Mumbere charged with murder

The Omusinga (king) of Rwenzururu, Charles Wesley Mumbere, has been charged with murder.

Jinja Chief Magistrate, John Francis Kaggwa, remanded Mumbere to Luzira Prison until December 13.

About 100 people, including 16 police officers, were killed in the attacks in Kasese on Saturday and Sunday following fresh clashes between security forces and suspected Rwenzururu kingdom loyalists.

This was after a group of alleged royal guards of Omusinga hurled an improvised grenade at Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) and Police officers.

The UPDF and Police were patrolling Kasese town when the improvised grenade was reportedly hurled at them. The joint security forces responded with gunfire which sparked off retaliation attacks by suspected kingdom loyalists on Police Posts across the district.

Fleeing from gunfire, some of the suspected loyalists sought refuge in the palace of Omusinga Charles Mumbere on Saturday. The UPDF ordered the Mumbere to direct the kingdom loyalists to get out of the palace or let the government forces in, but the orders were reportedly ignored.

On Sunday, the joint forces forcefully gained entry into the palace, opening fire on the suspected loyalists inside the facility.

 

The security forces reportedly lost six guns during the attacks. Over 90 people, mainly civilians were killed in similar attacks by suspected Rwenzururu kingdom loyalists in Kasese, Ntoroko and Bundibugyo districts in 2014.