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Wambuzi sacks royal chiefs’ head over Kyabazinga reunion
William Wilberforce Kadhumbula Gabula Nadiope IV, the Kyabazinga of Busoga and Edward Colombus Wambuzi, the rival from Bulamongi Chiefdom.
What you need to know:
- The kyabazinga and Prince Wambuzi fell out in 2008 in a succession fight following the death of the latter's father Kyabazinga Henry Wako Muloki.
Bulamogi hereditary chief Prince Edward Columbus Wambuzi has sacked acting Issabalangira (head of royal chiefs) for allegedly visiting Busoga king (Kyabazinga) William Gabula Nadiope without his consent.
About two weeks ago, James Naita met the kyabazinga at his official palace atop Igenge Hill in Jinja City's North City Division, in a visit locally perceived as an effort to end the frosty relationship between Bulamogi Chiefdom and the monarchy.
Naita’s delegation included Kaliro District LC5 chairman Elijah Kagoda Dhikusooka, among over 30 others.
Justifying his visit, Naita said the people of Bulamogi were losing a lot of development programmes from the disunity.
“We went to the Kyabazinga to seek unity which other people from Bulamogi do not want yet the chiefdom is part of Busoga Kingdom,” Naita said shortly after the visit.
However, Prince Wambuzi says the time is yet for his chiefdom to reunite with the Kyabazinga because “he had broken many hearts of the people who helped him ascend to the throne”.
“I cannot say that Bulamogi is looking for unity with Prince Nadiope when there are royal chiefs who are castigating him for chasing them away yet they voted for him,” Prince Wambuzi said in a telephone interview on Tuesday.
He then denied having dispatched Naita to Kyabazinga before dismissing him as substantive Issabalangira.
Prince Wambuzi said although royal chiefs unanimously recommended Naita as the Issabalangira, he declined to sign his appointment, and directed members of Bulamogi High Command to announce that he had been sacked.
The Prince Wambuzi High Command comprises his Katukkiro Sam Mutono, and former Chief Justice Samuel Wako Wambuzi, among others.
Mutono hastily convened a press conference at Prince Wambuzi’s Palace in Kaliro Town Council to announce Naita’s sacking.
He said: “I have been instructed by the Bulamogi High Command, led by Prince Wambuzi, to tell the public that the acting Issabalangira Naita, has been sacked and replaced.”
Bulamogi chiefdom Prime Minister Samuel Babuli Mutono, newly appointed Issabalangira Eng Nelson Gagawala Wambuzi and Bulamogi Deputy Prime Minister (Katukkiro) Eric Kihuruko at Prince Wambuzi’s Palace in Kaliro District on June 17, 2024. PHOTO/ABUBAKER KIRUNDA
After reading from a script signed by Justice Wambuzi, Mutono unveiled former State Minister for Trade Nelson Wambuzi Gagawala and Eric Kihuruko as the new Issabalangira and Deputy Katukkiro of Bulamogi chiefdom respectively.
Gagawala, in his remarks, pledged to work for the unity of the people of Bulamogi, thanked Prince Wambuzi for the appointment, and promised to serve without reservations.
Background
The kyabazinga and Prince Wambuzi of Bulamogi chiefdom in Kaliro District fell out in 2008 when a section of Busoga loyalists asked the latter to ascend to the throne shortly after the death of his father, Kyabazinga Henry Wako Muloki.
However, this was rebuffed by Prince Gabula’s camp, which contended that he was the rightful monarch.
This prompted tensions over the Kyabazingaship which dragged on until 2014 when then Parliament Speaker Rebecca Kadaga sought President Museveni’s intervention.
The intervention culminated in Busoga’s 11 hereditary royal chiefs electing Prince Gabula on August 23, 2014 and his being crowned as substantive Kyabazinga on September 13 that same year, in a bid to end the princes’ six-year impasse.
