Toro’s Kemigisa accompanies Gadaffi to Addis

Feb 01, 2009

Toro Queen mother Best Kemigisa and the Omukama of Bunyoro, Solomon Gafabusa Iguru, were among over 50 African traditional rulers accompanying the Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, to the 12th African Union (AU) ordinary summit that opens today

By Vision Reporter

Toro Queen mother Best Kemigisa and the Omukama of Bunyoro, Solomon Gafabusa Iguru, were among over 50 African traditional rulers accompanying the Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, to the 12th African Union (AU) ordinary summit that opens today in Addis Ababa.

Gaddafi is tipped to take over from the current AU chairperson, Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete, whose two-year term ends today.

The AU heads of state and government yesterday held their special summit on the union government in Africa.

Gadaffi entered the conference hall at the United Nations conference centre accompanied by over 50 traditional rulers, including Gafabusa and Kemigisa, according to Tamale Mirundi, the presidential press secretary.

Gafabusa was dressed in the traditional Bunyoro kingly robe.

However, all the traditional leaders were blocked from the meeting.

Gadaffi had wanted the traditional leaders to contribute to the debate of the union government but other leaders objected, arguing that the summit was only for the heads of state.

Over 200 kings, chiefs, princes, sultans, sheikhs and traditional leaders from the Great Lakes region were stopped from holding a conference in Uganda recently. The Government said the conference, sponsored by Gadaffi, was in breach of the Constitution that prohibits traditional leaders from engaging in partisan politics.

The Government also said some traditional leaders were not recognised by their home governments.

The Kampala meeting was a follow-up of an earlier one that took place in August 2008 where over 200 traditional leaders met in Libya and bestowed the title “King of Kings” on Gadaffi during a ceremony in Benghazi.

Gadaffi initiated the kings’ forum on his 39th anniversary in power in 2008.

However, at the AU summit in Addis Ababa, has identified several obstacles to the realisation of an African government. A report noted the lack of a clear method to bring about the unity.

The report points out a substantial divergence of views on the way forward and lack of will by many member states. It says the notion of a continental government frightens many African states that are still extremely protective of their national sovereignty.

Since 2005, a number of AU member states have shown reservations about a unified African government.

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