Violence Between Tribal King Supporters And Uganda Security Forcess Kill Half Ton

Violence between separatist militia linked to a tribal king and security forces in western Uganda left more than half ton people dead including fourteen police officers on Saturday.

Police spokesman Andrew Felix Kaweesi said patrolling security forces, a joint Uganda police and UPDF (army) operation, were attacked by fighters linked to the royal guard of Rwenzururu kingdom in the town of Kasese with improvised grenade that was reacted and shot in self-defence.

The erupted violence didn’t settle down by night and continued on Sunday too. The spokesman added King Charles Wesley Mumbere was holed up in the palace while heavy gunfire was heard outside.

The attackers had spears, guns and improvised explosive devices even though all of them were not royal guards.

The Bakonzo people declared their own kingdom in 1962 following a separatist movement. It is known as Rwenzururu kingdom and based near the Rwenzori mountains between Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo. This is the reason the Bakonzo people are found in Congo as well apart from Uganda.

Since 1982, following years of bloodshed, the kingdom has a degree of local autonomy. In 2009 the kingdom was officially recognized by Ugandan President Yoweri nMuseveni.

However, some of them have taken up arms again demanding creation of the Yira Republic, the territory that would cover part of Uganda and part of North Kivu in the DR Congo.