Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom celebrates 30 years’ coronation anniversary, President Museveni calls for integration

By: Ismael Kasooha

HOIMA

President Yoweri Museveni has congratulated His Highness the Omukama of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom and the people of Bunyoro upon celebrating 30 years since the coronation of the Omukama.

The President in a message delivered on his behalf by the Prime Minister of Uganda Rt. Hon. Nabbanja Robinah called upon cultural and traditional leaders in the country to work for unity and integration like our ancestors did before colonization.

“It was of great significance that in the Interlacustrine Bantu area of Tooro, Bunyoro, Buganda and Ankole as well as the chiefdoms of Busoga, the Kings and Chiefs had managed to unite the scores of clans under single administrations. This was beneficial because it cultivated cooperation among different clans and regulated relationships between them and among individuals. If there was no such unity then all clans would be acting independently and most likely against one another,” said Museveni.

The Omugo of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom Margaret Karunga Adyeeri (4th left) joined by the Prime Minister of Uganda Rt. Hon. Nabbanja Robinah (4th right) and other officials at the 30th Empango celebrations in Hoima City

The President noted that it was therefore important to commemorate the fact that our ancestors had attained such a level of development in terms of political integration.

“Our ancestors were integrationists by uniting small clans to form kingdoms, chiefdoms etc. We should borrow their principles and unite to create big political and economic blocks to guarantee our sovereignty and prosperity as Africans,” the statement read in part.

He further said that cultural leaders should always preserve and protect our languages and culture.

“Our rich and unique languages should be preserved by cultural institutions because they are threatened by foreign influence,” he said.

The President said that the NRM government restored cultural institutions to look after the traditional sites such as palaces, burial sites and others because of their significance in cultural tourism and education.

He said that cultural leaders are helpful in mobilizing communities for development and spearheading community based development projects.

“Therefore cultural institutions should measure their performance by considering working for unity, preserving the local languages and customs, looking after the traditional sites and mobilizing communities to participate in wealth creation initiatives,” he said.

The president noted that there are four sectors for wealth and job creation; commercial agriculture, industries, services and ICT.

The President donated 50 million shillings towards the 30^th Empango celebrations.

The Prime Minister of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom Andrew Byakutaga asked the government to rename some of the key tourism sites such as Murchison Falls National park to ensure they are given local names.

Byakutaga appealed to the government to appoint local people from Bunyoro on the Petroleum Board to ensure there is local content.

The Katikiro of Buganda Charles Peter Mayiga who was represented by the Speaker of the Lukiiko Patrick Luwaga Mugumbule asked the Kingdom of Bunyoro to work as a team with Buganda to transform society.

“Bunyoro and Buganda Kingdoms have similar challenges so we need to work together to address them for the socio-economic transformation of the country,” said Luwaga.

The function was graced by the Minister for Public Service Muruli Mukasa, State Ministers Fred Byamukama for Transport, Balam Barugahara for Children and Jenepher Namuyangu for Bunyoro Affairs, a good number of Members of Parliament from Bunyoro and representatives from other cultural institutions.

The Prime Minister later in the day visited the Omukama of Bunyoro at his palace.

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