By Riches Soberekon
King Charles Wesley Mumbere, the ruler of the Rwenzururu kingdom in western Uganda, made a triumphant return to his kingdom on Wednesday after treason charges against him were dropped in June.
Mumbere was accused of treason, murder, and terrorism after deadly clashes between his palace guards and the Ugandan army in 2016.
He was detained for two months before being released on bail in 2017. He has been under house arrest in the capital, Kampala, ever since.
The events leading up to the clashes involved the army storming the royal palace in Kasese, alleging that the sovereign aimed to establish an independent state with the assistance of his guard, which was described as a “militia.”
Prior to this, the palace guards were accused of attacking police officers. The clashes resulted in a death toll of over 100 people, as reported by official sources.
In a 2017 report, the NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated that the violence erupted after government forces forcibly entered a local administrative office, leading to the killing of eight guards.
This incident triggered a series of retaliatory actions, with the palace guards resorting to machetes for self-defense. HRW’s report indicated that the clashes resulted in the deaths of more than 155 individuals, including 15 children.
The charges against Mumbere were dropped in June this year. The government has not given a reason for the decision, but it is seen as a sign of a thaw in relations between the kingdom and the central government.
Mumbere’s return was met with jubilant crowds in the town of Kasese. Thousands of people lined the streets to cheer him on as he waved from the sunroof of his car.
In a speech to his supporters, Mumbere called for peace and unity. He said that the people of Rwenzururu and the Ugandan government must work together to build a better future for the kingdom.
