Coronation of Bamba cultural head for May
Maj Martin Kamiya was given a go ahead by President Museveni to be crowned as the cultural leader of the Bamba. PHOTO BY Steven Ariong
What you need to know:
Culture. Bamba, Babwisi and Vonoma communities in Bundibugyo chose Maj Martin Kamiya to become their cultural leader.
BUNDIBUGYO.
The coronation of the Obudhingya bwa Bwamba (Kingdom of Bwamba) in Bundibudgo District has been set for May 23.
The district police commander, Mr Mwine Mukono, confirmed that security organs in the area were working round the clock to ensure a peaceful coronation.
“It is true the coronation is on May 23 and we are working hard to ensure that it’s peaceful,” Mr Mukono said.
The quest for the Bamba ethnic group in Bundibugyo to secede from the Rwenzururu Kingdom has in the past caused ethnic differences between the Bamba, Babwisi and the Bakonzo.
In 2012, President Museveni reportedly allowed Maj Martin Kamiya to resign from the army and be crowned the cultural leader of the Bamba.
Currently, Maj Kamiya is the UPDF Division Intelligence Officer for Karamoja region.
This was after the Bamba, Babwisi and Vonoma communities in Bundibugyo agreed on Maj Kamya to become their cultural leader.
However, a parallel section of the Bamba are also preparing to install their own king on April 30.
Mr John Kinabiro, 22, a Senior Three Student at St Mary’s Secondary Simbya in Bundibugyo, is expected to be installed king of ‘Kusaalya oko Bwamba’ Kingdom.
However, Mr Mukono said: “I am not aware of a separate coronation of another king than that of the Omudhingiya coronation of May 23.”
On the rival group, the Resident District Commissioner, Mr Pius Mujuzi, said:
“The group is claiming that they had their own royal family and are also planning to install their king. But I don’t have the details yet. What I am sure about is the coronation of the Omudhingiya.”
The district Woman MP, Ms Harriet Ntabazi, urged the agitators of Obudhingya to remain calm and wait for the President’s decision ahead of the coronation.
She asked the Bamba to live harmoniously with other tribes and ethnicities.
“The Bakonjo and Bamba have their own cultural norms and beliefs we should respect each other,” Ms Ntabazi said.
Mzee Mupalya Kamba Peter Amooti, the chief advisor for Obudhingya bwa Bwamba, said the coronation will help them be reorganised and promote their cultural values and norms.
who is kamiya?
Maj Martin Kamiya is the UPDF Division Intelligence Officer for Karamoja. He has to first resign from the army before he is crowned king. Kamya is the eldest son of the late Jeremiah Kawamara, one of the founders of the Rwenzururu movement that saw Bundibugyo and Kasese districts secede from Tooro Kingdom in 1962.
