Bamba, Bakonjo cultural leaders agree on peace deal

By Rogers Sunday, Mutegeki Geoffrey and John Nzija

The cultural leaders of the Bamba and Bakonjo tribes in the districts of Bundibugyo and Kasese respectively on Thursday held a dialogue aimed at ending the conflict and insecurity in the Rwenzori region.

The meeting, held at the Moutains of the Moon Hotel in Fort Portal Municipality, Kabarole district, was mediated by the vice chairperson of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) for Eastern Region, Capt Mike Mukula.

This comes amid tribal clashes between the Bamba and Bakonjo tribes in the districts of Kasese and Bundibugyo that have so far claimed over 40 lives.

King Charles Wesley Mumbere (of Rwenzururu) and the Bamba King, Martin Kamya, together with their mediator, first held closed-door discussions for about four hours before developing a royal communiqué which was signed by both of them.

The communiqué was read to the media in the presence of the two cultural leaders, officials from the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda and the Elders Forum.

According to the communiqué, Kamya and Mumbere mutually agreed and resolved to work tirelessly towards re-establishing peace, security and stability in the region through promoting deliberate and strategic conflict resolution mechanisms that include early warning signals so as to prevent any reoccurrence of situations that may again threaten the peace and security in the region.

The two sides also agreed to promote inter-cultural institutional dialog and activities as a confidence-building mechanism between and amongst their cultural institutions on top of working together as cultural institutions to draw a clear dichotomy between national, local politics and the cultural institutions.

After the two parties signed the deal together with their facilitator, the communiqué was handed over to Rtd Justice James Ogoola of the Elders Forum for safe custody.

In his brief remarks after signing the communiqué, Omusinga Mumbere stated that "today is a great and very historical day that we have come to at a time when we are progressing to see that peace and stability is going to be established in the region.

"I ask for your support."

His counterpart, the Omudhingya wa Bwamba who also commended the peace process, stated that "staying together is progress and remaining together is development".

This is not the first time Kamya and Mumbere are agreeing on a peace deal. In October 2014, the two cultural leaders met in Mubende district on a peace mission after tribal clashes that had left over 90 people dead and more than 100 arrested.