President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has met and held discussions with His Majesty Omusinga (King) Charles Wesley Mumbere of Rwenzururu Kingdom and his wife, Her Royal Highness Nyabaghole Agnes Ithungu Asimawe, at State House, Entebbe.
During the meeting, President Museveni was happy to learn that the Obusinga bwa Rwenzururu had begun a new chapter which is aligned with the vision of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) to transform Uganda.
“I’m glad that the kingdom is now aligned with the NRM vision which has 3 historical missions which the Africans had failed to see,” H.E Museveni said, mentioning prosperity, socio-economic transformation and strategic security.
The President informed the Omusinga who moved with some of his cabinet members that the government restored Kingdoms to allow traditional leaders to mobilize and cause socio-economic transformation of the people through among others universal education and ensuring that everybody joins the money economy.
“These institutions are good if they are handled well. When I met Kabaka Mutebi in London in 1981, I told him that I would support kingdoms if they focused on unity for prosperity and unity for strategic security. So, if your kingdoms can support that, then we shall support them. If they oppose it, we shall fight them,” H.E Museveni stressed.
The President further emphasized that his government cannot make any mistake of abandoning its historical mission.
“I’m very glad to see that the Kingdom now has taken a new path and I congratulate you because we didn’t have to have an irreversible showdown because there’s no way we can abandon the principles of the NRM,” H.E Museveni added.
Regarding culture and heritage, President Museveni called upon traditional leaders to emphasize the oneness of the kingdoms rather than their differences because most of the people are interlinked.
“When I am in many of these areas, I don’t need a translator, I can hear everything directly. And besides we have Swahili, which is a Bantu language, which unites not only East Africa but also in Congo and it is part of our heritage,” Gen. Museveni said.
President Museveni assured the Kingdom that the government will in the new financial year embark on the work of constructing the Kingdom palace in Kasese and also improve monthly allowances given to the kingdoms.
“The reason why politicians refused to increase allowances for Kingdoms was that some of them make the mistake of taking sides in politics. And this is of course very dangerous,” H.E Museveni said.
Earlier, the Deputy Prime Minister of Obusinga bwa Rwenzururu, Mr. Edwin Kugonza informed the President that upon returning to Kasese on 4th October 2023, the Omusinga launched a new chapter of the kingdom with new and refreshed objectives around peace, reconciliation but more so, the socio-economic transformation of the people.
“The king has been moving around the whole kingdom and he is preaching nothing but peace, reconciliation and economic transformation through government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM), making sense of the money which government is giving to our people and we hope this will be a game changer, Your Excellency,” Mr. Kugonza said.
The meeting was also attended by the Minister of State for ICT and National Guidance, Hon. Godfrey Kabbyanga Baluku, the Deputy Attorney General, Hon. Jackson Kafuuzi and several Ministers from the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu.