The Prince of ANkole Kingdom, John Barigye is dead. He died on Friday at about 6pm at Agha Khan Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya where he had been undergoing treatment. Prince Barigye was 71.

Prince Barigye being crowned in 1993

According to the Prime minister of Ankole, William Katatumba Barigye had problems with one of his kidneys. But he said the Prince was believed to be recovering from the condition after having a successful kidney transplant in India in march 2011.

Prince Barigye who is the Omugabe of Ankole was crowned king of the most populous western Uganda tribe in 1993 but the government of president Yoweri Museveni shortly declared the kingdom non-existent and it has never been reinstated up to this day. Museveni is a Munyankole from Ankole Kingdom.

The Ankole kingdom like other Ugandans cultural kingdoms was banned by the Obote 1 government. While many other kingdoms were restored after the 1993 restitutions of Cultural Institutions Act, Ankole was suspiciously not allowed to operate again as a kingdom. Prince Barigye thus lived as a king that wasn’t a king and his legacy as a monarch is an unclear one.

By the time of his death, Barigye however had more pressing concerns as he was engaged in divorce proceedings in the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court with his long time wife and mother of four children, Denise Kwezi.

Despite being denied his kingship, Barigye lived a largely quiet life and never made huge political statements or demands from the government as other monarchs usually do. May his soul rest in peace.

Ultimate Media