Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kampala (Agenzia Fides) – At least 21 people have been killed in the fighting that has taken place in recent days in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. This is what rescue workers have reported, as it seems that peace has now returned to the city.
The chaos which also led to hundreds of wounded broke out on September 10 and lasted 3 days. At the heart of the conflict is a sharp debate between the Kabaka, the traditional king of the Baganda (a region in the south-central part of the country, and the most important of the four Ugandan kingdoms banned in 1966), Ronald Muwenda Mutesi II, and the central authorities. It is a conflict that has been ongoing, but that exploded last week when police forces impeded members of the Baganda Kingdom from entering the village of Kayunga, in a district north-east of Kampala, to begin preparations for the ruler's visit. The King of Baganda's visit to Kayunga is opposed by some of the residents, who are members of the Bayala Tribe.
The people of the Baganda Kingdom accused the government of President Yoweri Museveni of siding with the Bayala Tribe in impeding the visit of their king...On the streets of the capital and in several districts of central Uganda, violence broke out between police and subjects of the Kingdom of King Ronald Muwenda Mutesi II. In order to end tensions, he announced that he would cancel the visit and launched an appeal to his people to end the violence.
According to the local press, the King of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II will meet with President Yoweri Museveni to “resolve the mistake” that led to the fighting.
According to the Ugandan paper “New Vision,” the President has blamed for the stalemate that has lasted at least 2 years between the Kingdom of Buganda and the central government on a lack of communication created by the King's refusal to respond to the President's telephone calls. According to the local press, President Museveni has intelligence information that leads him to believe that a north African political leader is inciting the protests of the former Ugandan kingdoms.
The religious leaders of the country, including the Catholic Bishops, have launched an appeal for peace and reconciliation. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 14/9/2009)
