14 police officers and 41 Rwenzori assailants killed in Kasese clashes

14 police officers, 41 assailants killed in Kasese clashes

What you need to know:

  • Gunfire rocked Kasese Town on Saturday afternoon and went on through the night as security operatives pursued people suspected to be involved in the fresh attacks.
  • The clashes went on across different parts of the district until late in the evening, leaving a police vehicle burnt in Kagando, in Bukonzo West.
  • More 14 police officers and 41 Rwenzori assailants were killed in the Kasese clashes.

KAMPALA

At least 14 police officers and 41 suspected attackers were confirmed killed in running battles between the two forces that cut across Kasese District in Uganda’s Rwenzori region on Saturday.

Gunfire rocked Kasese Town on Saturday afternoon and went on through the night as security operatives pursued people suspected to be involved in the fresh attacks.

The clashes went on across different parts of the district until late in the evening, leaving a police vehicle burnt in Kagando, in Bukonzo West.

Police spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi told journalists in Kampala on Sunday that more 14 police officers and 41 Rwenzori assailants were killed in the Kasese clashes.

He said two UPDF soldiers were injured on Saturday.

“We believe these attacks have a political motive and have so far arrested 15 key ring leaders. This is not an insurgency but rather a violent crime,” said Mr Kaweesi.

“Yesterday a joint Uganda police and UPDF (army) operation, patrolling in Kasese town... came under attack by royal guards of the kingdom. The attackers threw an improvised grenade which exploded and injured one soldier. Security forces reacted and shot in self-defence, killing four attackers,” said Mr Kaweesi.

“That incident set of an explosion in all local sub-counties.”

Fighting continued all day and was still underway on Sunday, with the King Charles Wesley Mumbere holed up in his palace as heavy gunfire sounded outside, according to his spokesman.

Mr Kaweesi said the attackers — not all of whom were royal guards — had guns, spears and improvised explosive devices.

The Rwenzururu kingdom is a traditional monarchy based near the Rwenzori mountains which straddle Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and its members are mainly the Bakonzo people — also found in both countries.

SEPARATIST MOVEMENT

The monarchy started out as a separatist movement of the same name when the Bakonzo declared their own kingdom in 1962.

The move led to years of bloodshed until a settlement was reached in 1982 in which the movement laid down arms in return for a degree of local autonomy.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni officially recognised the kingdom in 2009.

However unrest has continued to simmer in the complex ethnic and political conflict, as many in the region still feel marginalised by authorities in distant Kampala.

Some in Uganda, with the support of their fellow Bakonzo in the DR Congo, have taken up arms and are agitating for the creation of the Yiira Republic which would cover territory in Uganda and part of North Kivu in the DR Congo.

Mumbere has distanced himself from the cause, however the authorities accuse his royal guards of training in the mountains alongside separatist militia forces to attack government installations.

“The situation is volatile. Several of our guards have been killed after the government gave an order to disband the royal guards immediately which is not easy,” Rwenzururu kingdom spokesman, Clarence Bwambale, said from the palace where he and the king were holed up, as heavy shooting echoed in the background.

“The king spoke to the president (Museveni) this morning and he gave him two hours to disband the royal guards which is impossible. Now the army and police have raided the palace and attacked the royal guards” he said, with a large explosion heard in the background.

“We have told the government the kingdom is not involved in the creation of Yiira republic which wants to break away (from Uganda) and that the royal guards are not involved,” he said.
Earlier this year Museveni ruled out any form of secession in the Rwenzori region.

He told the Daily Monitor newspaper: “I want to state categorically that Uganda will not lose even a piece of her land to the creation of the so-called Yiira republic.”