Prince Mugenyi calls on Banyoro to work in Eastern Uganda

By Lawrence Okwakol 

Budaka: The Banyoro Kitara Kingdom subjects in Eastern Uganda have been challenged to emulate their  ancestors by working hard to eradicate poverty in the region.

The pronouncement was made by Fred Mugenyi Okwiiri the chief prince who led a delegation of 15 officials from Banyoro Kitara Kingdom while presiding over the opening of the Bunyoro Babito Eastern Uganda at Bunyoro ‘B’ village, Bunyoro parish, Kamonkoli sub county in Budaka district.

Mugenyi said the Bunyoro Babito were the founders of the Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom and some subjects crossed to Eastern Uganda in the early 14th century, specifically around 1300 AD.

They were a people who succeeded the Bachwezi and established the Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom after the dissolution of the Empire of Kitara. He said the kingdom was formed around 1334 AD and was one of the most powerful kingdoms in Central and East Africa from the 13th to the 19th century whose economic activities such as iron working, farming and banter trade propelled it up.

“What brought your ancestors here was business they were bringing salt and iron tools such as spears, hand hoes, but it is unfortunate to note that Eastern region remains poverty stricken yet the Banyoro who are known for hard working settled here and should have transformed communities in this region,” Mugenyi said.

Okwiiri thanked Joseph Maiso the speaker of  Ikubanya wa Bugwere kingdom council for recognizing the Banyoro Babito who settled in Bugwere for allowing them to subscribe to  Bunyoro kingdom yet they are in his jurisdiction.

“To bring poverty to an end people in eastern Uganda should not eat the seeds government gives them in the established programs like emyooga, PDM, women empowerment, and youth poverty interventions. Our royal government especially the education sector will be picking members of the Banyoro Babito clan in eastern Uganda to benefit from the kingdom’s sponsorships,” Mugenyi stated.

Joyce Kabatalya, the personal assistant to the chief princess said the high rates of registered domestic violence cases are in poverty embraced regions and can only be reduced and eliminated when people don’t waste time in unproductive activities but attack  poverty which domestic entertained enemy.

Kabatalya tasked people in eastern Uganda to take education of girl children seriously so that they are distanced from early marriages and unplanned pregnancies.

“Don’t misquote me that I’ve not bothered about the boy child I only give emphasis on the girl child given their vulnerability but nobody loves his daughter to be married by low educated and irresponsible man,” Kabatalya said.

Maiso, the speaker of Bugwere kingdom lauded the delegation from Bunyoro kingdom for taking time to come, visit their subjects and open contact office which is going to be embassy in this part of the country.

“I want to request the Bagwere in the diaspora to emulate the Banyoro Babito clan in Budaka who bothered to trace their origin and visited their palace last and this has caused this function today taken as a return visit and office establishment,” Maiso said.

Wlisin Nanghuli, the chairperson of the Banyoro Babito clan (Mugurusi waitu) in eastern Uganda thanked the leadership of Ikubanya wa Bugwere for allowing them to practice their cultural activities freely and also supporting them.

On his visitors, he lauded them for coming y strengthen the cultural links and the commitment to support them in cultural, social, economic activities.

“I am happy to be placed in this office and I make it open for all the Banyoro Babito clan and others to come and viable guidance. l like the statement made by Mugenyi our chief prince that people without cultural identity was lost people,” Nanghuli said.