Kings will hold sway as NRM stumbles in Rwenzori

Rwenzururu King Wesley Mumbere and his wife. Photo by Felix Basiime

By FELIX BASIIME

Posted Monday, August 17 2015 at 01:00

[http://www.monitor.co.ug/SpecialReports/Elections/Kings-will-hold-sway-as-NRM-stumbles-in-Rwenzori/-/859108/2835058/-/j4nf98z/-/index.html]

KASESE/KABAROLE.

The far southwestern Rwenzori sub-region that covers Kasese, Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo, Kamwenge, Kabarole, Ntoroko and Bundibugyo districts is known to be a predominantly NRM area.

During the 1996 elections President Museveni was given 97 percent of the votes cast here. He took 87 percent of the votes cast in 2001.

Obusinga (Bakonzo cultural institution) may no longer be a big issue in the politics of Rwenzori, especially in Kasese, but unresolved cultural issues and ethnic conflicts will play part in the 2016 elections.

Political analysts in the region say that because the government has down-played the conflicts here, the Opposition may occupy that space.

Government in 1993 restored traditional institutions, which institutions have been used by the sitting government to gain political capital. In some areas it has worked but not in others.

Mr Mwambutsya Ndebesa, a university don, last year told this paper that culture is being used as a mobilising tool and to exercise control over resources.

In Kasese, the cultural institution despite being in place for over 30 years, had to wait until October 2009 to be recognised after a lot of haggling.

Prior to this, the Obusinga was a big issue which influenced how the elections played out in 2001 and 2006 with the Opposition having a field day. This was after the Opposition politicians made the issues a main plank of the their campaign, winning the hearts of many Bakonjo as a result.

“It started in the CA where a provision was put in the Constitution recognising the cultural institutions to those who so wish” says Chief Prince Christopher Kibanzanga. “Prior to this, the elders over 30 years wanted to revive the cultural institution but some local politicians, especially of the ruling NRM party resisted the move”

Due to this resistance, two groups emerged; those opposed to the Obusinga and those for Obusinga.

“The Opposition asked government: why deny the Bakonjo their cultural rights when other areas had their cultural institutions recognised quickly but NRM continued resisting and so the Opposition became the spokesperson of the issue” says Kibanzanga.

In 2006, the Forum for Democratic Change won three parliamentary seats against two for NRM but after the recognition of Obusinga, the FDC shared the seats with the NRM. The NRM grabbed the Busongora South seat from FDC and also won the new constituency of Kasese Municipality.

“After the 2009 recognition of the Obusinga, the issue of Obusinga and politics relaxed a bit as NRM entered the palace” says Kibanzanga.

Asked how he sees the race to 2016 shaping up in the sub-region, Kibanzanga said, “The Opposition and the NRM may again share the six seats, Opposition in Kasese has grown weaker due to poor mobilisation.

“There are certain issues that the NRM has not handled well like the Rwenzori attacks (of July 5, 2014) which the Opposition may jump on and take the day.”

“Kasese is almost the only area where money doesn’t work in politics, it will be a two horse race between the FDC and the NRM in 2016,” says Mzee Tom Mboijana, an opinion leader in Fort Portal.

“The Obusinga won’t be an issue again in the politics of Kasese ahead of 2016 unless some propaganda is generated against the institution to confuse the people,” reasons Ms Rehema Muhindo an opinion leader in Kasese.

Ms Muhinda is confident that Mr Museveni “still takes it”, noting that former PM Amama“Mbabazi has been in the system for long, in fact for him he has more questions to answer than anyone else.”

“Mbabazi coming won’t make any big difference in this region, he is a new entrant, he has never been in this region looking for votes so the contention will mainly be with Museveni against Besigye or Muntu” reasons Mboijana.

Miles away in Tooro, cultural issues remain a talking point.

Recently President Museveni was in Kyenjojo and Kabarole districts. Among the groups he met were the warring factions in Tooro Kingdom. The King Oyo side and the Prince Kijanangoma side.

He advised the parties to settle disputes amicably and withdraw court cases against either side. He also advised the parties to set up an arbitration committee. The committee was set up, consisting mainly of religious leaders.

However, the Kijanangoma side still contend that if their issues are not well addressed, they will vote for any Opposition leader.

