Hema king flees to Uganda

The king of the Hema people, and the bishop of Boga Anglican Province in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have fled the volatile Ituri District and taken refuge in Fort Portal in Kabarole District, western Uganda. A Ugandan privately owned newspaper, The Monitor, reported on Thursday that King Mugenyi of the Banyagwa had fled earlier this week with some 20 royals. A Kingdom of Toro senior official, the Rev Richard Baguma, told the daily that the kingdom was hosting them. It quoted Toro Minister of Culture Mishaki Kawamara as saying that three other leaders had fled their chiefdoms in the DRC and sought refugee in Toro. He said they were Kisembo Byabazaire Mubworo of Mboga and Rutahaba Ibanda of Mitego, both currently living in Fort Portal, and Kisembo Kaahwa of Kasenyi who was still camped in Rwebisengo in Bundibugyo District. Baguma said King Mugenyi had fled for fear of attacks from the Lendu and Balega communities. He noted that Toro had a tradition of helping monarchs in times of need. Kabarole District Chairman Augustine Kayonga said Bishop Njojo of Boga and several other clerics had also taken refuge in Kabarole. Ugandan troops, who had reduced the level of insecurity in Ituri, began their withdrawal on 25 April, under international pressure. However, The Monitor reported that their pull-out had increased fears of a resurgence of violence.