Fire Guts Kabaka\'s Palace In Nakasongola

The palace was constructed in May, 2015 to shelter Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II during his visit to Nakasongola district.

Deborah Nazziwa, a chief for Buganda kingdom in Nakasongola says that boda boda riders alerted them when they saw flames rising from the palace which is made of papyrus reeds.

Nazziwa says that they them mobilised Buganda loyalists who managed to contain the fire using water and tree branches.

Ronald Njego, another Buganda kingdom chief in Nakasongola town council says that the palace is located in an isolated place and no person is sleeping inside it, raising questions on how it could have caught fire.

The Buganda loyalists and police spent the night protecting the palace from what they called ‘\'another possible arson attack”.

Gerald Kyanjo, the Buganda representative in Buruuli County says the fire could be a case of arson since there have been attempts to compel the Mengo establishment to bring it down but they refused.

Kyanjo narrates that on Tuesday this week, the Nakasongola RDC Apollo Bwebale stopped a meeting organised inside the palace by Buganda chiefs citing security fears after a group of Buruuli Chiefdom loyalists, asked him to demolish it or they would mobilize to ensure it is removed.

Alphonse Ojangole, the acting Nakasongola District Police Commander says that police has arrested one person but declined to reveal his identities for fear of jeopardizing investigations.

Ojangole says that police is treating the incident as arson case.

The Buruuli chiefdom officials protested the construction of the palace in May, saying its presence at Nakasongola district headquarters, which is a stone away from the office of the Isabaruuli Mwogezi Butamanya was a sign of disrespect, provocation and aggression.

There have been attempts by the Police and Resident District Commissioner Apollo Bwebale to engage Buganda and Buruuli chiefdom officials in dialogue to try and diffuse tension over the presence of the palace.