Police kill royal guard over fresh Kasese attacks
Rwenzururu King Charles Wesely Mumbere (L) exchange a royal communique with his counterpart the Bamba King Martin Kamya after signing a pact aimed at returning peace and security in the volatile Rwenzori region in April this year. PHOTO BY JOSEPH KATO.
KASESE: One royal guard has been killed and another arrested over planned fresh attacks in Kasese district.
The Saturday attack which happened at around 5: 40 pm at Bigando in Hima left one police officer Amos Mutamba critically injured and was rushed to Kilembe hospital where he is still admitted.
According to Mr Elija Kule, a resident of the area, it all started about two weeks ago when letters circulated in the village threatening to attack the area LC I chairman, Mr Ezekiel Masereka and the District Police Commander Hima.
Masereka alerted police and they identified two royal guards purported to be the authors of the said letters.
“As police tried to arrest the two suspects in the trading centre on Saturday, one royal guard Julius Manda tried to fight back by stubbing a police officer. However, police shot and killed him in self defense before arresting a one Aloysius Ndungu (also a royal guard),” an eye witness said.
The suspects are believed to be behind the attacks that took place in Bigando in the post-election violence that left 15 people dead including police, army and civilians in Kasese district.
When contacted, the Rwenzori sub region Police spokesperson, Ms Lydia Tumushabe confirmed the incident saying, “Yes, there was an attack, we got earlier intelligence reports that there would be fresh attacks in Bigando especially targeting police, so we went ahead to quell the said attacks before they happened. In our operations on Saturday, our officers were attacked as they tried to arrest the suspects. However, one was arrested and three others are on the run.”
The incident comes just days after Police in Bundibugyo district arrested three royal guards attached to the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu cultural institution in Kasese district.
They were said to have crossed to Bundibugyo in what was seen by police as re-organization for fresh ethnic clashes in the region.
The suspects were arrested at Njanja Masaka in Mirambi Sub-County Bundibugyo district on June 6 allegedly in possession of dangerous weapons.
The post-election clashes prompted top government officials including the President, the Inspector general of police, the Chief of Defence forces and Commissioner of police John Kamya to pitch camp in the region in a bid to find a lasting solution to the Rwenzori conflicts.
Later, the president ordered for more army and police deployment that saw the two month Operation Rwenzori Usalama launched in the mountain ranges of Rwenzori.
The President met several political, cultural and opinion leaders from both Kasese and Bundibugyo districts.
Later, Kings Charles Mumbere of the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu and Lt Col Martin Kamya of Obudhingiya Bwa Bwamba met in Fort Portal and signed a peace pact in what was believed to be a gesture intended at restoring lasting peace in the region.
