The Deputy ED MSC Hellen .P. Masika says government was ready to support the former royal guards and their wives
The Micro Finance Support Centre (MSC) will support widows and wives of the former Rwenzururu royal guards with seed capital to start income-generating activities.
MSC will also offer special support to all former and freed royal guards.
The commitment followed appeals made by the Busongora North MP, Sowedi Kitanywa and the Kasese Resident District Commissioner-RDC Lt. Joe Walusimbi who, say that the former royal guards and their wives are struggling to rebuild their lives.
The leaders argue that most of the royal guards that were freed in 2020 found their families in shamble.
Addressing beneficiaries of Emyooga Sacco in Kasese Municipality and Busongora South in Kasese, the Deputy Executive Director of MSC, Hellen Petronilla Masika, said the institution will establish common user projects for the former royal guards and their wives to be able to boost their livelihoods.
She added that MSC will also provide financial literacy to the groups to enable them to get knowledge on access to affordable credit.
Maskika also noted that MSC will support the remaining royal guards once they are released from prison. The State Minister of Micro Finance, Haruna Kasole Kyeyune directed the MSC to begin mobilising the former royal guards immediately to ensure they are supported. He noted that a number of young people were lured into such acts because they never had what to do.
Roset Monday, the chairperson of Kasese Municipality People Living with Disability-PWDs Emyooga Sacco welcomed the proposed support. She believes such support is necessary to divert young people from engaging in rebel-like acts.
It is close to six years since the Rwenzuru King Wesley Mumbere and over 100 royal guards were arrested on November 27th, 2016 when the army attacked his Palace in Kasese, leading to the death of more than 100 people.
Mumbere, the then Prime Minister, Johnson Thembo Katsumbire and royal guards were arraigned before court and remanded to Luzira prison on 41 counts of treason, murder, terrorism, attempted murder and aggravated robbery.
The High Court International Crimes Division Judge Eva Luswata released Mumbere on bail but restricted his movements to Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso districts. She also directed him to report to court once every month. Several royal guards were also granted bail in December 2020 while several others are still incarcerated.
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It is a good intervention.