Princess Komuntale Makes First Public Appearance in Fort Portal

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Ruth Komuntale, the Princess of Tooro Kingdom had made her first public appearance in Fort Portal since she ended her marriage to Christopher Thomas. Komuntale showed up for Christmas mass at St. John's Cathedral together with Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru, the King of Tooro Kingdom, Queen Mother Best Kemigisa and the Tooro Kingdom Premier Dr. Steven Kaliba.

It is at the same cathedral where Komuntale tied the knot with Thomas last year at a ceremony presided over by the retired Archbishop Church of Uganda, His Grace Luke Orombi. When Dr. Kaliba introduced Komuntale, the congregation erupted in thunderous applause. Kaliba then requested Komuntale to greet the congregation, since it was her first time in Fort Portal since her marriage to Thomas ended.

Steven Kaliba, Princess Komuntale, Bishop Kisembo, King Oyo and Best Kemigisa

Komuntale stepped forward and in a speech that lasted only 11 seconds, wished the congregation Merry Christmas and thanked the people of Tooro for standing by her when her marriage ended. After the speech, they were murmurs in the congregation, an indication that they wanted to hear more from her.

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In October, Komuntale announced an end to her marriage with Thomas. Komuntale accused Thomas of being promiscuous and physically abusive. Since then she has kept a low profile after requesting the media for privacy. In his sermon, the Bishop of Rwenzori Diocese, Reuben Kisembo decried the rampant corruption which has been so rife this year. He cited the OPM scandal, the pension scam and embezzlement of funds in the local governments.

Kisembo asked the implicated leaders to use Christmas as a day to reflect and be changed persons in 2014. He also castigated local leaders in Kabarole district for doing nothing to combat HIV/AIDS, whose prevalence rate stands at 14%. He called for introduction of sex education in schools, saying it will create awareness on the dangers of the scourge.

He also called for an end to the ethnic clashes between the Bamba and Bakonzo, Bakonzo and Basongora, which have in the past two years rocked the Rwenzori region.

Expectant Mothers Share Ward With TB Patients in Karugutu

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Expectant mothers at Karugutu Health Centre III in Ntoroko district are sharing a ward with patients suffering from Tuberculosis (TB).

Karugutu Health Centre III located in Karugutu town council is a major health facility which serves residents from Nombe and Itoojo sub counties. The health centre has one general admission ward and a TB ward.

When Uganda Radio Network reporter visited the facility, they were more than 10 expectant mothers and TB patients in the same ward.

Boaz Mugabe, one of the visitor’s taking care of his pregnant wife, fears that the arrangement will expose them to TB infections.

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Faith Businge, one of the expectant mothers at the facility claims to have no option but to remain the ward because she cannot afford health costs in distant private health centers.

Benjamin Katusabe, the in charge of the health center says the lone maternity ward they had was closed because it was dilapidated. He adds that the other maternity wards are too congested to be used by the pregnant women.

In a bid to reduce on TB patients in the ward, some patients are given drugs and sent back home, while those who are in a bad state are left to share the same ward with the pregnant women, Katusabe says. There are also plans to refer them to Fort Portal and Bundibugyo referral hospitals, he adds.

However, Sam Mugulusi, the Ntoroko district TB focal person says that he has petitioned the district to remove the pregnant mothers from the TB ward. He says that some TB patients are being deprived of treatment because the ward is congested.

According to Katusabe, the health centre plans to construct more wards, but they are constrained by lack of adequate funds, since the Health Center receives 795,000 shillings per quarter from Central government which is too little for constructing new wards.

Richard Irumba, the acting Ntoroko District Health Officer says that they have written to the Ministry of Health to contribute funds for construction of the wards. 

Expectant Mothers Shun Health Vouchers

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Expectant mothers in Kabarole district are shunning the Voucher health system introduced to them by Marie Stopes health providers to increase access to health facilities.

The arrangement is designed to widen access to safe motherhood services for poor Ugandan women with quality, subsidised services. It is delivered through a voucher scheme that targets subsidies for services and by providing technical assistance to private obstetric units in underserved areas.

It’s based on research findings that indicated that women weren’t attending all recommended antenatal visits and only 17% of the women in rural areas were giving birth in health units.

A voucher entitles the holder to four antenatal care visits, delivery and one postnatal care visit in over 20 districts of south and western Uganda. Free referral is available in the event of a complication.

Marie Stopes sells vouchers to Village Health Teams (VHT) at a cost of UGX 1,000 each. The VHTs and distributors in turn sell the vouchers to pregnant women at UGX 2,000.

However in Kabarole the system isn’t being utilized. In Kichwamba Sub County, records by the Village Health team indicate that in the past five months, only six pregnant women have used the vouchers.

Ritah Komuhimbo, a resident of Karago village in Kichwamba says that the system is good, but she doesn’t think that it will solve the problem of accessing health units.

Komuhimbo questions the importance of the voucher, yet the roads in the area are in a sorry state, a reason why some expectant mothers still can’t access health units despite holding a voucher

Yet still, some health units are too congested and lack adequate facilities and personnel to attend to patients, she argues.

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In Bukuku Sub County, some mothers are ignorant about the system. Irene Kobusinge, a resident of Kyakaigo says that the district health department hasn’t done enough to sensitize mothers about the system.

Vincent Mugisa, a VHT volunteer in Bukuku Sub County also attributes the lack of interest to the influence of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs). Mugisa says that the TBAs are frustrating the work of medical personnel by de-campaigning the project.

Mugisa however says that they plan to work with the TBAs, with an aim of popularizing the voucher system.

Attending ante-natal care visits and delivering at health facilities is a challenge for many pregnant women in Uganda. According to the 2011 Uganda Demographic Household Survey, only about 25% of pregnant women in Uganda make all four recommended ante-natal visits, and about56% deliver at health facilities.

Prince Saul Mpuuga: Komuntale Should Reconcile With Husband

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Prince Saul Livingstone Mpuuga, the elder brother of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, has called for reconciliation between his sister Princess Ruth Komuntale and her estranged husband Christopher Thomas.

In an interview with Uganda Radio Network in Fort Portal, Prince Mpuuga (33) said he hopes the couple can reconcile. He believes this is possible if both families are involved in talks to bring together the former couple.

Prince Saul Mpuuga

Mpuuga says it is unfortunate the Komuntale-Thomas match did not last more than 10 months yet it had been an occasion of celebration for thousands of people when they got married.

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Last month, Princess Komuntale announced an end to her marriage with Thomas. She accused Thomas of infidelity and physically abusing her.

But Mpuuga's advice may go unheeded as he confesses that he has difficulty catching the eye of King Oyo. He says he has been blocked several times from meeting his younger brother.

He has, however, had a chance to chat on social media platforms like Facebook with his sister Komuntale and she has expressed a desire to meet him.

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Prince Mpuuga is currently pursuing his studies at Nyakasura School. He will be reporting for senior 4 next year. Mpuuga decided to go back to school 14 years after he had dropped out. He returned to school in 2011.

Going back to school has been a challenging experience for the prince who until last year was largely unknown to the public.

Prince Mpuuga rose to prominence late last year when he revealed that he was the elder son of the late Omukama Patrick Olimi Kaboyo II. Mpuuga said that his late mother, Joyce Rubuga met Kaboyo in the King’s palace where she worked as a maid. He was later officially recognized by the Kingdom and royal family at the home of Professor Edward Rugumayo in Fort Portal town.

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On the King’s recent graduation in the United Kingdom, Mpuuga says that it will inspire school dropouts to return to school.

Mpuuga also says that he is happy that King Oyo has started making personal decisions and involving the youths in kingdom activities. He however says that the King needs more support from the subjects and even Kingdom administration.

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UNESCO Inscribes Empaako Tradition

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The Empaako tradition has been inscribed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO as an intangible heritage in need of safeguarding.

Empaako is a naming system practised by the Batooro, Banyoro, Batuku, Batagwenda and Banyabindi communities in western uganda.  In the tradition, children are given one of twelve names shared across the communities in addition to their given and family names. Addressing a person by her or his Empaako name is a positive affirmation of social ties. It can be used as a greeting or a declaration of affection, respect, honour or love.

The tradition was inscribed by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Heritage during the UNESCO conference held in Baku, Azerbaijan on Saturday.

According to information obtained by Uganda Radio Network, the Empaako traditional was the only element from Africa. The other element that was inscribed was the Mongolian Calligraphy, which is the technique of handwriting in the Classical Mongolian script, which comprises 90 letters connected vertically by continuous strokes to create words.

The inscription of the Empaako tradition now means that UNECSO will provide financial support to implement the programme of safe guarding the tradition like mass sensitization. UNECSO will also help promote and popularize the tradition through its systems internationally.

