President Museveni Attends Tooro Omukama’s Coronation Calls On Cultural Leaders To Preserve Traditional Tools And Practices To Fight HIV/AIDS And Create wealth
President Yoweri Museveni has attended the colourful coronation of the new Omukama of Tooro kingdom, Edward Rukidi Nyabongo 1 under a constant drizzle at the Karuzika royal palace in Fort Portal city.
Museveni called on cultural leaders to rally their subjects to preserve traditional tools and practices in the fight against diseases like HIV/AIDs and create wealth and development .”
“I call upon our cultural leaders to thoroughly address the institution of marriage and promote responsible family life. We must go back to our traditional ways of conducting marriages, which provided clarity and helped maintain social order. We are facing serious challenges including the prevalence of HIV in this part of the country and Western Uganda. Karamoja, on the other hand, has maintained strong cultural practices around marriage and has a lower prevalence,” Museveni stated .
“We must also guard our language, culture and indigenous science jealously. Our local knowledge is disappearing. I have personally insisted on preserving the Ankole long horned cattle, despite discouragement from some modern veterinary scientists. I sold some to President Ramaphosa, and now South Africans claim they are theirs! We must preserve our indigenous science, crafts, cultural practices and heritage. These are important for our identity and our survival,” Museveni stressed .
Museveni who contributed Ug.Shs.800M for the coronation congratulated King Nyabongo and said he was watching him when he was a news anchor on the national broadcaster UBC . ” I am sure he will do a good job,” the President said.
Museveni used the occassion to once gain saluluted the memory of King Oyo for the wonderful work he did.
“I was very sad because, a day after he was buried, I was going through my documents and found a letter he had written to me on 15th June 2026, thanking me for a number of things, including the appointment of ministers from Tooro.”
In his maiden address as Omukama, Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I welcomed the people of Tooro and paid tribute to his predecessor, the late King Oyo.
King Rukidi Nyabongo thanked Queen Mother Best Kemigisa for enduring the difficult period during King Oyo’s illness and expressed condolences to President Museveni, the royal family and the people of Tooro.
The new Omukama also thanked President Museveni for standing with Tooro throughout the transition. “He has been with us throughout and has even blessed this day,” he said.
Omukama Nyabongo also thanked the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba and the security agencies for their role following King Oyo’s death.
He thanked his wife, Omugo Rebecca Omoding Akiiki, for her support, and his mother, Omujwera Nyina Omukama Yusta Asiimwe Kijanangoma Amooti, and his late father, Prince Christopher Paul Kijanangoma, for laying the foundation for his life.
The new King also recognised the people of Tooro and Ugandans generally for their support, with special appreciation to the media fraternity and Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, where he worked for 12 years as a news anchor and editor.
Omukama Nyabongo pledged an inclusive reign in which the Tooro Kingdom would serve all people without discrimination while preserving the culture, traditions and ways of life of the Batooro.
He said the kingdom would encourage its subjects to work closely with the central government in advancing national development. “We shall work together in unity, trusting that the Lord shall protect and bless the people of Tooro,” he stated.
He said his reign would promote peace and wealth creation in partnership with religious leaders and elders.
Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Tom Butime spoke on behalf of the Tooro elderrs and described the coronation as a historic occasion for both Tooro and Uganda.
He thanked President Museveni for his consistent support and commended the Batooro for maintaining unity during the transition.
The Omujwera Musuuga, Charles Kamurasi, thanked President Museveni for the support and care he had extended to the late King Oyo throughout his life, including during his illness.
“Thank you for loving Tooro and the people of Tooro,” he said.
Kamurasi also commended the UPDF Engineering Brigade for the rehabilitation works at the palace and thanked Gen. Kainerugaba for deploying teams to support the preparations.
He said Tooro would remember King Oyo for his advocacy against HIV and AIDS and thanked the people of the kingdom for uniting to make the coronation possible.
Omusuguga Kamurasi who has been presiding over the affairs of the Kingdom since King Oyo’s passing said thus , “I have given you all the power since I am the one who has been holding power during the time since Oyo’s death,” Kamurasi said.
Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Gen. Henry Tumukunde said the Government recognised the contribution of the late King Oyo and thanked the Babiito for their cooperation throughout the transition.
He welcomed the new royal couple and commended them for their patience as the traditional processes leading to the coronation were completed.
“We thank you for allowing processes to usher you into office,” he said.
Gen. Tumukunde said the new Queen’s roots in the Teso sub-region represented an opportunity to strengthen national unity and noted that the people of Tooro had reciprocated this gesture with love.
He said the central government had handled the transition with neutrality in order to protect the interests of the people of Tooro.
He also cautioned against the emergence of competing centres of political power within cultural institutions, saying this could create instability, and encouraged kingdoms to build credible institutional capacity.
The Chairman of the Central Organising Committee, Mr. Isaiah Mayombo, thanked God for making the coronation possible and congratulated the new King.
He thanked President Museveni for gracing the occasion and for the Government’s financial support, while also commending the Omujwera Musuuga for his leadership during the transition.
“We are proud of you as the people of Tooro. You made good decisions and stood on your word,” Mr. Mayombo said.
Minister of Gender , Gen Tumukunde who led the negotations to have a peaceful and smooth transistion said thus , “I want to thank the outgoing Queen Mother for her efforts in raising such an outstanding young gentleman and for cooperating with us as we carry out the transition from one leadership to another.”
