Banyabindi and Bakonzo, you need to co-exist.â€
He also disclosed that the Bakonzo/ Bamba cultural leader, Charles Mumbere, had invited him to his coronation anniversary.
“Mumbere has written to me proposing October 19 for confirmation and I have agreed,†he added.
Mumbere was coronated after his father, Isaya Mukirane, died in 1966.
Museveni said the NRM government restored the cultural institutions, which were banned by former president Milton Obote.
He urged Kasese residents to embrace government programmes like the the National Agricultural Advisory Services to fight poverty in their homes.
He promised to go back to Kasese to tour projects under the Prosperity For-All programme.
The Bishop of South Rwenzori, Jackson Nzerebende, hailed the Government for compensating the people who lost property during the ADF attack on Kasese town on March 17, 2001.
During the attack, 54 vehicles were burnt and 11 people killed.
Nzerebende, however, added that there was need to resettle the 180,000 people who were displaced by the rebellion.
He noted that although the majority had returned to their homes, they were living in abject poverty.
President Yoweri Museveni has agreed to recognise the Bakonzo and Bamba’s cultural institution, Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu.
Museveni said he wanted to recognise the institution a long time ago, but he could not because of the disagreements between the supporters and the opponents of the institution in the Rwenzori region.
He made the remarks on Sunday while presiding over celebrations to mark 25 years of South Rwenzori Diocese at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kamaiba in Kasese.
The Obusinga issue has been breeding bad blood between the Banyarwenzururu and Central Government. In the 2006 presidential elections, Museveni got only 43% of the votes in the area.
Kasese resident district commissioner Capt. James Mwesigye had told the President that it was because of the issue of not recognising the Obusinga that the NRM had little support in the region.
Museveni called for harmony among the different tribes which live in the region. “We have three major tribes in Kasese, the Basongora, Banyabindi and Bakonzo, you need to co-exist.â€
He also disclosed that the Bakonzo/ Bamba cultural leader, Charles Mumbere, had invited him to his coronation anniversary.
“Mumbere has written to me proposing October 19 for confirmation and I have agreed,†he added.
Mumbere was coronated after his father, Isaya Mukirane, died in 1966.
Museveni said the NRM government restored the cultural institutions, which were banned by former president Milton Obote.
He urged Kasese residents to embrace government programmes like the the National Agricultural Advisory Services to fight poverty in their homes.
He promised to go back to Kasese to tour projects under the Prosperity For-All programme.
The Bishop of South Rwenzori, Jackson Nzerebende, hailed the Government for compensating the people who lost property during the ADF attack on Kasese town on March 17, 2001.
During the attack, 54 vehicles were burnt and 11 people killed.
Nzerebende, however, added that there was need to resettle the 180,000 people who were displaced by the rebellion.
He noted that although the majority had returned to their homes, they were living in abject poverty.