Their concerns are mainly around land in Tooro kingdom where they allege that people are forced to pay rent on the land that government paid for to the kingdom. They also complain about summary land evictions.

NRM primaries factor
Since the NRM electoral body announced new regulations, some aspirants have grown a cold feet and this may see more independent candidates or rebels emerge.

Already, three MP aspirants in Burahya County of Kabarole District have opted out of the NRM party primary elections.

They vowed not to participate in the NRM primaries reasoning that the party is not being fair to its members.

Mr Paul Katisa, the NRM flag bearer for People with Disabilities in Kabarole, has also vowed not to participate in the NRM party primary elections because of what he termed unfairness in the party.

“The party is giving the incumbents a lot of money and yet people who are going to compete have no money,” Katisa said.

Katisa also accused NRM for hiking the registration fee for intending candidates to Shs2 million which denies others the opportunty to participate in the elections.

Mr Patrick Bamanyisa Black who also wants to contest on the Burahya constituency said that he can’t waste money in party elections because they are always not free and fair.

“The incumbents rig elections with impunity and it is much better to participate as an independent candidate,” Bamanyisa reasoned.

Mr Derogations Mugisa, also an aspirant on MP Burahya reasoned that he has decided to opt out of the NRM party primary elections and stand as an independent because people are denied a chance of standing as independents after losing party election, under the new regulations.

The ruling party, therefore, goes into its primaries with mixed fortunes lying ahead as 2016 looms ever closer.

ADF survivor recounts the day the rebels attacked Kichwamba Technical College

Joab Kaganda Jr, 35, is an ADF survivor 

By Felix Basiime

Posted  Friday, August 7  2015 at  12:19

[http://www.monitor.co.ug/artsculture/Reviews/ADF-survivor-recounts-the-day-the-rebels-attacked-Kichwamba-TC/-/691232/2823396/-/140hl29/-/index.html]

On Monday, June 8, 1998, rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), raided Uganda Technical College Kichwamba in Kabarole District and burnt 80 student alive in three dormitories and abducted 100 others.

Joab Kaganda Jr, 35, is currently an engineer based in Fort Portal. He lives in Gweri village, Kabarole District. He was a student at Uganda Technical College Kichwamba in 1998 pursuing a building and construction certificate. He went back in 2000 for an advanced building and construction course.

Background
Uganda Technical College Kichwamba is located in Kabarole District. It is close to the Kabarole-Ntoroko district border at a sharp corner overlooking Mount Rwenzori. 

The narration
A year before, ADF had a failed attempt to attack Kicwamba but they had poor intelligence and found students had already gone for holidays. Instead, they attacked a nearby trading centre called Kihondwa at night and looted food and some goats from the locals.
The first week of June 1998, we received information that ADF rebels had camped at the top of Mount Rwenzori in a forest.

We told a UPDF officer in charge of security at Uganda Technical College Kichwamba. By that time there was a UPDF detach at the college. He told us that they had enough security and we should not get scared, that they would repulse them if they came.

On Sunday evening (June 7, 1998), I had gone for an evening walk together with my friends Joseph and Frank along Bundibugyo Road down the hills. We met there a group of five men who we suspected to be rebels; it was around 7:30pm. They convinced us to continue walking up to Karugutu, we refused and returned to the college, and jokingly I told my colleagues in the dormitory what had transpired. I told them that these were rebels and were coming to attack the college at night.

But I picked up my books and went for prep together with my friend James Muyomba who also died in the attack. We returned after midnight to the dormitory. I was residing in Rukidi and for him he was in Balya that was attacked and torched on in the wee hours of June 8, 1998.
In the wee hours, my friend Ivan, who was a cubical mate, woke me up to go for prep. I told him that I was tired and wanted to sleep. He accepted. In an hour’s time, we heard gun shots along Bundibugyo Road, the rebels were chanting songs and sounded like it was a big number. One colleague called Mulokore told us to run but I told him no, the army would come to our rescue, so we remained inside. The UPDF resisted for about 10 minutes but were overpowered.

The first thing the rebels did when they reached our campus was to burn the school lorry. I saw them myself, they shot at the generator and at the transformer and power went off. I was peeping through the window as it was approaching 6.30am and the darkness was clearing.