The need to recognize the Empaako tradition was initiated in 2011 by Engabu Za Tooro (EZT), a cultural organization in the Rwenzori region.  The organization was accredited by UNESCO during the 2003 convention on intangible cultural heritage.

 This follows a research carried out by the organization which indicated that the tradition was under threat from groups like cults especially the Bisaka cult, which has a large following in Kyejonjo District. The cult prohibits its believers from greeting using the pet name, which they associate with the demi- gods.

The inscription of Empaako comes after several views were collected from district councils, and clans in areas where the pet names exist. The views were then presented to the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, who then forwarded them to the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.

According to UNESCO, it was established that Use of Empaako can defuse tension or anger and sends a strong message about social identity and unity, peace and reconciliation.

But The transmission of Empaako through naming rituals has dropped dramatically due to a general decline in appreciation of traditional culture and the diminishing use of the language associated with the element.

Steven Rwagweri, the Executive Director, Engabu Za Tooro, who was present at the inscription ceremony, told Uganda Radio Network in a telephone interview that the misconceptions about the empaako tradition will be fought since the tradition has been recognized by UNECSO.

Rev. Richard Baguma, a regent in Tooro Kingdom says that since the tradition has been recognized, there should be a cultural policy passed and the pet name be attached to official names and also revive the ritual of giving a pet name when a child is born.

Amakondere Dance at Verge of Extinction

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The Trumpeters

The Amakondere dance, which is meant to entertain the Kings of Tooro and Bunyoro Kingdoms, is at the verge of extinction. The dance can also be performed in the absence of the King with permission. A horn-shaped wooden trumpet is the main instrument used for Amakondere.

The cylinder like trumpets, are built in different shapes and sizes, which are played alongside drums local known as empango. The Amakondere involves dancing in twos, side by side. The dancers alternately lift one foot in forward motion. Amakondere is associated with jubilation. Dancing to the Amakondere is locally known as Okuguruka Amakondere.

To produce melody from the trumpets, the Abakondere (trumpeters) draw breath from the depth of their lungs and press their lips hard on the wood. Their costumes consist of bark-cloth fastened over the right hand shoulder. However, this dance that is revered in the Kingdom is at the verge of extinction because of lack of experienced trumpeters.

Experienced trumpeters have either died or retired due to old age and have never been replaced. The number of trumpeters is also inadequate. They are supposed to be more than twenty; however the number has dropped to less than ten.  The trumpeters also look shabby because of lack proper costumes. 69-year-old Francis Kajura, who has been a trumpeter for more than 10 years says that the current crop of trumpeters is inexperienced, which explains why the melody produced is not good.

He says some of the trumpeters haven’t gone through training, which is a prerequisite. According to Kajura, failure by the Kingdom to motivate the trumpeters explains why they have lost interest in the dance. Kajura says that in the past, the King used to give the trumpeters presents like cattle and pieces of land to motivate them because blowing the Amakondere is strenuous.

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Benjamin Busobozi, a trumpeter says that whenever there are kingdom functions like the King’s birthday and coronation anniversary they are never facilitated. He says that sometimes they perform without a meal and also meet their own transport costs.  Rev. Richard Baguma, Tooro Kingdom regent says Amankondere dance is a sign of respect that is deeply rooted in the Bunyoro-Toro way of life insisting that there is need to safe guard it.

Baguma blames the Babito clan for neglecting the dance. He says he feels embarrassed when the King is visiting some parts of the Kingdom and there are no trumpeters to welcome or entertain him and his guests. He says some of the trumpeters who perform at functions like the coronation anniversary are inexperienced and should be trained adequately.

Charles Kamuarsi, the head of the Babiito clan in Toro Kingdom admits that the dance isn’t popular as it was in the past. Kamurasi, says the Kingdom is doing all it can to revive the dance to its former glory. He says they will provide special budget for the trumpeters in the next year. The

Kichwamba Residents Demand Funds For Road Repairs

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Residents of Kichwamba Sub County are protesting the failure by Kabarole district local government to remit money levied on Pozzolana truck drivers.

Pozzolana is a fine, sandy volcanic ash, which can form compounds possessing cement-like properties. It can be used for making concrete structures or combined with other elements to fortify cement. In Uganda pozzolanic deposits occur in the Rwenzori region and in Kisoro district. In Kabarole, Pozzolana is mainly mined in Kichwamba in the parishes of Bwanika and Nyantabooma. The miners sell the material to construction companies, individual builders and Hima cement factory.

The residents now complain that the roads in the area have been damaged by the heavy trucks which collect the mineral from the mines and have never been repaired, even when the truck drivers are paying money to the district.

Records seen by Uganda Radio Network indicate there are more than 70 trucks which ferry pozzolana from the mines. Each financial year the truck drivers through their association pay 80 million shillings to the district, which it remits to the sub county to rehabilitate the roads that have been damaged.

However in the 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 financial year, no funds have been remitted to the sub county, which has angered residents.

Moses Baguma, a resident of Bwanika parish, says the roads are impassable especially during the rainy season, which has hindered the residents from accessing markets and health facilities. Baguma says sometimes traders and children are forced to find alternative routes to markets and schools.

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Charles Businge, the Kichwamba Local Council 3 chairperson, says that the district has never remitted the money to the sub county. Businge says that on rainy days the truck drivers continue to use the road and can’t be stopped since they have receipts indicating that they pay to the district.

Businge says each financial year, the sub county is allocated 12 million shillings for road repairs, which isn’t adequate and yet the funds from the truck drivers, if released, would go a long way in maintaining the roads in the sub county.

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However, Moses Ikagobya, the district secretary for works, says the truck drivers defaulted and have never remitted the money to the district. Ikagobya says they demand more than 160 million shillings from the truck drivers. Asked why they are allowed to operate and yet they have defaulted, Ikagobya says the district opened a case at Fort Portal police station against the truck drivers.

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But a source at Fort Portal police station who handled the case says the file was closed after the drivers paid the money.

Ikagobya, however, insists that the truck drivers still owe the district money.

Excitement As New Fort Portal Market Opens

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There was excitement in Fort Portal as the newly constructed Mpanga Market was commissioned today.

In 2010, more than 500 traders were relocated to a makeshift market to pave way for construction of the market, one of the largest markets in the region.

The market commissioned by Vice President Edward Sekandi cost 11.4 billion shillings. It is one of the seven markets countrywide that are being rebuilt under the Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Programme (MATIP-1) – a multi-million dollar project supported by the Government and the African Development Bank. The other markets are located in the towns of Lira, Gulu, Mbale, Jinja, and Hoima.

The market, which will accommodate about 1,200 vendors, will house food stalls, bars and restaurants, banks, clinics, salons, fruit and vegetable stands, butcheries and a day care centre. It consists of 400 stalls, 218 lockup shops and 700 pitches.

The sight of filth, garbage and flies which was common in the old market will be no more. The new market is cemented, well paved and with functioning drainage system. There are more than 50 toilets and clear dumping sites for plastics, foodstuffs and medical waste, assuring customers of better sanitation and hygiene.

David Mugume, a trader says that since the market is spacious it will attract many customers and increase the income of the traders. Mwesige says the old market was attracting few customers because of congestion and poor hygiene.

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Ruth Basemera, another trader says she hopes that the cost of a stall at the new market would be affordable to vendors, since the market is intended for the poor people.

Willy Magezi, the Local Council 3 Chairman for East Division in Fort Portal Municipality, says the new market will generate revenue for the division. Magezi says for the two years the market has been under construction, the division has been finding difficulties to generate income, since the traders were few.

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The town clerk Fort Portal municipality, Edward Lwanga, says they estimate the market to fetch annual revenue of 1.3 billion shillings, which will strengthen the revenue of the municipality. The revenue will be shared between the municipal council and East Division.  Lwanga also says management and maintenance of the market will be under the municipal council to ensure sanitation and orderliness.

According to Lwanga, the vendors in the old market would be given first priority in the new market, when it formally starts operating in January 2014. He says the municipal executive committee, technical staff and the market management committee are yet to meet and agree how much vendors will pay and who will occupy which specific areas in the market.

Bishop Kamanyire Buried

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The retired Bishop Rwenzori Diocese, Dr Eustace Kamanyire, was laid to rest on Thursday bringing to a close a chapter of a man who shaped the development of the diocese.

Retired Bishop Kamanyire passed on last week at Nakasero Hospital in Kampala, more than a month after suffering a stroke early October.

Kamanyire’s burial at the St John's Cathedral’s cemetery was preceded by a funeral service that was presided over by the Right Reverend Jackson Thembo Nzerebende, the Bishop of South Rwenzori diocese, who represented the Archbishop of Uganda, Stanley Ntagali.

