Inside Omusinga’s seven-year plan

Omusinga in his 12-page maiden speech to hundreds of his subjects who turned up to welcome him at the Golf Course in Kasese Town, outlined a five-point plan that will guide the kingdom and its subjects for the next seven years to realise peace and unity.

His plan is anchored on a five-point programme, which he said will be achieved through working with the community and collaborating with different stakeholders such as non-governmental organisations, government ministries and agencies, and the private sector.

“You will all be positively surprised to see and enjoy a re-defined Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu and we shall all benefit from the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu either directly or indirectly. Let us all cultivate a positive attitude and support one another for a new chapter,” Omusinga Mumbere said.

During the thanksgiving on Sunday, Omusinga revealed that prior to his return on October 4, he had engaged in discussions with President Museveni, where they deliberated on strategies to foster the development of the kingdom and identify additional initiatives aimed at ensuring enduring peace in the Rwenzori Sub-region.

“Very soon, President Museveni is going to come here and we strengthen the unity, peace and reconcile with each other,” Omusinga Mumbere said.

The five points include reconciliation, unity in diversity, peace promotion, social economic transformation, and mindset change.

The Rwenzururu subjects expressed their newfound optimism in the Omusinga’s plan for fostering peace and unity, citing a noticeable lack of unity during his absence.

“I carefully listened to him during his speech at the Golf Course, where he emphasised the message of peace. With his return, we have high hopes that conflicts will be a thing of the past. We have identified our past mistakes, and now both the king and local leaders are advocating for the same message of peace,” Mr James Baluku, a resident of Kisinga Town Council, said. 

Reconciliation being his first pillar, Omusinga Mumbere said community dialogues will be initiated by the Kingdom where individuals from diverse ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds will openly discuss past conflicts, grievances, and misunderstandings. These discussions aim to foster understanding and unity among the Kingdom’s inhabitants.

He said there will also be truth and reconciliation meetings to address historical injustices, providing victims with a platform to share their experiences and promoting healing and forgiveness.
He further said the Kingdom will have cultural exchange programmes. 

“Encourage cultural exchange programmes that allow people from different backgrounds to learn about and appreciate each other’s cultures, traditions, and histories. Our unique culture of the Bayiira (Bakonzo/Banande) shall be documented and disseminated for posterity and shall also be registered by UNESCO, especially our unique names, rituals, and traditions - such a rich culture,” he said. 

The Omusinga also said there will be conflict resolution workshops organised by the Kingdom to equip community leaders with skills to address disputes in a peaceful and constructive manner.

On unity in diversity, he proposed inclusive policies. The Kingdom will advocate for policies that promote inclusiveness, including affirmative action in education and employment, to ensure that all ethnic and cultural groups are represented and that everyone feels a sense of belonging.

Under unity in diversity, the Kingdom will also have community empowerment. He said: “Support will be extended to community-based organisations and initiatives that empower marginalised groups such as women, youth, and minority communities.” Empowering these groups will contribute to a more equitable society.

In terms of education and awareness, the Kingdom plans to develop educational programmes and awareness campaigns aimed at promoting tolerance, diversity, and the benefits of inclusiveness. These efforts will help educate the population about the importance of embracing diversity and its positive impact on society. The Kingdom also plans to have initiatives that promote interfaith dialogue and cooperation to foster religious tolerance and unity among different religious groups.

To achieve peace within the Kingdom, Omusinga Mumbere emphasised the importance of conflict prevention by implementing programmes that directly address the root causes of conflicts such as land disputes, resource scarcity and political tensions.

The Kingdom also plans to introduce peace education initiatives. These efforts will advocate for the integration of peace education into school curricula and educational institutions. The goal is to instil values of non-violence and conflict resolution in the younger generation, thereby fostering a culture of peace from an early age.
Additionally, the kingdom aims to support the Uganda Police Force in strengthening community policing initiatives.

Omusinga Mumbere said the partnership will focus on building trust between law enforcement agencies and local communities, thereby transforming them into collaborative partners in the ongoing effort to maintain peace within the Kingdom. Mediation and dispute resolution centres in liaison with civil society organisations will also be established to provide accessible and affordable ways to resolve conflicts.

To achieve social-economic transformation, Omusinga Mumbere said the kingdom will tackle this through agricultural development by investing in modern agricultural practices, providing farmers with training and resources, and promoting value addition to agricultural products to boost food security and income generation.

The Omusinga also highlighted that they are advocating for infrastructure development to improve roads, electricity, and water supply to increase production, and enhance access to markets.

He said the Kingdom will have an entrepreneurship and skills development programme to promote vocational training and support entrepreneurship initiatives to create job opportunities and reduce poverty. Furthermore, the Kingdom hopes to advocate for access to credit and financial services for small and medium-sized enterprises to promote economic development. 

Under mindset change, the Omusinga said there will be education and awareness campaigns that will be launched. He emphasised the importance of a positive mindset, tolerance, and embracing change for personal and community development. 

“Present the true image of Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu in accordance with the 1995 Constitution and the Traditional Cultural Leaders Act (2011),” he said. 

The Omusinga also said there will be role models and sharing of inspirational stories highlighting local successes. Also connected to mindset change will be support for mental health. Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu hopes to initiate or identify mental health support services and seek help for mental health issues. They will conduct workshops and training sessions on personal development, resilience, and emotional intelligence.