The rebels first camped between Kahaya and Rukidi dormitories before they headed to Balya dormitory. They were speaking English, Luganda, Rutooro and Swahili asking the students to come out of the dormitories. We could hear a lady commander giving orders. They told students to come out because they had come to liberate us but students refused.

They started shooting indiscriminately. They started burning three dormitories, targeting Balya and Kahaya South. Students of Kahaya central and Kahaya were abducted.
They also burnt Rukidi dormitory from the north wing as they were retreating. Some students escaped from Rukidi north to Rukidi central through the ceiling. A big number of students were abducted from Rukidi north.

Another group of rebels moved to the girls’ dormitory called Straker but the woman commander called them back and surrounded the burning dormitories as others took the abducted students. The number of rebels was many, and they were dressed in green army uniforms.

They were standing on the doors guarding the dormitories as they burned. Some rebels from the burning Rukidi North dormitory invaded us in Rukidi central and we were almost suffocating, when we peeped outside. The rebel, who was guarding our dormitory, had also been put off by the soot which was enveloping the area, we opened and escaped through Kahaya South route to the school farm.

We were many students fleeing and when the rebels saw us they shot at us and one student was killed. The few students who had not escaped could not leave the dormitory including my friend Joseph Bigirwa but finally escaped through the window and hid in the showers. The operation took about one hour.

We could now only view the burning dormitories and our abducted colleagues being taken uphill on the opposite mountain as it was getting to 7:30am.

We waited, hiding in the farm up to 8am until we saw the locals converging at the college, and we joined them.

The Principal, then Engineer John Mbabazi, called a roll call and established the missing numbers, the dead and abducted.

He asked about our other friends who escaped with us. By 8.30am, UPDF and Police had come to the scene, and then we all moved around the college to ascertain the damage. It is then that we got to know our friends who had died.

Thereafter, the college management told us to go home. Burial of the dead students was arranged later and the students were buried in a mass grave at the school.

As the attack came close to end of the 2nd semester, we had not sat for final exams and some of us sat them from different institutions like Kyambogo and St Joseph’s Technical College in Fort Portal.

Among those who were abducted, there was my friend called James Birolerro who escaped back from captivity after four months. He told me that there was a pastor (among the abducted students) who was allowed by the rebels to always lead others in prayers in the bush every morning.

Another student, Isingoma Dez, who also was abducted and later fled when they reached at the top of the mountain, told me that the day they were abducted, the rebels had roasted meat and cooked food which was an indication that they had camped there for days before the attack.

He said some of the abducted students were shot on the way up because they had failed to carry the heavy load of the looted food from Kichwamba area. School reopened after a year and I came back for another course but the enrollment was very low as students feared to stay at the college. The numbers later started growing after a lot of campaigns were done by the college and security restored in the area.

Another attack
In 2000 when I was still at this college, the ADF rebels attacked Katojo government prison in Fort Portal and reportedly took off with some prisoners. At Kichwamba we could hear the fire at Katojo and I hid in toilet with a colleague called Peter. That night I regretted why I had come back to Kichwamba when my parents and friends had discouraged me never to go back to this college.

Who will tame Kasese river floods?

Residents of Kyarumba in Kasese District cross River Nyamugasani using a makeshift bridge after the May 2014 floods swept away the main bridge. Photo by Enid Ninsiima 

By  ENID NINSIIMA & FELIX BASIIME
Posted  Sunday, July 12  2015 at  01:00 http://www.monitor.co.ug/SpecialReports/Who-will-tame-Kasese-river-floods/-/688342/2783754/-/syrstnz/-/index.html

KASESE-River Nyamwamba in Kasese District burst its banks again for the fourth time in three years over a week ago and left many families in tears and villages in ruins.

River Nyamwamba flooded into Kilembe Hospital, leaving devastating impact.

In the last three years, rivers Nyamwamba, Mubuku, Sebwe, Rwimi, Nyamugasani, Kitakena and Maliba have burst their banks and destroyed human life, property, infrastructure, crops and livestock. 
The rivers flooded on May 1, 2013, May 8, 2014, May 7, 2015 and July 1, 2015.

One of the key causes of the flooding is the silting of the rivers. However, no deliberate effort has been made by government to de-silt the rivers.

Silting narrows the river course and the surging water volumes burst the bank or change the course line.

Since 2013, the central government has repaired bridges that were washed away in the previous floods but has not done the de-silting, which is the root cause of the flooding.

