The Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom Royal Commission have reinstated the Kingdom Prime Minister Andrew Kirungi Byakutaga.
The Royal Commission (Akakurato k’Obunanu) was instituted by King Solomon Gafabusa Iguru, in August 2017 to advise the King and to aid in streamlining operations of the kingdom administration.
The commission is headed by Fred Kabagambe Kaliisa. Byakutaga was suspended on January 30, 2022, by members of the Babiito clan who are the ruling clan of the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom.
The Babiito clan members through the Fred Mugenyi Ruchunya, ordered Byakutaga to immediately vacate office.
According to a January 30, 2022 letter seen by Uganda Radio Network, the ruling clan members in their meeting chaired by Ruchunya at Karuziika Palace in Hoima city resolved to suspend Byakutaga from running the kingdom affairs until further notice.
The members also suspended Edgar Agaba, the Attorney General of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom, and Robert Owagonza, the minister for finance and planning.
Byakutaga was accused of lack of transparency and accountability for the Bunyoro Kitara kingdom resources. They cited the fraudulent and dubious cash withdraws and expenditures without the approval of the kingdom finance committee.
They also faulted him for the gross mismanagement of Bunyoro Kitara kingdom assets and property including the destruction of Bugoma central forest reserve, Muhangaizima cultural site, royal burial sites in the greater Kibaale, Katasiiha fort historical site, and Miduuma burial ground in Masindi.
The Royal Commission has now come out to reaffirm Byakutaga as the rightful and recognized Prime minister of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom.
In a letter dated January 2, 2022, written by Kabagambe Kaliisa and addressed to Ruchunya, the commission states that no other person has the powers to appoint and dismiss any person in the Kingdom apart from the Omukama himself.
“The royal commission notes that your letter suspended the Prime minister and two ministers namely the Attorney General and Minister of Finance. The Prime Minister and ministers are appointed/removed from office by His Highness, The Omukama of Bunyoro Kingdom on the advice of the Royal Commission.
The commission has not given such advice and furthermore, the commission wishes to advise that powers of the Omukama shall not be upsurped by an individual or clan. And therefore for the avoidance of doubt, the Commission reaffirms that Prime minister Byakutaga and the cabinet ministers are legally in office and carrying out their roles as assigned by the Omukama;” reads the Royal commission letter.
The commission also tasked Ruchunya to formally submit to the commission his complaints with evidence within two weeks adding that a complainant cannot be the investigator, prosecutor, judge, and hangman. However, Ruchunya is yet to comment on the decision undertaken by the royal commission to reinstate Byakutaga as the Prime Minister. URN