Clan Leaders Embrace Mediation Role in Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom Leadership Standoff

Clan heads in the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom have welcomed their inclusion in efforts to resolve the ongoing leadership crisis at the heart of the kingdom’s administration.

Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka recently emphasized that the resolution of the dispute between embattled Prime Minister Andrew Byakutaaga and Chief Prince (Okwir) Fred Mugenyi Rucunya over kingdom affairs lies with the clans.

Several clan leaders confirmed receiving invitations to attend a crucial meeting set for Saturday, September 21, 2024, aimed at finding a cultural solution to the deadlock. Francis Atugonza, head of the Ababyasi clan, expressed optimism that the gathering will yield a lasting resolution, noting that cultural matters are best solved within traditional structures.

Other clan leaders, including Nebba Byaruhanga of the Abakurungo clan and Johnson Kusiima Baingana of the Abasonde clan, echoed these sentiments. They stressed the critical role clans play in restoring stability in the kingdom and highlighted the growing concern among subjects about the ongoing leadership strife.

The conflict escalated when Chief Prince Rucunya swore in a new interim cabinet, a move denounced by Prime Minister Byakutaaga as illegal and without the authority of Omukama Solomon Gafabusa Iguru I, the kingdom’s cultural leader. Byakutaaga insists his removal can only be sanctioned by the King, who has faced health challenges in recent years.

The meeting comes at a pivotal moment, with 21 registered clans expected to participate, though it remains unclear whether other clans will also attend. As tension mounts, all eyes are on the clan heads to steer the kingdom towards peace and unity.