Bagaya opposes turning Tooro Parliament into hotel
Tooro Parliament building. Photo by Francis Tusiime
What you need to know:
The fight. The Princes says the Parliament is part of the kingdom’s identity.
KABAROLE. Princess Elizabeth Bagaya has opposed the bid by the Tooro Kingdom parliament to turn the kingdom administration block into a hotel complex as a way of boosting income. The block is located at Muchwa in South Division, Fort Portal Municipality.
“We are ready to change Muchwa kingdom administration block and parliament into Muchwa Kingdom Hotel,” said the kingdom prime minister, Mr Bernard Tungwakwo.
Addressing the kingdom parliament last Saturday, he said the kingdom can’t meet its budget expenditure.
“The project will also promote tourism in Tooro Kingdom as Fort Portal plans to become a tourism city in the Vision 2040,” Mr Tungwakwo said, adding: “...the kingdom parliament will remain inside while the other offices will be relocated”
According to the kingdom spokesperson, Mr Kennedy Gusalire, the building also houses one campus of Uganda Pentecostal University, kingdom administration offices and Makerere University Fort Portal campus, which will be asked to relocate.
The proposal attracted mixed feelings from two members of the Orukurato, the kingdom parliament. Tooro Kingdom Princess Elizabeth Bagaya Akiiki objected to the motion, arguing that the block is historic to the kingdom.
“I won’t accept the decision of changing the kingdom parliament into a hotel because it is an identity of Tooro Kingdom administration,” Bagaya said.
Her position was echoed by Prince Patrick Muganzi, who argued that despite the fact that Parliament is to remain, but the historical name will go. He said the kingdom owns chunks of idle land where a hotel can be constructed.