As early as 7:00am, hundreds of Christians started thronging the cathedral to attend the funeral service that kicked off at 10am. The compound of the cathedral was filled with mourners. More than ten tents were erected in the compound to accommodate the large number of mourners who included religious leaders, local leaders and Tooro Kingdom officials among others.

Prior to the funeral service, people paid their last respects to Kamanyire who served as Bishop for 19 years. They bowed before the casket that was inside the church. St John’s Cathedral choir sang songs of sorrow as friends, relatives and the clergy laid wreaths on the casket bearing Kamanyire’s remains.

In his sermon, Bishop Nzerebende hailed Kamanyire for promoting and protecting the family institution by condemning acts of homosexuality. Bishop Nzerebende urged the clergy to emulate Kamanyire and openly condemn the act.

In 2000, Kamanyire was banned from preaching in England over his strong opposition to the ordination of gay priests and sanctifying of gay marriages. The letter written by Right Reverend Peter Selby, the then Bishop of Worchester, banned Kamanyire from preaching or even stepping in the Diocese of Worcester.
 
After the funeral service, Kamanyire’s casket was carried to the church cemetery, where he was buried next to his late wife Irene.

Right Reverend Reuben Kisembo, the Bishop Rwenzori diocese then read to mourners a section of Kamanyire’s will. In his will, the deceased named his son, Peter Kamanyire as the heir. The young Kamanyire, who is a farmer and businessman, was then blessed by Bishop Nzerebende.

Historical Archives Centre Opens in Fort Portal

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The Centre for African Studies has set up archives to preserve the history of Tooro Kingdom and Kabarole district local government dating from 1910 to 1990s. The move follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the centre for African studies, which is located at Mountains, Tooro Kingdom and Kabarole district local government.

Under the MOU, the centre of African studies will be the custodian of the archives of both institutions. Some of the information that has been stored at the centre includes the local governmental records, colonial and postcolonial judiciary records, conduct of elections in the late 1950s and early 1960s, history of the Rwenzururu rebellion and the past population censuses in the region.

At the centre, the collections are first cleaned, sorted out in categories, catalogued before they are package and shelved.  Moses Akugizibwe, the in-charge of the centre says that there was need to set up the archives because historical information about the two institutions wasn’t stored properly. Akugizibwe says some of the documents were in a very bad state when they collected them as they were covered in dust. He says the the information at the centre will be put to better use by readers and researchers.

He says that since the centre opened two months ago, there has been a big response from the community especially students in need of historical information about the two institutions.  

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Akugizibwe says the archives will be digitized and put on the internet so that they can be accessed easily for purposes of research.

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The establishment of the centre is a relief to some members of the public, who have been finding difficulties accessing historical information especially about the past colonial government.   Benjamin Mugisa, a resident of Fort Portal says that he has in the past searched for historical information in vain. Mugisa says there is a lot of ignorance about the importance of archives adding that, there is need to sensitize members of the public about the importance, usefulness and the future of archives.

Dorothy Nyakake, the Tooro Kingdom Culture minister says the establishment of the archive centre is overdue. Nyakake says the Kingdom has been turning away several people in need of historical information because of lack space to store it. She said that there is a wide range of Tooro Kingdom knowledge which relates to the history, language culture and customs that remains unexplored because of poor preservation.

How Rwenzori Clergy Remember Bishop Kamanyire

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Dr. Eustace Kamanyire’s tenure as bishop of Rwenzori Diocese has been described by many as one of development and expansion of the Diocese.

Dr Kamanyire died on Saturday at Nakasero Hospital, some 42 days after suffering a stroke.

Save for the early years in his episcopate when he had to deal with the split in Rwenzori Diocese during the formation of the South Rwenzori Diocese in 1984, Dr Kamanyire’s 19-year episcopate has been praised by the clergy.

At the time he took over from Bishop Yonasani Rwakaikara in 1981, the diocese covered present day Kasese, Kamwenge, Kyenjojo, Kabarole, Kyegegwa, Bundibugyo and Ntoroko districts. In 1984, Kasese broke away to form South Rwenzori diocese.

Right Reverend Reuben Kisembo, the current Bishop of Rwenzori Diocese, says that during Dr Kamanyire’s time, the diocese offered scholarships to students from Tooro region to study theology. Kisembo says that had it not been for Kamanyire’s initiative, several students wouldn’t have studied because they couldn’t afford tuition fees at that time. Kisembo and his predecessor, the late Patrick Kyaligonza, were among the students.

Kisembo also says that Kamanyire trained and mentored several clergy who are currently serving in senior positions in the diocese. Bishop Kisembo says that it was the deceased who also revived the Bishop Balya Theological College in Bukuku, Kabarole district which had been poorly managed.

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Before taking over from Kyaligonza after the latter’s sudden death in an accident in 2010, Kisembo was the Principal of the theological college.

Kisembo says that even after his retirement, Kamanyire took part in church activities and was one of the people who recommended to the Church of Uganda for the creation of East Rwenzori Diocese which covers Kamwenge district.

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Rev Canon Agabus Baguma, who worked with Dr Kamanyire at St John’s Cathedral, says that the bishop played a big role in the development and expansion of Rwenzori diocese. Baguma says that more than 60 parishes were created in the diocese during Kamanyire’s time.

Baguma also says that Kamanyire advocated for upholding of the Christian values, which explains why even after his retirement he remained a strong anti-gay crusader.

Baguma cites an incident in 2000, when Kamanyire received a letter banning him from preaching in a church in England over his opposition to the ordination of gay priests and sanctifying of gay marriage.

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Dr. Kamanyire will be buried on Thursday at St John’s Cathedral Fort Portal next to his wife Irene, who passed away in May this year.

At his requiem service at Namirembe Cathedral on Monday, Dr George Tibesigwa, the retired Bishop of Ankole, described Kamanyire and principled and development-minded. Tibesigwa was among Kamanyire’s students when he was a tutor and later principal of Bishop Tucker Theological College between 1971 and 1977. Other students include retired Bishops Balagadde Ssekadde of Namirembe Diocese and Dunstan Mutebi of Mityana Diocese among others.

Born in January 1935, Kamanyire had his early education in Tooro before joining Bishop Balya Theological College in Kabarole district. From there he went to Bishop Tucker College, the present day Uganda Christian University, Mukono. He was ordained a priest in 1962 before being selected to go to Canada for further studies in 1964.

In Canada, he was awarded a degree in Theology from Western Ontario University and another one in Political Science from the University of Toronto. He relocated to California in the USA for his Masters in the Most Sacred Theology. He went back to Toronto for a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) which he was awarded in 1986.

In 1977, after the killing of Archbishop Janan Luwum, Kamanyire ran into exile in Kenya, from where he enrolled as a tutor at Mathieno Theological College. He returned to Uganda after the overthrow of Idi Amin and was appointed the Provincial Development Coordinator for the Church of Uganda. In 1980 he was elected Provincial Secretary of the Church of Uganda, a position he held until his election as Bishop of Rwenzori in 1981.

In 2001, Kamanyire founded Sunrise Orphanage home in Karamaga, Fort Portal municipality. The home looks after children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.

He leaves behind three children; two daughters and a son.

Bishop Kamanyire Dead

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Retired Bishop of Ruwenzori Diocese, Dr Eustance Kamanyire, is dead.

The 79-year-old prelate who became popular for his strong views against homosexuality died this morning at Case Clinic in Kampala, where he has been bedridden for over a month. Kamanyire’s nephew, Maxwell Chrysolite Kamanyire, posted a message on Facebook saying the bishop passed away today at 5:45am.  Peter Kamanyire, the bishop's son, says his father suffered a stroke on October 4th at his home in Fort Portal and was rushed to Nsambya Hospital but doctors there recommended his transfer to Case Clinic.

Kamanyire says his father spent two weeks in the intensive care unit at Case Unit and was taken out of the unit when his condition improved. According to Kamanyire, the deceased’s condition worsened when he developed breathing difficulties on Wednesday night and was taken back to the intensive care unit.

Dr Kamanyire served as Bishop of Ruwenzori Diocese from 1981 to 2000. He was replaced by Bishop Benezeri Kisembo who also retired in 2009. Kamanyire was last seen in public in September during King Oyo’s 18th Coronation anniversary.

In 2000, Kamanyire was banned from preaching in England over his strong opposition to the ordination of gay priests and sanctifying of gay marriages.

