KNOW YOUR HISTORY: HONOUR YOUR AGREEMENTS: TRACING the RWENZURURU MOV’T and Conflicts in RWENZORI REGION ***************************************************************************** Way back in our history, Kaboyo Kasunsunkwanzi Olimi 1 rebelled against his father Omukama Kyebambe III of the great Bunyoro Kitara kingdom to annex the southern part of his father’s kingdom that later came to be Tooro Kingdom. In the subsequent wars for the kingdom in Tooro between Omubitio Kato Rukidi, Kazana Ruhanga, Nyaika Kasunga the BAKONZO played an important role in defending Kazana at some point kept him in Mboga Zaire protecting him against Rukindi. Kasuga returned from Mboga Zaire with the help of BAKONZO fighters and regained his kingdom from Rukindi. By this time, Kabalenga was the king in Bunyoro and wanted to put an end to Tooro kingdom that had been annexed from Bunyoro. Omukama Nyaika provoked Kabalega when he sent his fighters Majority of who were BAKONZO that had brought him back from Zaire to capture some of Kabalengas royal cows. In retaliation, Kabalenga sent his ruthless Abarusura fighters to capture Nyaika. The Bakonzo again protected Omukama Nyaika against the Barusura and fought hard to defeat the Bunyoro forces. Upon his Death, Nyaika was succeeded by Omubiito Mukabirere Olimi II, who was easily defeated by kabalenga forces, captured and taken to Bunyoro. He had been weakened by his brother Omubiito Mukarusa who had taken over BUSONGORA area in Tooro kingdom and declared himself a KING OF THE BASONGORA. He too got captured by the Kabalenga forces. Fights in Tooro continued as they considered themselves a separate kingdom by then with Bakonzo actively fighting on behalf of tooro. All this ended when in 1891 Captain Lugard and agent of IBEACO defeated Kabalega. Lugard thus helped Kasagama the son of Olimi to get Back Tooro kingdom and Omukama Daudi Kyebambe Kasagama became Tooros first modern day king. The Bakonzo who had to that time played an important role in defending Tooro Kingdom had a GENTLEMAN’S AGREEMENT with Batooro that in future administration, they would take the seat of PRIME MINISTER in Tooro kingdom in appreciation of their effort in defending Tooro. However with Omukama Kasagama striking a cordial relationship with Lugards forces and the British, this agreement was ignored. The subsequent King George Kamurasi Rukidi III also became a darling of the British and forgot about the efforts of BAKONZO who had helped his fore fathers in protecting his kingdom to the dissatisfaction of Bakonzo. When the Batooro were making their Constitution, and well aware of the promises of their fore fathers to the BAKONZO, they decided to do something like you saw in KYANKWAZI. RING FENCING the seat of Prime Minister and in their constitution stated that to be a Prime Minister, you had to be AMUTOORO NYAKABARA meaning no Mukonzo could ever be a prime minister in Tooro kingdom. This was strongly contested by the BAKONZO and BAMBA representatives in the tooro Rukurato as they demanded that the agreement with their fore fathers be honoured. This disagreement marked the walk out of BAKONZO and BAMBA from Tooro Kingdom Rukurato in the 1960s and started the RWENZURURU Movement that demanded for independence from what they saw as marginalization by the Batooro. What the Bakonzo had with the Batooro was similar to the 1985 MUTUBA TREE Agreement in Luwero and similar to what has often been described as the “PROVERBIAL QUEUE”. But for reasons best known to writers, such facts of history have often been omitted in our books. Failure to honour agreements, failure to recognize contribution of others and attempts to “ring fence” have been a source of conflict in our communities for a long time. Read a certain book about seeds to know how facts of history and peoples contribution can be overlooked and omitted.
Posted on: Thu, 10 Jul 2014 06:28:45 +0000