Democratic Party (DP) has vowed to offer legal support to the King of the Rwenzururu Charles Wesley Mumbere who was arrested over the weekend during a joint operation by the Police and UPDF.
The Omusinga was arrested on Sunday the after a raid on his palace which left many people killed and others injured during crossfire between the security forces and Omusinga’s royal guards.
“We condemn the acts of violence from both the security authorities and the supporters of the king which led to loss of lives,” said the DP President, Norbert Mao on Tuesday at City House.
Mao noted that the struggle in the Rwenzori region is a struggle of identity by the Bakonzo people and a sense of feeling marginalized by the Ugandan government.
“Most of you know the Bakonzo, they feel marginalized and down trodden in Uganda; we want to call to your attention, how many Bakonjo doctors, Permanent Secretaries, Professors, Generals in the UPDF do you know.”
“I have heard of people calling for a commission of inquiry including the Uganda Law Society but we have enough reports into the issues and what is lacking is the political will to recognize the identity of the Bakonzo people and protect them as citizens of Uganda with equal rights,” Mao said.
“We call for restraint on part of Uganda’s security forces, while we condemn the civilians who attacked the police and killed them for whatever reasons; we equally condemn the excessive use of force.”
“We call for the arrest and Court marshaling of the police and army officers who led the operation; they have to take responsibility, there is a code of conduct; it doesn’t mean if there is a war then there are no laws.”
However, Police spokesperson, Andrew Felix Kaweesi on Monday said that the royal guards attacked security officials on entering the palace which prompted the officials to shoot in self-defense.
“When we entered the palace, we found what we had anticipated. They fired at the forces injuring a UPDF major,” said Kaweesi.
On the arrest of the king, DP has pledged to offer legal support to the king who is currently held at Nalufeenya police station in Jinja.
“We demand the release of the King of the Rwenzururu and as DP we offer him legal support; I know he has lawyers but DP has seasoned lawyers.”
“We will not comment on whether he is guilty or not but all we know as I talk now, no traditional leader is safe if they allow this kind of thing to continue and I call upon all Kings to come out and have their voices heard.”
Omusinga Mumbere was arrested on Sunday after refusing to cooperate with the joint security forces, to flush the attackers out of his palace where they had retreated to.
UPDF Second Division Commander, Brig. Peter Elweru who led the operation earlier told the journalists that President Museveni called the Omusinga persuading him to hand over his fighters which he didn’t do.
While addressing journalists at Uganda Media Centre on Tuesday morning, Internal affairs Minister Gen. Jeje Odong said that there no charges preferred against Omusinga yet, noting that investigations were still underway to establish his involvement in the rebellion.