In June 2000, Dr Kamanyire received a letter banning him from preaching in a church in England over his opposition to the ordination of gay priests and sanctifying of gay marriage. The letter written by Right Reverend Peter Selby, the then Bishop of Worchester, banned Kamanyire from preaching or even stepping in the Diocese of Worcester.   Bishop Selby in a statement said Dr Kamanyire went to the Diocese on June 25, 2000 to take part in a high profile confirmation service and to support the vicar of the Diocese Rev Charles Raven on his stand against homosexuality.

Since his retirement in 2000, Kamanyire has been doing charity work with a number of organizations in Fort Portal. One of the charities he founded is Sunrise House, a home for middle school-aged children orphaned by the AIDS epidemic.

In August this year, he participated in a three-day retreat for Retired bishops of the church of Uganda at Rest Gardens in Bweyogerere. It was their first retreat since retirement.

The three-day event from August 13 to 15 was a platform for them to share experiences, gain skills on managing retirement and chart a way forward in form of recommendations. They discussed, among other recommendations, the centralization in the provincial office of pension and send-off packages for retired bishops, creating a directory of the church leaders for coordination purposes and frequent retreats for the retired bishops.

Dr Kamanyire took the lead role as the prelates resolved to form a fellowship of retired bishops whose work is to lead to the formation of the church of Uganda retired bishops forum.

MPs Order Kabarole District To Recover UGX 300M

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The local government accounts committee of parliament has ordered Kabarole district to recover 300 million shillings it advanced to staff.


According to the Auditor General’s report of 2011, in the 2001/2002 financial year, a total of 323 million shillings was advanced to 21 district staff and were supposed to pay back the funds in a period of one year. However the district managed to recover only 23 million shillings.

The committee chaired by the Rukiga County MP, Jack Sabiti put to task Nicholas Ochakara, Kabarole district Chief Administrative Officer, to explain why the remaining funds had never been recovered.

In his response, Ochakara told the MPs that the district failed to recover the funds because some of the district staff who were given the funds died, retired, while others were transferred to other districts. Ochakara also stunned the committee when he said that he had proposed to the district council to waive repayment of the funds.

His revelations didn’t go down well with the committee, who accused the district technical staff of misusing tax payer’s money.

Peter Ogwal, the Youth Eastern MP, said that the district should be given six months to recover the money and that the district council should reject the CAO’s proposal of waiving repayment of the funds. Ogwal said that the balance is too much and can used to improve on service delivery in the district.

Ogwal also said that the committee received information that some of the staff who were advanced the funds are still working at the district, but have stubbornly refused to refund the money.

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The committee also put Ochakara to task to explain to them why the district chairperson, Richard Rwabuhinga was in 2011 advanced a loan of 10 million shillings using district coffers to purchase a personal vehicle. However Ochakara said that Rwabuhinga didn’t have an official car, so the district executive committee resolved to advance him a loan and that he is still paying back the loan in installments.

Abdi Fadhil Kisos Chemaswet, the Kween County MP, accused the technical staff of diverting money to non-priority sectors. He said that the money advanced to the district chairperson to purchase a car, should have been used to equip health facilities.

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Other queries raised by the attorney general include the failure by the district public accounts committee to present its reports to the council and the district technical staff reporting late for work, which leads to delays in implementation of activities and failure to meet council targets.

Huge Expectations Await King Oyo

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Huge expectations await the King of Tooro, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, as he settles in his kingdom after completion of studies.

Last month, King Oyo graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management at Winchester University in the United Kingdom, where he has been studying for the past three years.

While pursuing his studies, the 21-year-old King was being helped to manage the kingdom by two regents, Rev. Richard Baguma and Mzee Epafura Mugasa. King Oyo’s education abroad was in the past criticized by some of his subjects who argued that he should emulate his grandfather, Sir George Matthew Kamurasi Rukidi III and father Patrick David Mathew Kaboyo Olimi III who were educated at Nyakasura School and King's College Budo.

However, since Oyo has completed his studies, some of his subjects have high expectations in him. Geoffrey Mugisa, a resident of Fort Portal says King Oyo should use this opportunity to attract investors to the Kingdom and promote tourism to the outside world. Mugisa says the Kingdom has large chunks of land that should be utilized to increase the revenue base of the Kingdom.


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Richard Katuramu, another resident says the King should be closer to his subjects and permanently reside at his palace in Fort Portal.  Katuramu says when the King was away, there were conflicts which affected the administration of the Kingdom. He also says when King Oyo is close to his subjects, it will inspire the youth to remain in school and work for the kingdom.

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Eunice Kaakyo says King Oyo should now embark on the implementation of his five year development plan which includes improving food security in homes and availing employment opportunities to the youths.

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Asked what plans he had for the Kingdom since he has completed his studies, Steven Kaliba, the Tooro Prime Minister, says King Oyo will now have the time to personally oversee the development of his Kingdom and be close to his subjects.

Kaliba however says the Kingdom authorities can’t dictate on King Oyo permanently residing at his palace in Fort Portal as his subjects demand. He says it will be Oyo to decide where he wants to live.

Charles Kayondo Kamurasi, the head of the royal clan and Oyo’s paternal uncle, says that since the King isn’t occupied with studies, he should also get close to his relatives. Kamurasi says it’s a shame that Oyo doesn’t know some of his close relatives, 18 years after he was installed on the throne of his forefathers.

Tooro Kingdom Subjects Burn Red Pepper Over Failed Komuntale Marriage

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Tooro Kingdom subjects have this morning burnt copies of the Red Pepper newspaper in Fort Portal town protesting what they call negative publicity of the failed marriage of Princess Ruth Komuntale and Christopher Thomas.

Last week both Thomas Christopher and Princess Komuntale posted statements on their Facebook walls confirming that indeed their marriage was over. In her post, Komuntale accuses Thomas of being promiscuous and physically and emotionally abusive. The failed marriage attracted media attention.

This morning more than 15 members of the Tooro Local Parliament bought more than 200 copies of the Red Pepper and set them ablaze in the centre of Fort Portal town, as they sang the Tooro Kingdom anthem.

The Tooro Local Parliament is a pressure group that advocates for good governance and human rights in the Tooro region. It comprises of the youths. Tooro Local Parliament is not affiliated to the official Tooro Kingdom Parliament (Orukurato).

Alfred Kamanyire, the deputy speaker of the Tooro parliament, argues that it was wrong for the Red Pepper to publicise the failure of Princess Komuntale and Thomas's marriage with intimate details. He believes the publication was an insult to King Oyo and Tooro Kingdom.

According to Kamanyire, they will start a campaign to urge the Batooro to boycott buying the newspaper, which he says is a disgrace to Tooro.

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Vincent Mugume, the Tooro Kingdom deputy information minister, told Uganda Radio Network that the actions of the members was justified, because any attack on the King is an attack on the Batooro. He also said that although it’s true that the marriage had ended, some of the stories published by the Red Pepper were false.

The Red Pepper News Editor, Ben Byarabaha, said that the publication has been fair to the Princess Komuntale and Tooro Kingdom. He said that what was published by Red Pepper was sourced from Princess Komuntale and Christopher Thomas's facebook walls. Therefore its wrong for the members of the Tooro Local Parliament to burn copies of the paper. He also said that by burning the copies, they are depriving the people of Tooro information.

In 2009, the Buganda Kingdom, Lukiiko urged the people of Buganda to boycott buying Bukedde and the New Vision newspapers, over a story it published alleging that a cabinet Minister in the central government was holding the Bulange land title over a one billion shilling debt the Kabaka Ronald Mutebi had obtained from the unnamed Minister to run his private business.

Tooro Kingdom: Stop Discussing Failed Royal Marriage On Social Media

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Tooro Kingdom has requested Thomas Christopher, the estranged husband to Princess Ruth Komuntale to desist from discussing their failed marriage on the social media.

Since Komuntale announced an end to their marriage, Thomas has on several occasions posted explicit details explaining why their marriage failed. In some of the posts Thomas claims that Komuntale had denied him conjugal rights since their wedding. He also accuses Komuntale of infidelity.

On Sunday, the 24-year-old elder sister of King Oyo announced that her marriage to Christopher Thomas was over, citing promiscuity, and physical and emotional abuse among other reasons.

In a press release issued on Tuesday evening by Dr. Steven Kaliba, the Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister, Kaliba stated that Thomas should accord respect to his and Komuntale’s family and keep matters to himself.  According to Kaliba, using the social media to discuss private family matters does not only injure and cause further pain to him and Komuntale, but also to their respective families.

Kaliba notes that the November 17th 2012 wedding was a great moment for Tooro kingdom, because the Batebe was coming of age and was beginning a new life of building her own family.

In the statement, Kaliba states that the Kingdom will continue to respect Komuntale and support her work through the Batebe Foundation where she has been working to improve the situation of women and girl children in Tooro Kingdom.

