Exiled lawyer and author Kakwenza Rukirabashaija has reignited debate over the restoration of the Ankole Kingdom, questioning the historical foundations of the kingdom and the political circumstances surrounding attempts to crown a monarch in the 1990s.
In a lengthy statement, Kakwenza claimed that Generals Elly Tumwine, who died in 2022, and David Sejusa, formerly known as Tinyefuza, attempted around 1997 to crown Prince John Barigye as king of Ankole.
According to Kakwenza, the initiative followed the restoration of several traditional kingdoms in Uganda during the 1990s, leaving some Banyankole questioning why Ankole had not received similar recognition.
He, however, argued that the question of restoring Ankole cannot be separated from the region's complex pre-colonial and colonial history.
Kakwenza said the territory historically identified as Ankole brought together several political communities, including Nkore, Buhweju, Igara, Karo-Karungi and parts of Mpororo.
He argued that the boundaries were significantly shaped by colonial administration rather than through a voluntary political union among the communities.
“For us in Mpororo, the history is even more complicated,” Kakwenza said, highlighting the legacy of Queen Muhumuza, whom he described as a prominent figure in resistance to colonial rule.
Kakwenza further claimed that the attempted coronation of Barigye faced opposition from President Yoweri Museveni's government. He alleged that senior officials, including Kahinda Otafiire and Amanya Mushega, were sent to disrupt the ceremony.
According to his account, the confrontation resulted in the royal regalia, including the Bagyendanwa royal drum and emiguta, being seized as those involved in the coronation fled.
Kakwenza said the regalia remained in government custody for years before claims emerged that it had later moved towards the camp of Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
He maintained that the controversy should not simply be reduced to the question of recovering royal artefacts or installing a king.
Instead, Kakwenza called for broader consideration of the historical communities that existed before the colonial creation of Ankole.
He questioned what restoration would mean for communities such as Buhweju, Igara, Karo-Karungi and Mpororo if Nkore or Ankole were restored.
Kakwenza argued that any decision on traditional kingdoms should ultimately reflect the wishes of the affected communities.
“Culture belongs to the people,” he said, insisting that traditional institutions should not be created or restored solely through political or military influence.