The Prime Minister of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom, Mr Andrew Kirungi Byakutaaga Ateenyi, has dismissed rumours circulating around the kingdom that there is a conspiracy being mooted by the Bacwezi clan members to which he belongs, to retake kingship tactically undermining the efforts of the Babiito royals.
The Bacwezi dynasty who succeeded the Batembuzi collapsed in the 16th century leading to the rise of the Babiito dynasty that was of course preceded by power struggle.
The present dogma of machination follows a series of events taking place in the kingdom including the alleged deliberate failure by the administration to take the ailing Omukama Dr Solomon Gafaabusa Iguru for specialised treatment and Mr Byakutaaga’s clinging to power amid reports that his term of office expired together with that of the kingdom cabinet and parliament that left office more than a year ago.
Speaking to the press in Hoima city, Mr Byakutaaga challenged journalists to always clarify to the public on similar issues that he termed as groundless saying the intrigue theory is unwarranted since it is intrinsic that for one to become a monarch they must be inbred.
“It is not possible. As I have always told you, the kingdom stands on two pillars: one is culture and the other is the law. The King of Bunyoro is born and a Mubiito. We should not confuse people,” he stressed.
He highlighted that it is clear that Omukama Iguru is son to Omukama Winyi who was also a son to Omukama Kabaleega, thus the kingdom leadership has been successional.
Mr Byakutaaga links the claims to the stories of what he describes as self-proclamation as prime minister and appointment of new cabinet without the king’s assent.
“Okwiri has no power to appoint a Prime Minister and cabinet. It is only the king. You cannot swear in people from your home,” he claimed.
This is amid Byakutaaga’s opponents’ claim that he was equally sworn in in camera by an egocentric clique just like his parallel counterpart, Dr Balthazar Kyamanywa Kasirivu Atwoki, yet without the monarch’s assent to the appointment.
Mr Byakutaaga whose entire administration is currently controversial in Bunyoro and beyond, implored the fourth estate to consider reading and comprehending the Institution of Traditional or Cultural Leaders Act, 2011 to enable them construe and appreciate how matters run.
Kazi-njema Radio has quoted arguments from sundry people that the king of Bunyoro can emerge from any clan since the current rulling Babiito clan is not the first to reign, which according to Mr Byakutaaga does not rhyme with the foundation columns of the current Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom as a traditional or cultural institution.
Defining Byakutaaga’s role as Prime Minister and palace affairs
“My work is administrative and things to do with culture belong to the palace and have responsible leaders. There is a minister of palace affairs, mother to the king, there is Batebe, Okwiri, the Queen Consort and person in charge of royal regalia. I cannot stop anything those people have endorsed,” he explained.
It is not wrong to interpret that such an account translates into the kingdom’s de facto leadership as at one point any of the mentioned centres of power has ever either agreed or disagreed with each other pertaining to handling kingdom affairs. This clearly calls for de jure leadership to salvage Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom from a raft of power conflict.
