By Innocent Jeff Kiiza
A cross section of religious, cultural, political and opinion leaders rooting for peace in the restive Kasese district view the continued detention of the Rwenzururu king Mumbere as a big disappointment to peace efforts in the region.
The leaders say they are facing a lot of demands from different communities and Mumbere’s subjects to have him released first and get back to Kasese if their peace campaign was to yield fruits.
According to Kithende Aprunali who coordinates peace efforts in Kasese on behalf of the Obusinga royal family, Mumbere’s subjects view him as a principle person in any effort to have peace in Kasese and therefore his absence in Kasese leaves a lot of doubt about his safety, wellbeing and fate.
The leaders who are currently preaching the gospel of peace in communities that were affected by the November last year Kasese killings are also appealing to government to consider having Mumbere back to his people despite the capital criminal charges slapped against him and over 150 of his subjects
Officials in the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu want president Museveni release Obusinga and console the relatives of over hundred persons who died during the November last year Kasese killings.
Rogers Muhindo a resident of kasese said without Omusinga, there is no peace in the region attributing that natural hazards like famine and many others hazards are happening because of Omusinga absences.
Godfrey Mugisha a resident in Busongora south said that for the previous years now kasese is peaceful amidst Omusinga absence, adding that no killings happening and threats as it was previously.
Enock Muhindo a subject to the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu says what happened last year in Kasese was a national disaster which calls for a head of state to prevail over and focus on building peace in the region but the question is there peace in Rwenzori without omusinga?
Muhindo wants Museveni to at least meet affected families in Bwesumbu Sub County who now feel crushed, hated and neglected by the government after losing their relatives, most of them royal guards that died during an open gunfire at Rwenzururu palace.
The interreligious council of Uganda led by retired archbishop Luke Orombi that the cultural institution is pushing for a peace dialogue between president Museveni and the incarcerated Rwenzururu king in the spirit of fostering peace in Kasese
However, the Rwenzururu king his Majesty Charles Wisely has asked his subjects and those who lost their beloved ones in crushes to reconcile and live in harmony.
Last year during the Rwenzururu Queen Her Highness Agnes Ithungu Assimwe visited Kasese after a period of Two years, following the 2016 November 26th Rwenzururu attacks.
She also conveyed the Omusinga greetings to all his subjects with a message of hope and calmness as he also hopes to rejoin them despite the troubles he is going through.
Since the November 2016 deadly attacks that left the Rwenzururu palace razed down and King Mumbere arrested, Nyabaghole and the royal family were shifted to Kampala. However, the omusinga’s case is still under courts of law for hearing.