Burial date of Rwenzururu queen mother yet to be decided

KAMPALA - The burial of the Rwenzururu Queen mother Christine Biira Mukirania is yet to be decided days after she passed on.

Mukirania, 85, who is the Mother of the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu Kingdom, died at Kilembe Mines Hospital on Tuesday. Arrangements had been in high gear to have her laid to rest on Wednesday at Nyamirangara village in Muhokya Sub County in Kasese district.

However, that hangs in balance after disagreements erupted between some of the family members and the Rwenzururu kingdom officials.

When contacted, Christopher Kibanzanga, the state minister for agriculture, who is also Mumbere's brother said: "It would have been would our desire if he attended the burial."

He, however, hastened to add that Mumbere's absence in Kasese would not hold the burial ceremony because: "Rwenzururu kings don't mourn the dead, even if it is your mother, father or children."

But Kasese woman MP Winnie Kiza, who is close to the kingdom, said they were pushing for the king to be allowed at the funeral as he is the elder child in the family and his absence at the funeral would be culturally unthinkable.

"As the elder son, there are rituals he has to perform. Omusinga (Mumbere) is more than ready to travel to Kasese and condole with his subjects," she told New Vision.  

By press time, the family was still waiting for a court decision to an application in which they had asked the court to relax the ban in order to allow Mumbere to travel to Kasese for the burial.

Mumbere was arrested together with royal guards two years ago after a joint operation by the army and police. The arrest followed the storming of Mumbere's Buhikira Palace in Kasese Town in which hundreds of people were killed.

Subsequently, Mumbere was detained at Nalufenya police station in Jinja district before being granted bail. He and his royal guards are facing several charges of treason, terrorism, murder, attempted murder, aggravated robbery and malicious damage to property.