The foundation was initiated fifteen years ago by the then Batebe, Princess Elizabeth Bagaya, Komuntale’s paternal aunt to support needy women in the Kingdom.

Kaliba states that the Kingdom subjects should put aside the current troubles and join King Oyo, when he returns on Thursday from United Kingdom, where he graduated from the University of Winchester with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration.

On Monday, Princess Ruth Komuntale’s aunt, Princess Agnes Komukyeya told Uganda Radio Network that Komuntale wasn’t ready for marriage. Komukyeya, an aunt to Komuntale's father, Omukama Patrick David Matthew Olimi Kaboyo II, says the young princess was not prepared well before her marriage in November last year.

Full Tooro Kingdom Statement

As you well know, last year on 17th November 2012, our beloved Princess Ruth Nsemere was joined in Holy Matrimony to Christopher Thomas, an African American young man from St. Louis, Missouri. This was a great moment for us as a kingdom to celebrate the coming of age of our Princess and the beginning of a new life for her making steps towards building her own family.

As the kingdom Prime Minister I have come to learn of the rather unsettling news of the pain that her marriage has caused her and the decision to give the marriage a break.

I therefore would like to make three simple remarks in regard to the issues that have arisen in the past few days as a result of Princess Ruth’s marriage to Thomas.

First I would like to request Ugandans at large, kingdom subjects, the media and our Princess to remain calm in this trying time and ask everyone to pray for God’s guidance and wisdom. On our part as the Kingdom we pledge our total support to our Princess more than ever before during this wearisome time. We assure the Princess that she is very much loved and respected by all the people and friends of Tooro. We will continue to support her work through the Batebe Foundation where she has been working so hard to improve the situation of women and girl children in Tooro Kingdom.

I also would like to appeal to members of the press to give Thomas and Princess Ruth some privacy to recover from this rather unnerving experience. I also emphatically request Thomas Christopher to desist from using social networks to discuss his marriage affairs. Let him accord respect to both families and keep matters to himself. Going to social media to discuss private family matters does not only injure and cause further pain to themselves as individuals but also to their respective families. My prayer to Thomas is to put a stop to the social media and am sure the good Lord will comfort him and life continues. “To my Princess Ruth take heart , am sure God has another plan for you. As a kingdom we love you, we respect you and we support you in all you are doing”.

Finally allow me to take this opportunity to thank the people of Uganda and the kingdom of Tooro, our friends and well wishers for having stood steadfastly by the kingdom of Tooro and the royal family in the face of all these tough times. Your support has only served to increase our resolve to serve you more diligently.

We invite the whole world to join us on Thursday evening to welcome and congratulate His Majesty King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV for having successfully graduated from the University of Winchester with an honours Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. With the knowledge and skills gained we are very sure and confident that the kingdom of Tooro will benefit more from his guidance and fatherly watch that will be the primer of Tooro’s social and economic transformation.

Omukama ahangirize!

Kaliba Steven.

Our Marriage is Over- Princess Komuntale

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Princess Ruth Komuntale of Tooro has finally broken the silence about her marriage to Christopher Thomas.

Last week Thomas wrote on his face book wall that her relationship with Princess Komuntale was no more. However his revelations were treated with skepticism.

But last night, Princess Komuntale posted on her face book wall confirming that indeed their marriage has ended. In the post, Komuntale accuses Thomas of being promiscuous and physically abusive.

According to Komuntale, a few weeks after their wedding, things got out of hand. She says that Christopher Thomas physically abused her and continued drinking heavily.

Komuntale cites an incident when Thomas called her asking her to join him in a hotel in the United States where she found her husband sharing a hotel room with a woman who as wrapped in a towel by the time of her arrival.

Komuntale states that she has suffered long enough in silence and that she tried to save their marriage on numerous occasions, but failed.

She says that she told Thomas that there is need for a break from the relationship until she is certain that she will never be physically or emotionally abused again. Komuntale notes that she was shocked when Thomas responded by threatening to destroy her reputation and that of her family unless she continues staying with him.

Komuntale notes that she is grateful to the women who have reached out to her and supported her in the last week.

She asks the media to give her some privacy as she embarks on a healing process.

However, the head of the Babitto Clan and paternal uncle to Komuntale, Charles Kayondo Kamurasi says that he isn't aware of the developments. Kamurasi says that he will only comment after speaking to Komuntale.

The Bishop of Rwenzori Diocese, Reuben Kisembo told Uganda Radio Network that he wasn’t aware of the breakup, saying that he didn’t want to comment on rumors.

 He however adds that this would be a very unfortunate development for Komuntale and the people of Tooro.

Bishop Kisembo says that the couple should have tried opportunities like counseling to save their marriage.

Thomas Christopher and Princess Ruth Komuntale were wedded last year on November 17th at St. John’s Cathedral, by the former Archbishop of Uganda, His Grace Henry Luke Orombi. The Royal wedding was graced by international and national dignitaries.

Prior to the wedding, Thomas was adopted into one of the clans of Toro Kingdom and given a pet name, Amooti.

In his speech during the wedding, the King of Tooro, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru, urged the Batooro to respect her sister’s marriage to Thomas, a non Mutooro. King Oyo said that the fact that Thomas’s ancestors hailed from Africa, the Batooro should look at him as an African and not an American.

Oyo also said that his sister’s marriage to Thomas should not be a cause for concern to the Batooro, but be an opportunity for Tooro Kingdom to create friendship outside the Kingdom.


Princess Komuntale's Full Statement

My fellow Ugandans, people of Tooro, friends, and supporters around the world;
Nimbaramukya n’okugonza n’obusinge bwa Mukama. As you well know, last year, I married Christopher Thomas, an African American young man from St. Louis, Missouri. Like all marriages, we have had our peaks and valleys that we dealt with privately. However, there are challenges we encountered that cannot be reconciled or easily forgotten.
For the person we love, we are reluctant to believe their negative traits and behaviors; love also made me blind, and unable to see the negatives. Yet, a number of issues surfaced requiring me to take a step back and reflect on those values that define us individually and as a couple. Unfortunately, through this process, I realized that Chris and I were heading in two separate paths, because of his personality, promiscuousness, and the physical and emotional domestic abuse.
For example, as you may have seen in the media, a few weeks after our wedding, things got out of hand. Chris physically abused me and continued drinking heavily, which led to more promiscuity and infidelity. While he was out one night, he called asking me to join him in a hotel with “a nice view.” I thought he probably wanted to surprise me with something nice. But on arriving at the hotel he took me to a room where a woman was standing in a towel. They were obviously together before I arrived. When I asked him why he was doing this to me, his response was that he wanted to make me feel jealous because other men wanted to dance with me when were out the previous night.
I could go on and on about how Chris physically and emotionally tormented me. I am so ashamed to mention all the things he has put me through, but it is about time everyone knows the truth. I have suffered in silence long enough, and I am tired. I tried to save my marriage numerous times and forgave all his transgressions in vain. I have also worked extremely hard to keep my private life to myself, and avoid making a public spectacle, but I have been left with no choice but to come out and tell the whole truth.
Due to the continuous abuse I have endured in my marriage, this week I told Chris we needed a break from our relationship until I could be certain I will never be physically or emotionally abused again. Chris responded by going into a rage, threatened to destroy my reputation and that of my family unless I stayed with him. He gave me an ultimatum to change my mind in five minutes or he would publically humiliate me but I refused to give in to his usual controlling tricks.
Before I knew it, he went on Facebook and posted wild and false allegations to damage my reputation and force me to do what he wants. Using his Facebook account, the ‘Princess komuntale’ page, and the ‘Batebe’ facebook page which are under his sole control and do not belong to me, he posted humiliating and painful lies for the world to see. But I refused to allow myself to get back in abusive relationship so that he could stop blackmailing me.
I loved my husband and respected him and our marriage vows until the end and it saddens to announce that our marriage has ended. I plan to move forward with my life where I am not abused every day.
I want to take this opportunity to thank all those who have stood by me in this challenging period. I am eternally grateful for your support and encouragement. I am especially humbled and heartened by my fellow women who have endured domestic abuse and have reached out to me and supported me in the last week.
This painful ordeal has taught me many important life lessons. First, that sheer one-sided love is not sufficient for a life-long relationship. Secondly, that one ought to have exceptional judgment of character before entering a life-long commitment. This comes with long-term courtship. And third, love should not hurt, abuse, or torment.
To those women who find themselves in a situation similar to mine, I urge you to take a stand against anyone who can harm you physically or emotionally. It’s not worth it. I tried it for over a year and it never works out. Remember, marriage should not be a trap, but rather a healthy relationship that supports the best interests of both; it should be based on mutual respect, it should bring happiness, it should bring two souls together for a life-long mutual commitment.
At this time, I kindly ask you for your prayers and support. I also ask the media to allow me some privacy as I embark on a healing process. I am strong and I know with God’s help I will be a better person because of this.
May God bless you, Tooro, and our country Uganda.
Sincerely,
HRH Ruth Nsemere Komuntale

Religious Leaders Call For an End To Poverty

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Religious leaders under the Inter Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) have called for increased vigilance from government in the fight against poverty, if the country is to realize development in the next fifty years. The religious leaders made the call during the Rwenzori regional launch of the renewed religious leaders’ commitment to nation building in Uganda under the theme ‘The Uganda we want in Fifty years’, in Fort Portal.

Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, the Mufti of Uganda and the Co-President, Inter-religious council of Uganda said it’s unfortunate that fifty one years after Uganda gained its independence, many citizens are still living below the poverty line and the government hasn’t done much to address the problem. Mubaje says this explains why citizens don’t listen to the word of God because they are poor and not happy.  He said most of the citizens are struggling to meet their most basic needs.

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According to the Poverty Status Report produced by the Ministry of Finance, there are more than 10 million Ugandans living below the poverty line. Mubaje said that although government has made some achievements in technology, trade, industry and education in the last 50 years, evils such as corruption, intolerant leadership and domestic violence are on the rise.

He reiterated IRCU’s call to government to improve the health sector. Joshua Kitakule, the Secretary General, IRCU says religious leaders under the IRCU are ready to join efforts with government to make Uganda a better place to live in the next 50 years. According to Kitakuke religious leaders remain influential in the political, economic and social life of the country so they shouldn't be neglected.

Kitakule also says IRCU will roll out its activities to all parts of the country. The Uganda we want, initiative is intended to clarify the role of religious leaders in nation-building. It coincided with the national preparations for the celebration of 50 years of Uganda’s independence from colonial rule.

The religious leaders agreed on a set of commitments, which were meant to refocus and reenergize religious leaders to act individually and together to confront a number of issues affecting the common man and woman in Uganda, including poverty, corruption and violence. The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda is a coalition of five major religious grouping including Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, the Orthodox and Seventh day Adventists. The council aims at fostering peace.

Longest Serving Tooro Kingdom MP Dies

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John Baranga, the longest serving member of the Tooro Kingdom Parliament, the Orukurato, has died.

Baranga (79), passed away on Wednesday morning at his home in Maguru, Fort Portal Municipality.

According to his brother David Rujumba, Baranga who was diabetic, collapsed and was rushed to Kabarole hospital, where he died 30 minutes later.

Elderman Baranga, as he was commonly known in Kabarole, has been a member of the Kingdom parliament under the reign of Tooro Kings Sir George Rukidi, Patrick Olimi Kaboyo and Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.

In the 1950s, Baranga was elected as member of the Orukurato representing Fort Portal Municipality, a position he held in the parliament until his death.

Baranga was also a member of the Tooro Kingdom Clan Council, which is advocating for reforms in the Kingdom. Last year Baranga and John Kusemererwa dragged King Oyo to court for illegally appointing Steven Kaliba, as the Kingdom Prime Minister and suspending the Kingdom constitution.

Saul Mugasa, the Tooro Kingdom parliament speaker, says that Baranga’s services to the Kingdom will be missed. Mugasa says that since Baranga had experience, members of the kingdom parliament often sought his advice on the operations of the parliament.

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Rev. Richard Baguma, the Tooro Kingdom regent, says although he disagreed with the deceased when he dragged King Oyo to court, Baranga loved the Kingdom and often mobilized the Batooro to love the King and kingdom.

Baguma also says that Baranga was instrumental in 1993, when he was part of the committee that sought the views of the Batooro on whether they demand a cultural leader. According to Baguma, last month, Baranga also helped the Kingdom locate some of its assets located in different parts of the Kingdom.

At the time of his death, Baranga was also the Chairperson of the Diabetes Association of Rwenzori region. He advocated for the establishment of a diabetes clinic at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital.

Cold War As Tooro, Rwenzururu Fight Over Royalties

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The cold war between Tooro and Rwenzururu Kingdoms is taking a new twist as both institutions demand for royalties from the central government.

The relations between the two cultural entities have been frosty since 2009 when Rwenzururu was recognized as a separate kingdom, effectively breaking away from Tooro. A year later, Charles Wesley Mumbere Iremangoma was installed as the Rwenzururu king, a demand that started in 1962 when Mumbere’s father Isaaya Mukirania led a group of Bamba and Bakonzo leaders to rebel against Tooro Kingdom.

Mukirania died in 1966 and left Mumbere, then a young boy as his heir. Despite the installation of Mumbere as king in 2000, Tooro never officially warmed up to its new neighbour, even though they never openly denounced Mumbere.

On Saturday, Rwenzururu marked the 47th coronation anniversary of Omusinga Mumbere, at which function Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere said the government should pay royalties to his kingdom. Tooro Prime Minister Steven Kaliba was in attendance, the first time a high ranking official from Tooro had attended an event organized by Rwenzururu.

Though he didn’t mention the resources, Mumbere has in the past argued that Rwenzururu should be paid royalties from resources which include Katwe salt lake, Kilembe Mines, Hima cement factory and the Queen Elizabeth national park all in Kasese district.

However, Uganda Radio Network has established that Tooro Kingdom wants government to pay royalties for the same resources. The resources are some of the items that have been compiled by the team that is negotiating with the government for the return of the Tooro kingdom assets.

In a telephone interview, the Tooro Premier Steven Kaliba told Uganda Radio Network that he is surprised that the Rwenzururu is demanding for what still belongs to Tooro.

Kaliba says that the royalties can’t revert to Rwenzururu and yet Tooro hasn’t been receiving the royalties since the restoration of cultural institutions in 1993. Asked if the Kingdom should be compensated, Kaliba said the matter will be decided by the Kingdom Parliament, the Orukurato.

John Baranga, a historical member of the Orukurato, says some areas like Hamukungu in Queen Elizabeth National Park are historical in Tooro Kingdom and can’t just be given away to Rwenzururu. Hamukungu, then part of Tooro, is where the then King of Tooro, Sir George Rukidi III received Queen Elizabeth II when she visited Tooro Kingdom in 1954.

But in a telephone interview, Rwenzururu Kingdom spokesperson Patrick Nyamunungu defended the demand for the royalties. Nyamunungu says since Rwenzururu is officially recognized by government, it should also have the assets that belong to it as an independent entity.

During the coronation anniversary celebrations, however, the Omusinga extended an olive branch to Tooro Kingdom and requested for a meeting between himself and King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV. Mumbere said that if they could meet, they will discuss and forge a united strategy to develop the Rwenzori region.

Farmers' Children Going Hungry Because of Land Scarcity

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Shortage of land for farming is causing food insecurity in families. Several farmers in Kabarole district lack adequate land for cultivating crops, ending up with too little to sell and not enough to feed their families.

Statistics at the district agricultural department indicate that 65% of the farmers in the district face a problem of scarcity of land to improve food production.

Some farmers have resorted to growing lesser quantities of food that fit on the available pieces of land, while others are spending too much money to rent land. Those who can’t afford the money to rent land have been forced to abandon farming. 

Henry Katuramu, a farmer in Rwimi Sub County, says that he has only three acres of land and yet he requires more than seven acres to plant rice. Katuramu says that he is forced to sell what he has planted and raise school fees for his children. He then struggles to feed to feed his family.

In Kakonga parish, Kisomoro Sub County, some farmers have resorted to renting pieces of land, where they temporarily grow their crops as they look for money to purchase land.

David Kyomuhendo, a farmer says that he paid 400,000 shillings to rent one acre of land to grow maize but he isn’t reaping anything because of problems such as price fluctuations, pests and diseases, unpredictable weather and lack of market for his produce. He says the piece of land he owns isn’t enough to grow food on and feed his family.

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Some of the farmers who don’t have the funds to pay for renting land are now stuck with some of the seeds and are in search for cheaper land.

Florence Mwesige, a maize farmer in Kaina parish, Rwimi Sub County, says that he is stuck with 50 kilograms of maize seeds because she has nowhere to plant them. She says the landlords charge 450,000 shillings per season, which she can’t afford.

Amos Omono, the Kabarole district agricultural officer, blames the scarcity of land on the increasing population especially in Rwimi Sub County. Omono says that farmers have gone ahead to cut down trees to create more land for cultivation and have even encroached on gazetted natural forests.

Omono says that the department is encouraging farmers to use the small pieces of land they have, to only grow food for home consumption.

