| Founder(s) | Solomon Iguru I |
|---|---|
| Type | Development Aid / Charity |
| Founded | 29 August 2009 |
| Location | Germany and Uganda |
| Key people | Royal Patron Solomon Iguru I and President Peter Gummersbach |
| Area served | Bunyoro, Uganda |
| Focus | Development, Education, Peace and Human Rights |
| Mission | Development work in the Bunyoro region |
| Method | Fundraising and active work in the region |
| Volunteers | 34 (September 2010) |
| Employees | 0 |
| Website | bunyoro-kitara.org |
The Association of Representatives of the Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom CLBG (ARKBK) is a non-profit charity and NGO in the West-Ugandan kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara. It was established by royal charter on August 27, 2009[1] by Omukama ("King") Solomon Iguru I and is incorporated under the Ugandan Companies Act. Its purpose is to promote the Kingdom internationally and to support development programs for the region. The organisation aims to remain neutral in regards to political and religious matters.[1]
The ARKBK's main director is the King of Bunyoro. The ARKBK is managed by its President and governed by its board of directors.
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The primary objective of the ARKBK is to develop the Bunyoro-Kitara area into a prosperous region of Africa through public relations, active development work, support of other corporations' development work, promotion of the area's financial opportunities to encourage corporate investment and generally carry out tasks set out by the King of Bunyoro.[2]
Members of the association must be approved personally by the King of Bunyoro, must sign a 9-point declaration and must provide a clean police record, copy of their passport, curriculum vitae and other documents. Most members work alone in their home country to make contacts for the King and to obtain donations in cash and materials that can be used for developing the region.
There are several different ranks within the ARKBK, explained below and as can be seen in the diagram to the right:[3]
The ARKBK seeks to help develop four main areas; Living conditions, Education, Accessibility (both physically in the Kingdom but also via internet) and Natural resources (eg. exploitation of crude oil deposits, afforestation and farming). In these ares, the King has pointed out several areas of interest/focus:
| Current objectives[4] | Planned action | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Protecting antiquities and renovation of historical sites | Researching, developing and profiling sites | 24 royal tombs, 4 palaces and royal regalia |
| Nutrition campaign | Fish farming awareness | 1.2 million people |
| Electronic communication | Modern Internet facilities | All youth |
| Improvement of educational standards | Scholarships, publishing of books, "Kabalega Education Fund" | All youth and other eligible persons |
| Pride in royal/traditional music | Record CDs and DVDs of traditional music | All persons |
| Awareness and public information | Opening a radio station | All persons |
| Cattle | Opening a cattle education, research & development center and ranch | 130 square miles (340 km2) ranch |
| Afforestation | Planting trees – 4,000 acres / 5.2 million trees | Nature |
| Rural power supply | Research and supply of solar panels | All households |
| Improved classroom environment | Construction of 60 new classrooms | All youth |
| Ensure transport for royal staff | Purchasing of four 4WD vehicles to ensure mobility of development officers | Royal Court and Ministers |
| Improve internal working environment | Purchase of new office equipment and furniture | Royal Court and Ministers |
The ARKBK has several awards and institutions:
The Medal of Honor may be awarded by the President to anyone within the organisation who has done a great deal of work to promote the Kingdom and the association.
The Hospitality Industry Award[5] is a royal seal of approval given to companies that specialize in hospitality. The award is meant to encourage the Ugandan hospitality industry to continue its development and bring tourism to the Kingdom.
The award is not exclusive to Uganda but may be awarded to a member of the hospitality industry anywhere in the world. The award can also be given as an honorary award to companies with outstanding merit and who have done remarkable work to promote tourism.
The award plaque has the logo of the Hospitality Industry Award, a golden pineapple, and the motto of the award "Quality – Inspired".
The ARKBK, and also the Kingdom, has a goodwill program[6] primarily intended for public figures (eg. politicians, actors) who actively wish to support the work of ARKBK and the development of the Kingdom. A goodwill officer of the Kingdom does not have any powers or responsibilities in the Kingdom. The title is an honor which may be used to promote oneself and the Kingdom. There are different ranks that may be applied for (eg. Goodwill Ambassador, Goodwill Consul), each with its own processing fee that goes primarily to charity.
Currently the Kingdom has three Royal Orders[7] and a hall of fame as listed below.
Royal Warrants[8] are a mark of recognition to regular suppliers of goods and services to the Royal Household of the Kingdom Bunyoro-Kitara. The decision to award Royal Warrants is made only by the King. All details regarding the use of the Royal Warrant are regulated by separate rules and contracts. The award is normally valid for 5 years and must then be re-awarded. The award is given to a specific person (Grantee) of a corporation, and this person is solely responsible for the proper use of the award.
Royal purveyors are entitled to use the Royal Coat of Arms and the text "By appointment to HM Omukama Rukirabasaija Agutamba Solomon Gafabusa Iguru I" on their products.
The Royal Society[9] is meant to bring together scientists of the world, and especially Uganda, to help improve the economy and living conditions of the Ugandan and Bunyoro people.