Floods swept away Katiri Bridge and damaged Kilembe Road immediately after construction.

“I think the rehabilitation of Kasese is solely the responsibility of the central government but it has not been serious with the flood problem.

Ministry of Works and Transport should have brought on board other stakeholders like the Ministry of Water and Environment to assess the problem before wasting money on bridges whose lifespan hangs in balance,” the Kasese District Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, Mr Johnson Mutungwanda, said on July 1, when River Nyamwamba burst its banks and flooded into Kilembe Mines Hospital and the neighbourhood.

Mr Mutungwanda grew up in Kilembe valley and knows a bit of the history of River Nyamwamba since 1970s when Kilembe Mines ceased operations.
“It would not take a month before a bulldozer could de-silt the river and rechanneled the water.

But over 40 years to date, nothing similar has ever been done and water now floods into the riverside. The actors must come on ground and work out a lasting solution,” he said.

Kasese District environment officer, Mr Augustine Kooli, said after last year’s flooding, a comprehensive district recovery plan of at least Shs50 billion was presented to government for action.

This is the fourth consecutive time River Nyamwamba has burst its banks since May 2013. The July 1 floods left patients and health workers at Kilembe Mines Hospital in shock.
Water gushed into the hospital wards, the generator house and the incinerator before it split Kasese-Fort Portal road into two at Nyakasanga bridge, paralysing traffic on either side of the highway for hours.

The district secretary for social services, Mr Richard Bomera, said critically sick patients were evacuated to other health centres but the rest remained at the facility.

The Kasese District Police Commander, Mr Bob Kagarura, said no death had been reported.
The floods again washed away the gabions (holding walls) that had been erected at both Kayanjuki and Nyamwamba bridges last year.
Mr Michael Musinguzi, a resident, sensed danger and warned other locals downstream to evacuate immediately.

“I saw five coffins floating on the water and I knew the water had exhumed some bodies upstream in Nyamwamba forest where people bury their dead. Then I warned people before the water volumes increased,” said Musinguzi, a boda boda rider.

Kasese has been hit by floods every year since 2010, leading to loss of lives and property, but the magnitude of the damage has escalated since May 1, 2013.

In May, 2013 government said it needed Shs30 billion to de-silt River Nyamwamba. 
Environmental and hydrological experts say floods are likely to persist for years.

“The climate change phenomenon is always after a long period like 10 years. The challenges are expected to be around for more years,” said Mr Jeconious Musingwiire, the western region public awareness officer for the National Environment Management Authority.

“The challenges are trans-boundary since some spill over from the Democratic Republic of Congo because the Rwenzori ranges span across the border,” Mr Musingwiire added.

Solution 
Mr Musingwiire called for integrated water resources management through enhancement of natural vegetation cover by planting trees, reforesting bare grounds, restoring critical river line wetlands and promotion of soil and water conservation systems in the cultivable areas.

He called on people to observe the 30-metre buffer zone along rivers to allow stabilisation of the banks and natural vegetation infiltration to slow the water speed.

River Nyamwamba has flooded over years destroying buildings at Bulembia School and head offices of Kilembe Mines Ltd and other properties downstream.

In 2014 Cabinet directed ministry of Finance to provide Shs39 billion for resettlement of people in all areas considered highly prone to floods and landslides following the May 1, 2013 flooding in Kasese that left many homes in ruins.

The district administration has crafted a disaster recovery plan 2014/2015 which contains the recovery mechanism for the affected areas and measures to reduce vulnerability to floods and disasters of a similar nature.

Rwenzori region

Rivers Nyamwamba, Rwimi, Mobuku, Ssebore, Lhubiriha, Mpanga, Nyamugasani and several streams flow from Mount Rwenzori and most of them empty into Lake George.

People living on the slopes of the mountain practice poor farming methods, which cause soil erosion and landslides that silt the rivers, causing flooding.
Deforestation is another major problem facing the mountain ranges.

More than 90 per cent of the communities on the mountain slopes depend on firewood for fuel, leading to extensive destruction of the vegetation.

