By Andrew Irumba
Kampala: The war between Rwenzururu king Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere and his younger brother Christopher Kibazanga, the State Minister for agriculture in the central government, is not about to end.
The latest we have established is that Mumbere has indefinitely suspended Kibanzanga from the position of Chief Prince in the kingdom, which he has held for several years. In a letter issued to Kibazanga by the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu dated June 25th, 2019, Mumbere also scrapped the position until further notice.Mumbere contends that his young brother has used the position of Chief Prince to undermine the Rwenzururu King, kingdom, members of the Royal Family, the Prime Ministerial Commission and the Kingdom’s top most organs, the Privy Council to the King. Kibanzanga has over the years had a frosty relationship with Mumbere since 2016 when a joint security force raided Buhikira Palace, leading to the death of over 100 people and the subsequent arrest of the king and close to 200 loyalists, who are still languishing in jails across the country. 
Mumbere’s letter firing minister Kibazanga
The relationship worsened on June 14, 2019, when Kibanzanga defied the King’s directive to bury their late mother Christine Biira Mukirania at Nyamirangara in Muhokya Sub County in Kasese district. Mumbere, who had been barred by the high court from stepping foot in Kasese as part of his bail conditions, secured temporary permission from the court to enable him mourn and bury his mother. Justice Eva Luswata of the International Crimes Division of the High Court gave Mumbere 14 days to travel to Kasese, Bundibugyo, Ntoroko and Kabarole to mourn his mother and perform any rituals expected of him as a cultural leader. However, Kibanzanga snatched the corpse with the help of soldiers and drove it to their ancestral home in Kirindi, Bundibugyo district, where the late Nyamukama was buried on June 16. Mumbere and four of his siblings declined to attend the funeral in Bundibugyo as a sign of protest. Now, Mumbere argues that Kibanzanga’s actions not only undermined the wishes of the deceased but also denied him, the Royal Family and many BanyaRwenzururu (Rwenzururu People) opportunity to lay Nyamukama to rest.
Mumbere also said that Kibanzanga’s utterances at the funeral dented the image and reputation of the Kingdom. During the funeral, Kibanzanga questioned the intelligence of those that didn’t want him to bury his mother at their ancestral home. But Mumbere says these utterances and many others by Kibanzanga were not befitting of a person who holds the position of Chief Prince of Rwenzururu Kingdom. He says Kibanzanga will remain a Prince, albeit without any responsibility until further notice. “Your aggressive, abusive behaviour and reckless outbursts have undermined and degraded the image of the Royal Family, Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu locally, nationally and internationally. You will not, therefore, from this point forward represent the royal family. You will remain a prince but without any specific responsibility until further notice,” reads Mumbere’s letter in part. As Chief Prince, Kibanzanga would represent the Royal Family on key functions where the king wouldn’t be present. As Chief Prince, it was also possible for Kibanzanga to become king if it became impossible to have a king from Mumbere’s bloodline. However, by press time Kibanzanga was yet to comment about the development. We shall keep you updated.
