The Deepening Politics of Fragmentation in Uganda: Understanding Violence in the Rwenzori Region

Abstract In November 2016, Uganda’s armed forces raided the Rwenzururu kingdom palace in Kasese Municipality, arresting and detaining king other officials on treason charges. This was climax to a puzzling wave of violence that then unfolding Rwenzori Region. We consider this an unintended consequence deepening politics fragmentation, which takes two forms: “kingdomization” “districtization.” Through ruling elites seek weaken subnational concentrations power, resources, legitimacy wielded by otherwise coalesced, potentially strong, authority structures sociopolitical groups. Fragmentation fractures preexisting intra-regional unity, generates new conflicts, reopens old wounds, leading violent encounters at sub-national level, between regional sub-groups, with central state. involving both state non-state actors has important ramifications for managing national security within socially fragile contexts politically fragmented polity.