NRM has improved but also has weaknesses, says Col Butime

 

Colonel Tom Butime, former minister and member of the NRM Historical Leader’s Forum. PHOTO BY FELIX BASIIME  

By Felix Basiime & Edison Amanyire

Posted  Sunday, July 5  2015 at  01:00  http://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/PeoplePower/NRM-weaknesses-Col-Butime/-/689844/2774982/-/5pead9/-/index.html

In Summary

Response to a comrade. Col Tom Butime, a former minister and member of the NRM Historical Leader’s Forum, says the Movement is a liberation and revolutionary party that has faced challenges but improved over the last 30 years. Sunday Monitor’s Felix Basiime & Edison Amanyire caught up with him in Kyenjojo District.

What have you been up to colonel?
At a personal level, I have been running small business enterprises; growing tea, planting trees and looking after my cattle, which is a traditional family occupation. One week I stay in Kampala and another week at home, but keeping abreast with political events in the country.

Recently, former premier Amama Mbabazi came out to announce his intention to contest for presidency in 2016. What do you make of the two Bush War comrades battling for the party’s chairmanship?

Mbabazi is not a Bush War comrade of President Museveni, but he has been a political liberation struggle comrade.
He (Mbabazi) was not in the bush. I did not see him. I am a member of the NRM Historical Leader’s Forum, national vice chairman western region; we historicals deliberated on that matter and issued a statement which appeared in the New Vision of June 26, and for those who had an opportunity to read it, those were views of the historicals.
It will be indiscipline to venture into another position of the party to which I belong, it simply says that all NRM party members should follow procedures and to observe the party roadmap.

Mr Mbabazi says he needs to restore the NRM and return it to its roots – a genuine, accountable and democratic movement. Has the NRM digressed?
Those are his personal political views. Who is saying the party is where it was 10 to 20 years ago, that the party has not improved and who is saying there is no weakness?
My view is that the party has improved and also has some weaknesses. Some weakness was detected in the NRM Secretariat and there was an overhaul. I have no doubt that the new leadership at the secretariat will perform.

He also says people in the NRM are fortune seekers. Is that a fair description?
Originally, NRM is a liberation and revolutionary party, if you join it to be famous and to be rich, then you are a fortune seeker. Every NRM member should examine his actions and take a decision and find an answer, even Mbabazi himself. For me, I joined NRA then to bring good governance and to improve the quality of life to Ugandans. Others are peace, democracy and unity and others.

Some people have come out to criticise the NRM Parliamentary Caucus’ move for Mr Museveni’s sole candidature as stifling democracy within the party. What is your take?
I was not in the caucus and therefore I cannot judge the move and the intention at the time.

In December, President Museveni appointed a relatively young team to the top leadership of the ‘new’ ruling party, weeding out the old generation. What do you think about its timing?
The President picked a new team at the NRM Secretariat, but not a top leadership of the ruling party because he did not remove himself, did not remove vice chairman and chairpersons of the party leagues and other leaders in the country. So the issue was in the secretariat.

The Opposition has once again entered an alliance to counter the NRM force in the 2016 general election. Can this alliance produce results?
I cannot answer this question because my knowledge of the inner working of the alliance is very limited, if not non-existent and therefore I do not know what results the alliance will produce.
If there are excellent results, then my party would have lost. So I think that the results will be minimal, that tells us to work hard as a party and win.

In 2007, you turned down President Museveni’s appointment as State minister for Karamoja. What really happened, and do you regret the move?
I wanted to take a leave from being a minister.

What do you think of the Opposition’s call for electoral reforms?
Reforms are good both for government and the Opposition, the country is improving and changing every day and you must cope.

Finally, do you think the NRM has lived up to the goals you set out to achieve when you went to the bush?
I think it has, but it is 30 years now, the challenges of then and now are quite different.
The most important thing is that every leader I have talked to or I have had an opportunity to be in meeting with, including President Museveni last week, is saying there is a qualitative change and improvement.

