New Ankore prince after late John Barigye

Charles Aryaija Rwebishengye has been  installed as the heir to the late Ankore  Prince, John Barigye.

Ankore Kingdom's late Prince Barigye and his wife at the Toro Kingdom fundraising at the Nile Hotel in Kampala

Rwebishengye  has vowed to take on his father’s campaign and advocate for the restoration of Ankole Kingdom.

I thank all those who accorded my father a decent burial. Culturally, I was not allowed to attend the burial.I want to thank Banyankore for the vigour you have showed that you need the restoration of Ankore Kingdom. I assure you that I will continue with the same campaign to make sure the Kingdom of Ankore is restored, which is what my father would have loved to see. I ask for your advice, he said. 

Ankore Kingdom's new young prince, Charles Rwebishengye installation

The function was held at Barigye’s Muhabura palace in Kariro parish, Rubindi sub-county in Mbarara district.It attracted many people from different clans mainly members of the Ankole Cultural Trust.

Aryaija sat on his father’s stool and put on his father’s sandals made of brown cow skin. He also wore his father’s coat and a cream Kanzu. Later Aryaija was given instruments of power including the spear to lead and protect his father’s family. He was also given a bark cloth and a milk pot.

The function of installing Aryaija was led by Razio Tumusiime, who according to Prof.Joshua Muvumba is responsible for leading such a function in Ankole. 

Aryaija urged  elders in the kingdom to always advise him. William Katatumba, prime minister for Ankore Cultural Trust, explained that, Aryaija was crowned as the heir and not a king. Aryaija is aged 20. He is a first year student at Uganda Christian University, Mukono pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Social Administration.

Installation of Omugabe Ntare VI Rutashijuuka. November 21, 1993

His installation comes a day after the body of his father- Prince John Patrick Barigye was laid to rest at the kingdom royal tombs in Nkokonjeru Mbarara municipality.

Away from the madding crowd

Away from the madding crowd, my thoughts are recollecting around one of my major interests. Being in a quiet room and writing, for hours. It has occurred to me lately, more than before, how important it is that I publish my family book. A book I haven't written. But it's all coming back to me -the people, history, the relationships, the places, the events and the words people have spoken.

I cannot put out of mind, one particular event, which might have aligned the stars; the passing on of my paternal grand mother, Janet Kakatooma. We called her by her pet name -Kaaka since we were born.

A few months ago, we laid her to her final resting place at my family farm in Kyenkwanzi in August.What a sad day! But yet again, what a glorious day! On that day, I saw the passing of the great race. Very few knew the story of the woman who lay in that ornate casket. The people in our neighborhood had known her for only the ten years that she had moved here. Even I didn't have much interaction with her during the adventures of her youth, but I learn about who she was from what I found.

Kaaka belonged in the generation of my grandfather, James Kanyorozi, which I have come to understand and label as "the great race".