NRM members of Parliament from Kasese District have appealed for a speedy trial of the Rwenzururu King -His Highness, Omusinga Wesley Mumbere, and his Royal guards, whose prosecution has taken close to five years and is yet to be concluded.
The MPs say the delayed trial of their cultural leaders, not only infringes on the freedoms of the accused but has also affected development in the Kingdom.
The MPs: Hon Kambale Ferigo (Kasese Municipality), Hon Kitanywa Sowedi (Busongola North) and Hon Thembo Mujungu (Busongola South) also demand that the stringent bail conditions imposed on the Omusinga, Kingdom Prime Minister and some Royal Guards who were released last year, be eased, and that court grants bail to the remaining 78 Royal Guards still in prison.
The Omusinga Wesley Mumbere was arrested in November 2016 in a military operation on his palace in Kasese, on allegations that there were armed criminal elements inside the palace. The King together with more than 100 Royal Guards were later imprisoned charged with treason, terrorism, and murder for the deaths of 15 police officers.
The legislators say nine (9) Royal Guards have since died in prison with the most recent case being last week on 17th August, 2021.
Among the bail conditions upon his release in January 2017, Omusinga was directed to limit his movements within Kampala and Wakiso while his co-accused who include civilians are supposed to report to court regularly.
The MPs noted that with continued detention of these prominent leaders, communities are unsettled, which has affected the implimentation of developmental programs in the region.
MPs say, as people’s representatives, they will also continue to engage President Yoweri Museveni, relevant government agencies and people of Rwenzori region to ensure that a re-occurance of a similar incident is avoided.
They say they will continue to explore legal options to secure freedom for their people and also request the president Museveni to excercise his Constitutional powers of prelogative of mercy and grant the accused freedom once the Courts find them guility.