Police Waiting For Govt Decision On Mumbere's Bundibugyo Visit

http://ugandaradionetwork.com/a/story.php?s=53920

The government is yet to pronounce itself on Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere’s visit to Bundibugyo district on Sunday.

The Rwenzururu King plans to celebrate what the Bakonzo call Peace Day, a move opposed by the Bamba who accuse Mumbere of disrespecting their culture and trying to impose Bakonzo culture on them.

The Peace Day is an event to commemorate the start of the Rwenzururu Movement in 1962, when Bakonjo and Bamba representatives walked out of the Tooro Parliament, the Orukurato, accusing the kingdom of oppression.

Addressing the media in Fort Portal, the Ruwenzori Police Spokesperson Bakari Muga said police is waiting for government’s decision on whether Mumbere should be allowed to travel to Bundibugyo.  According to Muga, this position was reached at during a meeting on Friday morning in Bundibugyo district.

The meeting was attended by the Resident District Commissioner, members of the district security committee and representatives of the Bamba and Bakonzo communities.

Muga said that police have beefed up foot and motorized patrol along the Kasese-Fort Portal and Fort –Portal-Bundibugyo roads to ensure people don’t smuggle dangerous weapons to Bundibugyo.

 //Cue in: “In a joint security meeting…
Cue out: …insecurity between communities.”//

At Kichwamba, along the Fort-Portal-Bundibugyo road, passengers travelling in commuter taxis are subjected to thorough checks and are required to identify themselves, before they are allowed to proceed.

 Police Director of Operations Grace Turyagumanawe is currently in Bundibugyo to oversee the security situation incase Mumbere is allowed to visit the district.

During the press conference, the police also displayed 250 arrows which were on Thursday night recovered from two Bakonzo youths in Bundibugyo. The suspects are Paul Kyomuhendo aged 26 years and his elder brother, Jackson Balikamya, who is 29 years. The two hail from Busika village in Ntoroto parish, Bundibugyo district.

Muga says police was tipped off by residents who saw the suspects carrying the arrows in a sack to their house. He says that police searched their house and found the arrows hidden under the bed.  According to Muga, the suspects were planning to intimidate residents who are against the visit of Omusinga Mumbere.

He also says police is holding 17 students of St Mary’s Secondary School who were found in possession of knives, nail stubbed clubs and other sharp objects. The objects were recovered hidden in the dormitories.