Katuramu must apologise, confess - Babiito clan 

A section of the Babiito clan, the royal family of Tooro Kingdom, yesterday asked former Kingdom premier John Sanyu Katuramu, to apologise for masterminding the murder of Prince Charles Happy Kijanangoma.

Katuramu was released on Saturday after being convicted of murder on September 11, 2001.

The demands for apology comes days after Bishop Reuben Kisembo of Ruwenzori Diocese asked all Tooro subjects to forgive the former prime minister.

 “If the family has forgiven him, who are we? We are all sinners,” Bishop Kisembo said.

Mr Charles Kamurasi, the head of the Babiito clan, said they still have a scar on their hearts following  the death of Prince Kijanangoma.

“As far as we are concerned, as family and clan members, Katuramu is supposed to meet the Kijanangoma family, make an apology and confess,” Mr Kamurasi said yesterday.

He said after making the apology, the outcome of the family meeting will be discussed by the Babiito and Kijanangoma family to forge a way forward.

However, Mr Kamurasi said  since Katuramu completed his jail sentence, they do not have any problem with him and that he can contribute some ideas to the kingdom as he is still a son of Tooro.

Mr Isaac Rabwoni, another member of Babiito clan, said:  “As an individual I have no problem with him but he [Katuramu] has a problem with the clan. If he can apologise to the Babiito, there is nothing much that should cause alarm. I hear people say he reconciled with the family of Kijanangoma but it should be the family of Rukidi, which is a big family.” 

Prince David Kijanangoma, the son of late Paul Christopher Kijanangoma confirmed the family had  reconciled with Katuramu.

“Regardless of what happened in the past we reconciled with him, Katuramu married our cousin Gertrude and that is what most people don’t know. His children are part of our family and at the end of the day we are still one family,” he said.

He revealed that the reconciliation with the family started more than 10 years back when he was still in America.

“We started the reconciliation with a part of family, brothers and sisters before coming from America. When I came I was introduced to him and I saw how genuine he was, he was a reformed person and also he was someone who was influenced and misled by some other key players,” Prince David Kijanangoma said.

He  added: “For us, our hearts, are clear with him and in life we can’t hold someone hostage forever.”

One of his sons, Mr Bruce Katuramu, also confirmed that they reconciled with the family of Kijanangoma.

Tooro Kingdom has since Saturday been silent with no official communication about the release of Katuramu. 

On Sunday during the 26th coronation anniversary of King Oyo, the kingdom premier, Mr Bernard Tungakwo, said they welcome Katuramu as son of Tooro and that in case there was any problem, they would sit and resolve it.

Mr Katuramu has a family in Bunyangabu District and it is not yet clear when he will  visit them.