About Tom Butime
Col Tom Butime (born 1947) was minister of State for communications, having held that post since January 13, 2005.
After the general election in February 2006, he was named minister of State for Karamoja Affairs, a posting from which he resigned. He was the Member of Parliament for Mwenge North up to 2011.
Previously, Butime was the minister of Internal Affairs from July 6, 1996, to July 2001, and he also served as minister of State for Refugees and Disaster Preparedness during that time.
From 2001 until a Cabinet reshuffle in January 2005, Butime served as minister of State for International Cooperation and served as acting Foreign Minister from March 2004 to January 2005.
He is a trained cinematographer. His hobby is soccer, with Manchester United as his favourite Premier league side. He also enjoys farming.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: What it means to have acid poured on your private parts

Stella Kemigabo whose husband allegedly poured a chemical mixed with acid on her private parts. Photo by Ruth Katusabe  

By Felix Basiime and Ruth Katusabe

Posted Tuesday, June 16  2015 at  01:00 http://www.monitor.co.ug/artsculture/Reviews/What-means-acid-private-parts/-/691232/2752860/-/bdueusz/-/index.html

IN SUMMARY

Stella Kemigabo shares a story of a cheating spouse and domestic violence

My name is Stella Kemigabo and I am 32 years old. I am a resident of Kitumba, Kabegira in East Division, Fort Portal municipality, Uganda.

I met my husband in 2003. He operated a veterinary drug shop in Mpanga market in Fort Portal Town where I used to buy drugs for my parent’s cattle. 

He first hired me as a maid in February 2005 but later turned me into his wife. Issues came when I brought my son (who was not his) to stay with us. He asked me to take back the boy to his father and in August 2006, he gave me Shs 250, 000 for transport to Masindi where the father of my son was based. Instead, I went to Kampala where I stayed with my son”

Reunion
After six years, he came back into my life and convinced me that he was going to look for a school for my son in Fort Portal and pay fees for one year. At the time, my son was studying at Katwe United in Kampala. 
However, before going back to his home, I asked him to meet my grandmother and relatives, which he did, but, he came alone and that was in March 2013.

The pregnancy

I then went back to his home at Kagote village in Fort Portal Town. Two months later, I got pregnant. I was happy but this was shortlived. One Sunday when I returned from church, I found my husband with another woman at home. He beat me until I lost consciousness. I was admitted to Sarah’s Clinic in Fort Portal Town.

While at the clinic, he begged for forgiveness and I forgave him. When I was discharged, we stayed together until I was seven months pregnant. I could not stand his character anymore.

He could not provide anything for me even when I was in labour, I called him and he refused to answer my calls. He only came in to pay the hospital bill and also brought a vehicle to take me to my grandmother’s home.

A month later, my husband convinced me to go back to his home and when I did, I found him in bed with another woman different from the first one I had caught him with.

The attack
In July, 2014, I had gone to see a patient back home but I left my baby behind. On returning home, I found my husband in bed with another woman. 
He jumped out of bed naked and started beating me, he called one of the herdsmen to bring a rope and he tied me before he dressed up. While on the ropes, my husband called someone else who came on a motorcycle.

The trio carried me to a nearby forest and made me lie down and put my baby beside me. My husband asked the porter to remove the rope and wrap it around my neck and tied me on a stump, I tried making an alarm but I was over whelmed.

My husband asked the porter to bring a jerrican which contained a liquid like acid, he poured it on my waist and other lower parts. That is when I lost consciousness.

When I woke up, I was at Sarah’s Clinic in Fort Portal Town where I was told that I was found in bushes in Kagote with my child at around 11pm after passersby heard a baby crying in the bushes and alerted security. I was then transferred to Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital where the medical staff confirmed that I was splashed with a chemical mixed with acid.

Authorities’ take
When contacted, Joshua Tusingwire, the officer in charge of criminal investigations at Fort Portal Central police station.
“As police, we have done our part, re-writing an additional statement from the victim and attached it to the file which is currently with the State Antony for advice. 
The case is before Grade I magistrate’s court. 

Some area councilors said last year, they tried to follow the case at police but the police was not forthcoming.

Current state
I cannot stay in public for four hours because my body emit a bad odour due to the pus that oozes from my private parts. 

The drug that I was prescribed to take is at Shs17, 000 weekly which I cannot raise consistently since I don’t have any job. 

I have to wear diapers all the time and I have no hope of getting married again. I was referred to Kampala for further treatment but I do not have money for transport, upkeep and treatment.
However, I was told that my uterus was affected by the acid. I, therefore appeal to the authorities to help me get justice.

Struggle for justice

I reported the case to Fort Portal central police station. I found two officers at the counter; one of them was Ms Nyakaisiki.

When I told her my story, she instead told me I was under arrest since my husband had reported a case against me of attempted suicide.

