RWENZORI CIVIL SOCIETY TO GOVERNMENT: ITS ONLY DIALOGUE THAT WILL RESOLVE KASESE CONFLICT

BY WILBER MUHWEZI

IN KASESE—

Rwenzori five civil society organizations under their umbrera organizations Rwenzori consortium for civic competence [RWECO] have launched a campaign aimed at solving the Rwenzori crisis using nothing but dialogue.

According to the coordinator of RWECO Jimmy Baluku, the appeal for a peacefull resolution by Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu stand off between government and the affected kingdom.

Mr. Jimmy Bakuku the coordinator of RWECO a constortium of five NGOs

He added that he has mobilized religious leaders, Elders, cultural and civil society to meet the prime minister of Uganda and tell him that the Rwenzururu cannot be solved by guns but dialogue.

“We have already met the RDC kasese that is on Dec. 06, we shall continue and meet minister of internal affairs and prime minister” Baluku noted

The civil society organizations in the RWECO constium include Ride Africa, Ric-net, Good hope and Kali based in Bwera kasese and their umbrella organization Rweco.

He noted that they have already engaged the local government of Kasese and the Obusuina Bwa Rwenzururu what is remaining is the central government.

Mr. Baluku said this yesterday in an exclusive interview with www.mknewslink.com editor at their regional office in Kasese town. He noted that there is no way how the kasese conflict will be resolved without giving dialogue a chance.

“We are not alone in this struggle other civil society organizations are trying to push for dialogue. These are local CSOs but we also looking at national NGOS like international alert and foundation for human rights initiative.

Mr. Baluku noted that academicians need to go to Rwenzori region and conduct a comprehensive research on the conflict and why it can be ended once and for all.

He gave an example of conflicting tribes in Kasese and Bundibugyo like Bakonjo versus Basongora, Bamba versus Bakonjo and Babwisi versus Bamba all these conflicts cannot be solved by a gun, its dialogue nothing but dialogue.

Omusinga Mumbere, Prime minister Thembo and central government[president Museveni] should sit on a round table and we are not ready to get tired we shall continue until dialogue is given a chance.

Rweco is implementing a project in the Rwenzori region in the four districts on community action to prevent and manage conflict in the sub-region. The districts are Kasese, Bundibugyo, Ntoroko and Kamwenge.

The project started in 2016 and will end in 2018. The project is aimed at preventing and managing conflict in the sub-region. Its funded and Dutch organization called HIVOS.

Mr Baluku was hopeful that by the end of the project 2018, management and dialogue in the conflicts in the region would have been reduced or solved.

The king and prime minister of Rwenururu kingdom were arrested and charges slapped on King  Mumbere of murder, terrorism among others

The prime minister was arrested on Thursday Dec. 15 , 2016 and has neither appeared in court nor where he is being held is known.

Over 100 royal guards were charged in a Jinja court for participating in the killings in Rwenzori kingdom.

Around 90 people were murdered on Sunday Nov. 27, 2016 and other days in king mumbere’s palace in Kasese town and other areas after the arrest of the king on the above date.

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