KAMPALA, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- A tribal king from western Uganda, Charles Wesley Mumbere was late on Tuesday charged with murder after the weekend clashes between the security forces and a separatist local militia that left 62 people dead.
John Francis Kaggwa, the Jinja Court Chief Magistrate read Mumbere, the King of Rwenzururu kingdom based in western district of Kasese the charges, before remanding him to Kirinya Prison in the eastern district of Jinja.
The security forces on Sunday afternoon stormed the palace of King Mumbere and arrested him following the fierce clashes between his royal guards, army and police on Saturday.
He was airlifted to the capital Kampala and transferred to Nalufenya police station in eastern Ugandan district of Jinja.
Gen. Jeje Odongo, Ugandan minister of internal affairs told Parliament on Tuesday that Mumbere was charged over his role to promote violence.
"He is appearing in court. He is being charged for his role in the Rwenzori region," said Odongo.
At least 16 police officers and 46 royal guards were killed in the weekend deadly clashes between security forces and tribal fighters who are agitating to break away from the East African country to form their own Yiira Republic, attacked the security forces that were on patrol in Kasese town.
At least 149 attackers belonging to the "Kilhumira Mutima", a militia group, have been arrested. The attackers used assault rifles, petrol bombs, grenades, machetes, spears and daggers.
The local fighters have taken up arms to agitate for the creation of the Yiira Republic, which would cover territory in Uganda and part of North Kivu in Democratic Republic of Congo.
"We condemn in the strongest terms possible all those who promote the ideology of extremism and violence. Anybody who takes armed action to destabilize the security of Uganda will be dealt with in accordance with the law of the land," said Odongo.
The authorities in Kampala accuse Mumbere's royal guards of setting up military and training camps in the Rwenzori Mountains alongside separatist militia forces to attack government installations.
The militias reportedly run a small and self-proclaimed government, even collecting taxes from the citizens they control.