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According to a new joint report by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), scarcity of productive land for cultivation has created a vicious cycle of hunger and food insecurity for millions of families in Sub-Saharan Africa.

King Oyo To Graduate Today

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The King of Tooro Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukiidi IV, will today graduate in the United Kingdom.

King Oyo (21) will be awarded a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management at Winchester University in Hampshire South East London, where he has been studying for the past three years.

King Oyo left for London yesterday for the graduation ceremony accompanied by Queen Mother Best Kemigisa, Princess Ruth Komuntale, Oyo’s sister and the Batebe of Tooro and his personal assistant Jonathan Baguma.

In an interview with Uganda Radio Network, Tooro Kingdom’s information Minister, Vincent Mugume, said that after the graduation, King Oyo will be hosted by the Batooro community living in the United Kingdom. According to Mugume, the Kingdom will also organize a party for King Oyo when he returns from UK in two weeks’ time.

Steven Kaliba, the Prime Minister Tooro Kingdom, said that since the King has completed his studies, he will personally oversee the development of his Kingdom and be close to his subjects. Asked if King Oyo will now permanently reside at his palace in Fort Portal as his subjects demand, Kaliba said that it will be Oyo to decide where he wants to live.

While he was pursuing his studies, King Oyo was being helped to rule the Kingdom by two regents, who included Rev. Richard Baguma and Epafura Mugasa.

Prior to his university education abroad, King Oyo spent two years in the United Kingdom attending Preschool. He then returned to Uganda and attended school at Aga Khan Primary School and then Kabira International School.

King Oyo’s education abroad was in the past criticized by some of his subjects, who argued that he should emulate his grandfather, the late Sir George Rukiidi and his father, the late Patrick Mathew Kaboyo who were educated in some of the prominent schools in Uganda like Nyakasura School in Kabarole and King's College Budo.

Winchester University is one of the oldest universities in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1840, based on a strong Anglican foundation.

King Oyo Case Hearing Hits Snag

http://ugandaradionetwork.com/a/story.php?s=57025
A case in which some members of the Tooro Kingdom clan council sued the King of Tooro, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukiidi IV for making unconstitutional decisions has failed to take off at Fort Portal High Court.

Early this year, Tooro clan leaders led by George Kusemererwa dragged the King to court challenging his decisions which include the suspension of the kingdom constitution and illegal appointment of Steven Kaliba as the Kingdom premier.

King Oyo suspended the Kingdom’s 1999 constitution and subsquently appointed an eight-member committee to amend some of its sections. this move was rejected by a section of clan leaders
However the case has dragged on since April, when the date for the first hearing was fixed.

On Tuesday morning, Kusemererwa and his lawyer, Johnson Musana appeared at Fort Portal High Court for hearing of the case.  However King Oyo’s legal team wasn’t at the court.

Kusemererwa and his lawyer held a meeting with the Grade II magistrate, Nathan Mulindwa who said that the case can’t proceed, because Justice Dan Akiiki Kiiza, the Fort Portal resident judge was presiding over High Court sessions in other districts in the region.

Mulindwa told Musana and his client that the case will be adjourned to November 4th for the next hearing.

This is the third time that the case has been adjourned. The first was in April when it was adjourned to June 14th. However the then resident judge, Justice Mike Chibita failed to turn up and it was adjourned to October 10th. Chibita was later appointed the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

However one of King Oyo’s lawyers in Fort Portal who preferred anonymity told Uganda Radio Network that there are plans to have the case settled out of courts of law.

In a telephone interview, Kusemererwa confirmed that he has been approached by some members of King Oyo’s legal team to settle the case amicably.  He however said that he will not adhere to their demands, unless they are promises of reforms in the kingdom.

Kusemererwa says that he doesn’t want a repeat of 2011, when members of the clan council sued King Oyo, but later withdrew the case out of court after the King promised to adhere to their demands like proper management of kingdom resources and interference in kingdom administration by palace officials, but have never been addressed.
 

 

Empaako Tradition Submitted To UNESCO For Inscription

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The proposal to have the Empaako tradition inscribed as an intangible heritage has been submitted to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The UNESCO committee in-charge of intangible heritage will meet in Azerbaijan in December to consider the proposal.

Empaako or pet-name is a local practice of giving a special name which is specifically used for greeting, praising, honouring and pleading for a favour. It is shared by communities in Tooro, Bunyoro, Busongora, Butuku, Kitagwenda and Bunyaruguru.

Steven Rwagweri, the Executive Director of Engabu Za Tooro (EZT), a local cultural organisation in the region which initiated the idea of having the tradition inscribed, says the proposal was submitted on Monday to the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. EZT collected views from several personalities, institutions and organizations in areas where the tradition is shared. Rwagweri says that consultations were also made with the King of Tooro, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV and his Bunyoro counterpart, Solomon Gafabuza Iguru. Ivan Rutakirwa Bwebale, the self-styled cultural leader of the Basongora and clan heads from Tooro and Bunyoro also shared their views.

Once it has been inscribed as an intangible heritage, the pet-name tradition will be listed among the important cultural intangible heritages in need of safe guarding.

UNESCO will provide funds for four years meant to implement the programme of safeguarding the tradition through activities such as sensitization.

Last year, EZT received a boost when the government endorsed the request by the Batooro to have the pet-name tradition recognized by UNESCO, as an intangible heritage.

Rev. Richard Baguma, an elder in Tooro Kingdom who has been part of the team seeking peoples' views, says he is eagerly waiting for the outcome of the Azerbaijan meeting. Baguma says the demand to have the Empaako tradition inscribed by UNESCO is overdue because it is currently under threat. Baguma cites some religious groups such as the Bisaka cult of the Faith of Unity, who have distorted the meaning of the pet-name tradition and encouraged their followers to abandon Empaako. Baguma says such cults have associated the pet names with the demi-gods and yet the pet name is used to praise, greet and adore.

He says such misconceptions will be fought once the tradition has been inscribed.

The Intangible Cultural Heritage was established in 2008 by UNESCO aiming to ensure the better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of their significance.

Only those countries that have ratified the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritages can present elements for inscription on the lists. Currently, there are 146 countries that have ratified the Convention, which was adopted by UNESCO’s General Conference in 2003.

The committee on intangible heritage meets annually to evaluate nominations proposed and decide whether or not to inscribe those cultural practices and expressions.

In 2012, the Bigwala, gourd trumpet music and dance of the Basoga was inscribed by UNESCO on the list of intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding.

Govt, Tooro In Talks Over Return Of Kingdom Property

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The Uganda government and Tooro have started negotiations on the return of the Kingdom property currently under the government.

Tooro Kingdom is demanding for more than 150 properties which include buildings and large chucks of land that are currently being occupied by squatters especially in Bunyangabu County in Kabarole district and in the counties of Mwenge and Kyaka in Kyenjojo and Kyegegwa districts respectively.

The Kingdom also has assets in Kasese and Bundibugyo districts, which were formerly under Tooro Kingdom.

In a telephone interview, Dr Steven Kaliba, the Omuhikirwa of Tooro, told Uganda Radio Network that the talks started last week. Kaliba says the Tooro Kingdom Committee that was appointed by Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV met with officials from the office of the Attorney General and a legal team from State House.

Dr Kaliba, however, refused to divulge details of the negotiations, saying it would jeopardize the the talks which are still at an early stage.

The three member committee which met the government side includes Kaliba, Edgar Tabaro, the Kingdom Minister for Justice and legal advisor to Omukama Oyo and David Mpaka, who is a member of the kingdom legal team.

However, a source at the Kingdom who preferred anonymity because he isn’t authorized to speak to the media, told Uganda Radio Network that the two meetings were held at the Kingdom palace. The source further said that the kingdom will this week receive a draft agreement which will be presented to the kingdom parliament, the Orukurato for debate.

Two weeks ago, the Kingdom started compiling a list of assets it’s demanding from the government.

The demand for Tooro Kingdom property gained momentum during the 18th coronation anniversary of Omukama Oyo at the Karuzika in Fort Portal, when he his Prime Minister Dr Stephen Kaliba and several spoke of the need for government to return the assets commonly referred to as Ebyaitu.

The demand by Tooro Kingdom comes after the government signed a memorandum of understanding with Buganda to return the kingdom assets.

Safe Water Eludes Rural Communities In Kabarole

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Rural areas in Kabarole district have not had access to safe and clean water for two years, despite huge sums of money allocated to the water sector.

In an audit report released by Kabarole District Public Accounts Committee, more than 1.6 billion shillings allocated to the water sector for the two financial years 2011/2012 and 2012/2013, was diverted to other sectors or mismanaged, depriving communities of clean water.

