How Mumbere celebrated Christmas in jail
Rwenzururu king Charles Wesley Mumbere being escorted by police officers from the court room in Jinja after he was charged over the Kasese clashes. File photo
What you need to know:
- In Kasese town, shops remained closed as most dwellers had left for their villages for the celebrations with their families.
- King Mumbere, 64, faces several charges including treason, terrorism, murder, attempted murder, aggravated robbery and malicious damage to property.
KASESE. Unlike what he has been used to in the past, King Charles Wesley Mumbere spent Christmas in a very different way in Luzira prison. According to the Rwenzururu kingdom spokesperson, Mr Clarence Bwambale, the king usually spends Christmas at his palace with his people. But this year, the king had a different abode.
“This was so strange for us and him as previously, the king would celebrate Christmas with his people [the royal family] at the palace the whole day,” the spokesperson says. The kingdom spokesperson further revealed that the king’s daughter, Ms Joyce Furaha, who stays in London, said it was very strange for her not to spend the day with her father on Christmas Day.
Earlier on Christmas eve, Mr Bwambale says the royal household made some purchases of food and drinks and took them to Mumbere in jail.
According to Mr Bwambale, the Rwenzururu queen, Agnes Ithungu Nyabaghole, visited the king on Boxing Day and found him unwell as he had cough and flu.
“This indicates that he did not celebrate Christmas in a good mood,” Mr Bwambale said in a telephone interview yesterday.
However, Uganda Prisons’ spokesperson, Frank Baine said that Christmas Day is a communal day at the prison where the inmates participate in various activities, including prayers and games, adding that Mumbere is quite active in those.
“He is a social and humble person and participates in such activities,” Mr Baine said.
Asked how king’s subjects across the Rwenzori sub-region spent Christmas Day, Mr Bwambale said they celebrated peacefully since the king had a day earlier, asked them in his Christmas message to be peaceful.
“Rwenzori is bigger than us as individuals. Enjoy responsibly, be peaceful and encourage others to also embrace peace. I call for calm and peace,” Mumbere’s Christmas message to his subjects read in part.
Mood in Kasese
In Kasese town, shops remained closed as most dwellers had left for their villages for the celebrations with their families.
The Omusinga is currently on remand at Luzira prison following his arrest on November 27 in his Buhikira Royal Palace in a joint raid by the police and the army that saw over 100 royal guards and policemen killed.
King Mumbere, 64, faces several charges including treason, terrorism, murder, attempted murder, aggravated robbery and malicious damage to property. He is charged alongside more than 150 of his royal guards. They return to Jinja court today for mention of their respective cases.