However, I undressed and showed the police officers the wounds that were oozing blood and pus. Nyakaisiki then took me back to Fort Portal Regional Hospital where my story was proved. I made the statements and opened the case file (CRB/522/15) against my husband.

The next day when I went back to police, a certain police officer asked Nyakaisiki to hand over my case file.
My husband was arrested.I found my husband talking to the said police officer and on seeing me, he knelt down and begged me for forgiveness which I turned down but to my surprise, the officer in a strong voice told me that I have to forgive my husband.

Whether I like it or not. He added that if men can cut off their women’s arms, legs and other parts of the body and women forgive them and go back to their marriage, who am I to do otherwise, he continuously backed at me saying I should sign the police statement. 

He did not even give me an opportunity to read it and later said in two weeks I should sort out myself, I later signed on statements.My husband then drove me and dumped me at Dr Kisakye’s hospital and did not pick my bill of Shs420, 000 for the treatment that was later paid by my sister.

Later police officers wrote a statement that my husband and I had accepted to separate and was ordered to give me Shs10, 000 every week as upkeep for the child which he never fulfilled. 
I kept going back to police after three months and my husband slapped me twice in the presence a Sergeant at the police station who also said I was becoming problem.

When Rwenzori became a conflict hotspot

Residents cover graves of two of the people who were killed during an attack at Ruhita Cell Hima Sub-county, Kasese District in July. File photo

Inter-tribal clashes, demonstrations, divisions marred the region that is yet to come to terms

ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2014 | BY- FELIX BASIIME, ENID NINSIIMA & RUTH KATUSABE (http://mobile.monitor.co.ug/News/News/When-Rwenzori-became-conflict-hotspot/-/2466686/2572524/-/format/xhtml/-/mgtdbqz/-/index.html)

Rwenzori- The year 2014 has turned out to be the busiest year that recorded the most historic events in the Rwenzori sub-region in this decade.
The sub-region is comprised of Kabarole, Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa, Kamwenge, Kasese, Ntoroko and Bundibugyo districts.

It is endowed with rich culture where cultural institutions like Tooro Kingdom, Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu, Obudhingiya Bwa Bwamba (latest), Busongora Cultural Heritage and the Banyabindi Kingdom.

The area is also endowed with rich mineral and tourist attractions such as Kilembe mines, salty Lake Katwe, several lakes and rivers, tea plantations, the snowcapped mount Rwenzori and several national parks.
This year had a mixed bag of happenings and issues ranging from armed attacks, tribal clashes, floods and a new kingdom.

Jilted lover kills 10
The rucks began early on in the year. On April 11, a UPDF soldier shot dead 10 people over a woman in a bar brawl at Karugutu Trading Centre in Ntoroko District. Pte Chris Amanyire, attached to Rhino Battalion at Kanyansi Barracks, also shot himself dead. Those he killed included five soldiers and 25 others were injured.

Floods displace thousands
As the dust was settling on the crime of passion, floods returned to the region on May 8, subsiding after more than 15 lives were lost. Properties worth millions of shillings were destroyed and more than 2,000 people were displaced by the gushing waters descending Mountain Rwenzori, carrying along boulders.

Church attack
The region continued to swing from bad to worse. On June 26, about 15 unknown gunmen attacked overnight worshippers in Kyegegwa District. The attackers beheaded a worshiper at the all-night prayer session and planted her head on the altar.

In an offensive and hateful manner, the attackers also burnt the church, and killed Assistant Inspector of Police Grace Mwine in the ensuing fight. The then UPDF spokesman for the Rwenzori region, Lt Ninsiima Rwemijuma, claimed long-running hostility between the Muslims and Christians in Kyegegwa.

On July 5, the Banyabindi community in Kasese District held a memorial function at Muhokya Sub-county headquarters to commemorate the life of their comrades who perished during the Rwenzururu struggle 50 years ago.

The bloody tribal clashes
But hardly had they crowned the day news filtered in of the simultaneous tribal attacks in Kasese, Ntoroko and Bundibugyo districts. When the joint force of the army and police restored normalcy, more than 90 people had been killed and several others injured.

Kingdom officials arrested
As security searched for answers, on July 7, operatives arrested Rwenzururu Kingdom officials who were accused of masterminding the attacks. They included the prime minister, Mr Noah Nzaghale and his deputies; Yeremia Mutoro.