The report also states that in the villages in Kisomoro, Karambi, Busoro and Kibiito sub counties, boreholes, water springs and gravity water schemes broke down two months after being constructed and have never been repaired.

When Uganda Radio Network visited some of the areas named in the report, residents accused the district authorities of neglecting them.

In Burungu village, Karambi Sub County, five boreholes broke down last year, but have never been repaired.  Patrick Ahurra, a resident of Burungu says they have requested the district water department to repair the water sources in vain. Ahurra says the lack of access to clean water could worsen the occurrence of water-borne diseases since most of the residents fetch water from the river and nearby swamps.

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In Busoro Sub County, Nsoro well is the only water point serving the villages of Kijungu, Nsoro, Kateera and Mugurusi.

Resty Baguma, a resident of Kateera says that some residents take water from hand-dug wells which are contaminated with human and animal waste.

Baguma says that although some families boil the water for drinking, she expresses fear that they could contract waterborne diseases if no solution is provided to the water problem. She also says children always drink the contaminated water on their way from school.

She wants the district authorities to construct more water sources in the area and save the community from the water problem.

When contacted, Patrick Ochakara, the Kabarole district Chief Administrative Officer declined to comment on the matter.

But Steven Businge, the district water officer, told Uganda Radio Network that some of the money was diverted to the administration sector, while the other funds were used to construct the water sources, but blamed the contractors for doing substandard work and failing to complete some of the water sources. He says the contractors have been dragged to the courts of law for breach of contract.

David Mugenyi, the chairman of the district public accounts committee, says the report will be tabled before the district council and will decide if there is any action that needs to be taken. 

Poor Roads Affecting Tourism Sector

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The poor road network in Rwenzori region could hurt the tourism industry there if nothing is done to repair them. The Rwenzori region is home to several tourist attractions such as National parks and crater lakes. However, the roads that lead to the tourist’s sites are in a very poor state, which hinders access to areas rich in wildlife.

Some of the affected roads are the Fort Portal-Kamwenge road, which tourists use to access Kibaale National Park and the Karugutu- Rwebisengo road in Ntoroko district, which leads to the main gate Tooro-Semuliki game reserve. Edward Asilu, the Kibaale conservation area manager, which includes Kibaale and Semuliki national parks, says some of the activities affected by the poor roads include chimpanzee tracking.

Asilu says during the rainy seasons in the morning and afternoon, when tourists are going to Kibaale national park the roads are slippery which makes it difficult to access areas where the chimpanzees are found.

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Richard Tooro, the executive director Kabarole Tours and Travel says the deteriorating state of the roads in the region will reduce the number of visitors to the park.

Tooro says during the rainy season, local and international tourists are reluctant to book with tour operators in the region, because they may not access the national park. He says on several occasions, cars carrying tourists have broken down and left the tourists stranded.

According to Tooro, the tour operators spend huge sums of money to take their cars for repair in order to keep them roadworthy. Maria Mutagamba, the Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities admits that the poor infrastructure is one of the challenges facing the tourism industry. She however says government will embark on rehabilitating roads in Kanugu and Rwenzori region to ease access to tourism destinations.

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Mutagamba also says that Kasese and Chobe airstrips will be renovated to fly tourists to destinations in the Rwenzori region and wildlife rich areas in the country.

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This World Tourism Day Celebrations for Uganda were held in Fort Portal under the theme ‘Tourism and Water, protecting our common future’.

UNATU Members Storm School, Demand Its Closure

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Members of the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) in Fort Portal have stormed Buhinga Primary School demanding for its closure after defying the on-going industrial action.

Buhinga is the largest Universal Primary Education (UPE) School in Fort Portal Municipality. It has an enrolment of 1,773 pupils. Despite the call by the teachers union for all teachers to halt their activities until government grants them a 20% salary increment, the school had opened and classes going on normally.

When Uganda Radio Network reporter visited the school this morning, there were 15 teachers and the population of pupils was 1,770.

During the same time, UNATU members led by Emmanuel Friday, the Chairperson UNATU Fort Portal branch went to the school and demanded that the teachers stop teaching and the pupils be sent back home.

The members held a twenty minutes meeting with one of the school teachers, John Byamukama, persuading him to close the school, since the industrial action by teachers had not been called off. However their discussions yielded no fruit as Byamukama rejected their demand.

Friday accused Byamukama for breaching the agreement of laying down their tools until government increases teachers’ salary.  Friday says that Byamukama, who is a member of UNATU, attended the UNATU meeting that agreed to take industrial action, but he is disappointed that he has turned against his fellow teachers.

Friday says Byamukama will face disciplinary action.

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Byamukama refused to comment when asked by Uganda Radio Network why the school was defying orders by the teachers union. However, a teacher at the school who preferred anonymity told Uganda Radio Network that the decision to reopen the school was made during a weekend meeting with parents.

Community Service Not Reforming Offenders In Kabarole

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Despite being hailed as a measure to decongest prison facilities in the country, many offenders in Kabarole district are not reforming, even after successfully serving their community service orders.

Community service was introduced in Uganda in 2001 as part of the reforms in the criminal justice system. Under the system, minor offenders are made to perform community services instead of being handed custodial sentences.

Records at the Kabarole district community service office indicate that more than 80 offenders have served community service orders more than three times.

Francis Asiimwe, a member of the district community service committee, which monitors community service, says they expect offenders to reform, but this isn’t the case. Asiimwe blames this on the lack of funds to facilitate volunteers who are supposed to regularly visit the offenders in their homes and counsel them about the dangers of engaging in crime.

Asiimwe says some of the volunteers who were recruited last month later abandoned work because they weren’t paid.

Felix Mugisa, a resident of Fort Portal says there should be a rehabilitation programme for the offenders after completion of their sentence, to discourage them from engaging in crime again.

According to Mugisa, some offenders don’t fear engaging in criminal activities, because they know that they will be given lighter punishment by the courts of law. Mugisa wants the courts to give a heavy punishment to offenders who don’t reform after serving community service.

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Community service has also faced criticism from some members of the public who say that local people are not benefiting from the programme, because the implementers have turned community service into a lucrative money-making venture.

Sam Mugenyi, a resident of Karambi in Fort Portal, explains that it would be of much help to the community if offenders are given such tasks as cleaning up the community roads and not work on the estates of rich district officials.

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Community service is seen as a viable approach to improve reintegration of offenders into their communities, encourage reconciliation, as well as to reduce the problems of overcrowding in prisons.

According to the Justice Law and Order Sector, prisons would have had more than 8,000 more prisoners if community service order had not been issued by courts.

Tooro Kingdom Starts Compiling List of Assets

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Following the request to government to return the kingdom properties, Tooro has started compiling a list of assets it’s demanding from the government.

During the 18th coronation anniversary at the Karuzika in Fort Portal on Saturday, Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, his Prime Minister Dr Stephen Kaliba and several other Kingdom officials all spoke of the need for government to return the assets commonly referred to as Ebyaitu.

The speakers used the analogy of twins, referring Tooro as Nyakato and Buganda Kingdom as Nyangoma, two names given to female twins. They argued that children are treated equally noting that since Nyangoma has already received what belongs to her, it’s time for Nyakato to also celebrate.

The list, a copy of which Uganda Radio Network has accessed, shows that the Kingdom is demanding for more than 150 assets including land and buildings from the government. The assets are located in Kabarole, Kamwenge, Kyenjojo and Kyegegwa districts. The Kingdom also has assets in Kasese and Bundibugyo, which were formerly under Tooro Kingdom.

Some of the assets include large chunks of land that are currently being occupied by squatters especially in the counties of Mwenge, Kyaka in Kyenjojo and Kyegegwa district respectively and in Bunyangabu County in Kabarole district.

In an interview with Uganda Radio Network, Steven Kaliba, the Tooro Kingdom Premier, says some of the buildings are currently being occupied by government institutions like town councils, schools and health facilities. Kaliba says that since the facilities are important, they will not be evicted but want the government to compensate the kingdom.

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Kaliba says King Oyo is yet to form a team that will negotiate with the government for the return of the assets.

He also said Tooro cabinet and parliament will meet and agree whether the kingdom should also ask government to give Tooro royalties from Kilembe Mines, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Katwe Salt Lake in Kasese district.

At his 46th coronation anniversary two months ago, the Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere asked the government to divert all the royalties that have been going to the central government and Tooro kingdom to his kingdom. Mumbere said that since Rwenzururu institution has been recognized, all royalties must revert to it. Some of the resources he mentioned include Katwe salt lake, Kilembe Mines, Hima cement factory and the Queen Elizabeth national park.

David Isagara, the Tooro Kingdom estates manager says he hopes the list will be given to the kingdom premier next week, who will then hand it over to King Oyo.