Museveni pleaded with Mumbere on phone twice to sort “Kasese mess” before attack

Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni

Museveni phoned Rwenzururu king before palace raid

Heavy fighting broke out Saturday in the western town of Kasese, home to King Mumbere, when his royal guards allegedly attacked patrolling security forces, killing 14 police officers and 41 militants, said police spokesman Andrew Felix Kaweesi

of the Rwenzururu kingdom on Sunday morning and ordered him to disband the guards, who are believed to be part of a militia allegedly agitating for the creation of an independent republic straddling Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Later, Uganda police stormed the palace and arrested him after fierce clashes between security forces and a separatist militia they believe is linked to him killed 55, police said.

Now Brigadier Peter Elweluthe commander of the operations says President Museveni incessantly called the king warning him to “withdraw and corporate” before the attacks but he did not heed.

Elwelu said President Yoweri Museveni had phoned the king on Sunday morning and ordered him to rein in his guards.

"We gave him an hour, it elapsed. So the president again called -- gave him two more hours (saying) 'please, sort this out'," said Elwelu.

"So we had no option, after that we had to storm the palace and get these terrorists, and that is what we did."

"We kept on watching this group; we kept on reaching out to them. Things were not working out and we had to take a decision," he said.

The king has denied any links to the separatists.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Interior Minister Jeje Odongo accused him of wanting to start a war.

"From what was recovered from the palace, the weapons used and the people, you clearly see that King Mumbere wanted to wage a war against the government," he said.