Rwenzururu celebrates Mumbere’s 57th coronation anniversary
Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere (atop vehicle) waves to his euphoric subjects shortly after arriving in Kasese town on October 4, 2023. The king was kicked out of his kingdom in 2016 after a joint security team bombed the royal palace and arrested him over accusations of terrorism and murder. PHOTO/ALEX ASHABA
What you need to know:
- On October 4, Omusinga Mumbere returned to his kingdom and he will take part in this year’s celebrations.
Preparations are in high gear for the 57th coronation anniversary of Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere Iremangoma of Rwenzururu, in Kasese District today.
This will be the first coronation anniversary to be celebrated since November 2016 when Omusinga Mumbere was arrested with his royal guards.
The king will today mark 57 years since he ascended to the throne to succeed his father, Isaya Mukirania Kibanzanga. Mukirania, who was Rwenzururu Kingdom’s first king, died in 1966.
However, the National Resistance Movement (NRM)-led government recognised Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu in 2009. As a result, today marks 14 years since the government recognised the cultural institution.
Rwenzururu Kingdom last held the coronation anniversary celebration, in 2016, and for the last seven years, the celebrations were suspended because Omusinga Mumbere, together with 217 of his subjects, was battling a series of charges in the International Crimes Division of the High Court.
The kingdom officials said they could not hold a celebration before Omusinga Mumbere secured his freedom, which he eventually got in June when the Directorate of Public Prosecutions dropped all charges against him.
On October 4, Omusinga Mumbere returned to his kingdom and he will take part in this year’s celebrations.
Guidelines
Mr Gad Baluku Mbayahi, the chairperson of the coronation anniversary celebration organising sub-committee, said women are prohibited from wearing trousers, skimpy and revealing outfits.
Mr Mbayahi said: “We appreciate the fact that all people have a right to choose how they want to dress. However, we are saying for a cultural function like the coronation anniversary, we shouldn’t violate the very norms we are supposed to protect. Let our women dress decently and desist from putting on miniskirts and trousers on that day.”
He, however, said the kingdom had realised Shs100 million of the budgeted Shs270 million for the function.
“Much as we still have a budget deficit, I am happy that the money we are using has been collected by the Banyarwenzururu themselves. We need to break this dependency syndrome where we think the government must support us in all our programmes,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Mbayahi also revealed that the kingdom has, among other several central government officials, invited President Museveni as chief guest at the coronation anniversary.
The kingdom’s information minister, Mr John Thawite, announced a series of preparations for the coronation, which included various activities such as a tree planting exercise and general cleaning of Kasese Town.
