IS KASESE ON THE KNIFE OR REMAINS INTACT?

It may be a wonder for many people and an entertainment for others when it comes to issues concerning the split of Kasese district into three-Rwenzori, Bwera and the Kasese main. But what is it really that is the reason why some people think it is time for the split of Kasese district.

Much as many Ugandans may refer to former president the Late Idi Amin as a dictator, the people of Kasese consider him as one of their liberators after declaring it a district independent of Kabarole in 1974.

But those who were adults then and still see the raising and setting of the sun today, say the district has not settled since then because of civil war and the struggle for the recognition of the Rwenzururu Kingdom. On October 19, 2009 the government recognized the Rwenzururu Kingdom with the Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere the Irema-Ngoma sitting freely on his thrown after over 20 years of study in the United states.

The questions people are asking themselves about the split of the district are not quit many but three are arising. Why is it this time when the Kingdom is starting to stabilize? Why is it that the idea was hatched by a district council that had many politicians who had failed to sail through the primary elections? So what?

Here is the analysis of the four versions of reasoning about the split of Kasese district. The first version is about the district council resolution, the second is on the minority ethnicity, the third is on those opposing the idea and the fourth is about independent thinkers.

Starting with the idea of the Kasese district council that had almost everyone except opposition councilors say “ I” when the then speaker John Baguma posed a question to choose had issues concerning;  1). Improving service delivery. 2). Consolidating the popularity of the NRM government. 3). Need for more to benefit on the district quota system in education and 4) Creating employment among others. At the end of the day, the followers of this version of preaching have been led by Deputy Resident District Commissioner Kasese Mr. Aminadabu Mhundo, Eriphazi Muhindi, Mustafa Kikusa, Rauben Mwahulhwa among others claiming they represent Busongora county.

On the second account, there come the Basongora and Banyabindi who even had one of their braze sons Mr. Muzamiru Bisanga petition parliament on what he termed as marginalization both politically and socially hence demanding for a separate district of their own.

These communities have come clear that they want a district that stretches from River Lubiriha on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo along the Trans African High Way to River Lume on the border with Kabarole district. They want a district that will be independent of the main tribe in the district the Bakonzo. They complain to have been marginalized on politics, service delivery and in education.

Here is the third version on the split of the district, those who oppose the Idea of splitting into three or not at all. Basing on a petition writing by carpenters and coffee buyers to the Omusinga on June 13, 2012, we see issues of addressing government promises to the district and if achieved, and then everyone forgets about the split.

They point at the following; the privatization of Kilembe Mines, the elevation of Kasese Airstrip to an International Airport, the rehabilitation of the Railway line, rehabilitation of the NUYO technical institute in Maliba sub-county, operational izing the industrial park in Kasese Municipality and the re-opening of the Katwe salt factory.

This group reasons that if it is the issue of employment opportunities but not political jobs, the above ventures are enough to transform the lives of the people of Kasese if worked upon by the government.

In a casual talk with the editors of this Newspaper on June 25, one of the educationists in the Kasese Municipality who chose to be on condition of anonymity, he described the agitation for the split of the district this time as a “hungry child in a biting famine”. Where are they going to consolidate the service delivery when majority of the youths are unemployed.

This man thinks that as the people of Kasese, the first step would be to get what the government has in the offing and then after locking everything home, the issue of splitting comes in.

Remember that as people have started staging loose demonstrations. But is this the time people should demonstrate. At this time no one should take it that government has refused to split the district but know it that the ball was thrown back into our half but we seem to be about to score own goals.

By the end of the 2010, the minister of Local Government Adlof Mwesigye wrote back to the then district Chairman the Rev.Can. Julius Kithaghenda asking him to consult with the Omusinga on matters concerning the split of the district. No one is sure whether the district council ever sent a delegation afterwards to consult the monarch after betraying him in the first instance before passing the motion in council.

Speaking to the agitators’ delegation at the Buhikira Royal palace on June 22, the Omusinga lamented how Rev.Can. Kithaghenda defied his initial advice to hold on with the issues of splitting the district.

To all the Banyarwenzururu, the current stand of the Omusinga is that dialogue between both sides-the agitators, the Minorities and those opposing be conducted so that a common ground is reached before he can add his voice on the split.