Africanews
The traditional Tooro Kingdom is officially headed by children. Will they prove to be wiser than their elders? |
The child King of Tooro Kingdom in Western Uganda, Nyimba Oyo Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, has returned home from his kindergarten school in England to prepare for his first coronation anniversary next month, palace sources said today. The Child King returns home at a time when his kingdom is rife with internal squabbles among the members of the royal family.
There have been wrangles over the ownership of the estate of the late King of Tooro Patrick Olimi Kaboyo who died a year ago. A member of the royal family recently filed a court order restraining the queen mother Best Kemigisha (the mother of the child King) from administering the estate of her late husband. Other palace sources say the queen mother has no right to administer the estate of her late husband when the Child King who is the rightful owner of the property is there.
The Child King has regents representing him in carrying out the duties of a King. They include, John Katuramu (the Omuhikirwa) Prime Minister of Tooro Kingdom, Rev. Canon James Rabwooni and Msgr Thomas Kisembo. Other members of the royal clan have since denied trying to usurp the powers of the Child King.
The Princess of Tooro Elizabeth Bagaya was recently accused of attempting to usurp the powers of the child King. The Princess is sister to the late King Kaboyo. Following those allegations and a series of stormy meetings at the royal palace at Mucwa in Tooro, the princess has since been replaced by five- year old Princess Nsemere Komuntale as head of the princesses in the Kingdom. The young Princess shall also like the Child King, her brother, be guided by an adult within the royal family.
The government has returned 21 square miles of land belonging to the Tooro kingdom to the palace officials. Negotiations for the return of properties belonging to the Kingdom started in 1993. The properties includes 101 square miles of land taken over by government since the former regime of Milton Obote abrogated the 1962 constitution and abolished all Kingdoms in Uganda.
President Museveni's National Resistance Movement (NRM) government restored traditional institutions in the country, recognizing its various Kings, but without having any political power. Four Kings are now recognized in Uganda, including the King (Kabaka) of Buganda, the Kings of Tooro, Bunyoro and Busoga. Other ethnic groups in Uganda have revived their traditional clan heads whom the pay cultural allegiance to.
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