Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom Premier Visits Acholi Chiefdom 

By Our Reporter 

 Gulu – The Prime Minister of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom Owek. Andrew Byakutaga on Saturday evening paid a courtesy call on Ker Kwaro Acholi.

The Premier was accompanied by his wife Mrs. Byakutaga Rose, the Clerk of the BKK Parliament Mr. Atuha Moses, Mr. Basigirenda David, an administrator in Kabumba’s office and Mr. Rogers Byamukama, a FUFA executive member and Chairperson of the FUFA Drum football tournament.

Rt. Hon Byakutaga who earlier watched a drum game between Bunyoro and Acholi said the visit is one of the avenues of strengthening the bond between Acholi and Bunyoro. On a request by the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), the BKK Prime Minister handed over a player of the match award to Hood Mulikyi.

On behalf of the Acholi Paramount Chief, the BKK Premier was received by Mr.Okello David the Personal Assistant to the Acholi Paramount Chief, Mr. Kilama Jacob, the Director of Programs and Mr. Loum Bernard, the Secretary & Corporate Affairs Director at Ker Kwaro Acholi.

Acholi listed food security, cultural preservation, peace building, social economic transformation & community mobilization as some of their key priorities and requested to cooperation and partnership with Bunyoro.

The BKK delegation welcomed a proposal for a partnership with Acholi which according to the BKK premier, will strengthen the relationship between the two Kingdoms.

The BKK Prime Minister handed over presents to the leadership of Acholi. The gifts have since time immemorial been part of the Kingdom’s consignment whenever Bunyoro Kingdom officials visit their Acholi counterparts.

The consignment included a goat, millet, Kibiro salt, native peas, coffee, bananas and beer.

On behalf of the Paramount chief, the Acholi leadership appreciated the gifts and promised to reciprocate the gesture when they visit Bunyoro.

Significance of the items 

A goat

This is one of the treasured domestic animals in Bunyoro. It is commonly slaughtered or donated at functions of success, marriage, friendship or other ceremonies.

Millet grains:

Millet is a staple food in Bunyoro and in Acholi. It withstands all weather and it gives us food security.

Coffee:

Coffee is a cash crop which was introduced in the great lakes region by the Banyoro. Coffee is a beverage and is used in making some medicine and other valuables. Coffee is the first meal you are served when you visit a friend or a person you treasure (Omwaani Gunywanisa enganda). In our tradition, we use coffee berries in cementing friendship (Okusara Omukago).

Native peas (Enkoole Nyamugobe):

They are fast maturing peas which the  forefathers of the Banyoro used to fight food insecurity in homes due to the fact that they have a short maturity period.

Beer:

Traditionally, in times of celebration, the people of Acholi and Bunyoro (who are not Muslims or who don’t find offence in alcohol) sit over beer to relax, share joy & happiness.

Matooke:

This is one of the staple foods in Bunyoro. Recent archeological studies have discovered that the first bananas to be grown in Uganda were around Semwema in Kakumiro district.

Salt

Kibiro salt has been mined for thousands of years. It is medicinal and was a major commodity that Bunyoro used to dominate the international trade.