On July 8, the army general court martial started trying suspects of the July 5 attacks. It was trying 126 in Bundibugyo and 54 in Kasese on different days.

On September 22, a former radio presenter on Arua-based Fm, Mr Manisulu Hamis was killed at Mariana Club, Lodge, Restaurant and Bar and his body has never been recovered to date.

Uganda’s first Marburg case
On September 28, Uganda had the first case of Marburg, which the Health ministry confirmed was of Ibrahim Bwambale, a radiographer who was working with Mengo hospital, and died at the same facility. He was buried at his ancestral home in Kitsutsu village, Munkunyu Sub-county in Kasese District.

Later, panic gripped the district for about a month as investigations of more cases continued.

On October 12, the Bamba cultural leader, Lt Col Martin Ayongi Kamya, and King Charles Wesley Mumbere of Rwenzururu reconciled and resolved to end the cultural differences among their subjects. The historical meeting was held in Mubende Town.

On October 19, the Rwenzururu Kingdom held the 48th Coronation Anniversary, where the occasion was graced by Vice President Edward Ssekandi. The Bamba cultural leader (Omudhingiya), Lt Col Martin Ayongi Kamya also attended as a sign of reconciliation.

On October 25, an elephant was burnt after it strayed into Karambi, Bwera sub-counties and Mpondwe –Lhubiriha town council. The 25-year old male mammal was found dead in Mirami village in Karambi Sub-county. It died due to fatigue, stress and hunger. UWA burnt the carcass to prevent locals from eating it.

More floods in Ntoroko
On November 1, floods wreaked havoc in Ntoroko District, displacing more than 5,000 people after rivers Lamia and Semuliki burst their banks. The floods also disorganised at least 474 Primary Seven candidates who were forced to write their Primary Leaving Examinations in makeshift tents after floods submerged most areas and made access to schools difficult.

On November 3, Primary Leaving Exams started around the country, however, in Kasese it was written by several breast feeding mothers and pregnant girls as cases of early marriages are high in the district.

On November 12, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) confirmed that they were holding Dr Kizza Besigye’s aide Mr Sam Mugumya. This was after one week of Mr Mugumya’s disappearance. This was revealed by Brig Muhindo Akili, the commander of the North Kivu Province in DRC, during a press briefing at Kasindi on the DRC side of the border.

On November 13, Church of Uganda Archbishop Stanley Ntagali visited South Rwenzori Diocese and was hosted to a dinner by Kasese Woman MP Winfred Kiiza and Bukonzo East MP Yokasi Bihande.

More than 100 suspects set free 
On December 8, the Army General Court Martial sitting in Bundibugyo Town set free 126 people accused of participating in the July 5 attacks in Bundibugyo.

GLIMMER OF HOPE RUINED BY POLITICS

Then came a glimmer of hope. In the same month, Tooro King Oyo Kabamba Iguru was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Vietnam Buddhist University in Hanoi Vietnam. King Oyo was accordingly recognised for his exemplary service to humanity.

Perhaps buoyed by the achievement by their king, more than 100 Tooro subjects walked to Parliament a week later, demanding government returns the kingdom assets aka ‘ebyeitu.’ The group of mainly youth had spent four days walking to Parliament from Fort Portal Town to present a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, demanding for the return of the kingdom’s assets held by the central government.

As the Batooro were sizing up with government, something was brewing in the neighbourhood. On May 30, President Museveni presided over the crowning of Lt Col Martin Kamya as Omudhingiya wa Bwamba in Bundibugyo.

On July 14, the King of Tooro started fasting for a week, protesting what he saw as President Museveni’s decision to create more kingdoms within the greater Tooro monarchy. He fasted also for the return of ‘ebyaitu’ or kingdom properties.

The chiefdoms complained of then were the Rwenzururu which constituted Busongora and Bukonjo counties in the old Tooro Kingdom and Bwamba County, which now have independent cultural leaders. The king who was at his palace Karuzika in Fort Portal was joined by the royal family and the subjects in a solidarity move.

However, President Museveni down played the fasting issue and said King Oyo would be healthy if he fasted, a statement that triggered demonstrations in Fort Portal Town from Amacumu n’ebitara by’Omukama (Youth of the King of Tooro).

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com