Katumba goes to visit Omukama, told to make appointment

Independent presidential candidate John Katumba was blocked from entering the Bunyoro king's Karuziika palace in Hoima city on Tuesday morning because he had not followed protocol.

Katumba arrived at the palace at 8:10 am after a morning live television interview at HB Hotel.

He was blocked at the quarter guard, despite his insistence to meet Omukama Solomon Gafabusa Iguru.

"There is a procedure he has to follow. Culturally, the Omukama is the one who invites a person. You cannot just come and think you will meet him.

Maybe he can meet the Omuhikirwa (prime minister), but his offices are not here. They are a distance away and the offices usually open early. I don't know what is happening today," Ismail Gole, the soldier manning the gate, said.

Thereafter, Katumba got out of his vehicle and chanted ‘Katumba Oyee', to which Gole responded: "For us we are non-partisan."

Katumba said he was yearning to see the Omukama so that they discuss issues such as health, education, land grabbing as well as oil and gas.

A member of his entourage was overheard saying he had moments ago called the kingdom spokesperson, Francis Mugerwa and had promised to get back to them in 30 minutes.

Later, they were advised to go to the Rukurato (the kingdom parliamentary building) located about 200 metres away from the palace, where they met Moses Atuha, the clerk to the kingdom Rukurato inside his office.

Katumba, while meeting Atuha, expressed disappointment over the failed meeting, saying there are ‘special' things he wanted to discuss with him.

Atuha advised Katumba to deliver his message promising to relay it to the concerned authorities.

Katumba then added: "I'm not a politician who usually comes with a pre-determined agenda, but a leader who works with teams. I needed to sit and discuss how people could be helped to benefit from oil, promote culture and development."

Atuha also advised him to always make an official appointment.

"You can make another appointment, but as Bunyoro kingdom, we welcome everybody and applaud your courage for contesting for the highest office in the land and we are ready to work with you," Atuha added.

"I am still disappointed because I have not met the top echelon of the kingdom. Maybe after the COVID-19 pandemic I will come back as a president and discuss how to develop the kingdom, which lacks a public university and has oil where I have to know how much royalties the Omukama wants and I allocate him," Katumba said.