Ugandan descendants of the Bunyoro-Kitara and Toro kingdoms met in Boston for the official inauguration of the Banyakitara Association on October 24th 2009 in what was a very well organised and colorful ceremony under the Chairmanship of Dr. Michael Kisembo and Emceed by Michael Mangeni a resident of Rhode Island. The Keynote speech was delivered by the Bunyoro Kingdom spokesman Mr. Henry Ford Mirima. In his remarks he urged those present to pass on the Banyakitara culture onto their Children now that there were Ugandan Americans living in the diaspora.
Other issues mentioned included pulling resources together in order to make tangible investments back home and the newly discovery of oil in Bunyoro and gold in Toro as resources that can be used to develop their regions.
During his presentation what seemed to stimulate interest amongst the audience was his description of the history of the Bunyoro-Kitara Empire which he described stretched from western Congo down to Karagwe in modern day Tanzania. He labored to show how Kabalega had put up a spirited fight to defend his people and fight the British incursion of his bunyoro-kitara empire.
He spoke about the lost counties articulating that of the seven counties that were taken from the Bunyoro kingdom only two were returned namely Bugangaizi and Buyagga (in present day Kibaale district) during the referendum of 1964. He therefore noted that the issue of the Banyala and the Baruli is part of those lost counties the Banyoro lost to Buganda during the 1900 Buganda agreement.
Church leaders and well wishers from Boston also attended the event. UNAA Times brings you some of the highlights of the ceremony in pictures from the Double Tree Hotel in Waltham.
All Photos by Ronnie Mayanja | www.unaatimes.com | www.soreel-mayas.com
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