Mumbere has camps in DRC, says Brig Elwelu

Brig Peter Elwelu accuses the Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere (R) of having training camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Kasese- The man who commanded the attack on the Buhikira Palace in Kasese District in a bloody operation that left more than 100 people dead and 139 arrested, has linked the jailed King Rwenzururu, Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere, to subversive activities in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Speaking to journalists in Kasese Town on Friday, Brig Peter Elwelu said the army has information that the Omusinga, who remains incarcerated at Nalufenya Police Station in Jinja District, has training camps in DRC and that an unspecified number of Congolese nationals died in the November 27 attack on the king’s palace.

“We have information that Omusinga (King Mumbere) has training camps at Masisi and Butembo (in DRC) and Mayi Mayi were involved in the Rwenzori attacks,” Brig Elwelu said.

“Even Congolese are among those who died at the palace, people are crying in Beni (DRC) over their relatives who died from here, most dead bodies were unidentified here,” he said.

Following the clashes in Rwenzori sub-region where Congolese are alleged to have been involved in Kabarole and Kasese attacks, Brig Elwelu said the army is now focusing on cross border investigations.

Asked how the Congolese could penetrate Uganda without the notice of security apparatus in Uganda, Brig Elwelu said: “Our borders are porous and Bakonzo on both sides of the border are close relatives.”

Earlier claims
The claims by Brig Elwelu come barely two days after the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) boss, Brig Charles Bakahumura, refuted MPs’ claims that he told the Parliament’s Defence and Internal Affairs Committee investigating Kasese killings that the royal guards found at King Mumbere’s palace were linked to Dr Kizza Besigye’s Power 10 (P10).

The P10 is a political pressure group that was established by the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) to enhance political pressure on the government during the February election campaigns.

“I didn’t say those found at the palace were P10. It was wrong. I never said that,” Brig Bakahumura told Sunday Monitor. He further clarified that at no point did he deflect questions to the President.

“How can I refer questions posed to me to the President? I never did that and I would never do it.” However, the CMI boss did not explain what he told the committee because it was a closed-door meeting.

After the fighting at Kamabale A village in Karangura in Kabarole District, the Resident District Commissioner, Mr Stephen Asiimwe, alleged that among the 10 suspected militia arrested at Kamabale, some were Congolese.

However, Sunday Monitor couldn’t verify these claims since reporters were not allowed to interview the suspects.

Brig Elwelu also indicated that Kasese issues have been politicised and that this could derail all the peace initiatives being undertaken.

Although the kingdom officials had demanded that the police and the army vacate the palace to pave way for rehabilitation, Brig Elwelu asked: “Is that a palace with fighting trenches? It is a command post, a military barracks, no wolokoso [idle talk], therefore, issues of security should not be politicised.”

He said since 2012, more than 30 army and police personnel have died in the Rwenzori clashes.

The Rwenzururu Kingdom spokesperson, Mr Clarence Bwambale, refuted claims that the king has training camps in DRC and explained that at the time of the attack on the kingdom palace by UPDF and police, there were old men who kept the kingdom, children, women and young boys from the villages of Kasese who were local royal guards.

“And when UPDF now changes and says there were Congolese, it becomes unfortunate because each of them is now trying to clean their name. But the fact is that UPDF attacked the palace and killed innocent people who stay around their king,” Mr Bwambale said.

The probe
Meanwhile, the MPs on the Parliament’s Committee on Defense and Internal Affairs, started investigations into the killings in the region and on Friday, met Brig Elwelu and held meetings with the stakeholders in Kasese, Bundibugyo, Ntoroko and Kabarole districts. They were expected to visit the palace and meet kingdom officials and local leaders in the affected districts.

Rwenzuruu premier Mr Thembo Kitsumbire said: “With the status of the palace and our administration block which we cannot access, with our king still in the cells, all these keeps us in fear.”

He added: “From the calls I’m receiving from the villages, people are telling us they are being harassed by government operatives so they fear to come although there is amnesty. Our only hope is in these dialogues, the President has accepted to dialogue with us.”